Maine Coon cats are beautiful creatures and besides that they are known for being very friendly, affectionate and gentle. A Maine Coon is definitely the perfect family cat and that´s why this breed is so popular and loved by many cat owners. But what about grooming and everything related to that? Do Maine Coon cats shed a lot? This can be a big turn off for many people, as most of the time at least one family member doesn´t want to have cat hair everywhere.
Actually, Maine Coon cats do not shed that much. Sure, it is a cat and it will lose hair, but one could think because of the size of this cat and because of the long hair, that Maine Coon cats produce more unwanted hair than other cat breeds. This is not the case. Many Maine Coon cat owners do not really notice the hair the Maine Coon loses, whereas people who own a cat with short hair complain about finding bushes of hair all the time.
So you see, Maine Coon cats do not shed more than other cats, so this isn´t really a reason for deciding against a Maine Coon cat. However you might think that you have to invest a lot of time to groom your Maine Coon each and every day. This is absolutely not the case. We have a Maine Coon and we rarely use a brush, because the hair looks good and there is no reason for it. Let me go more into detail here.
How Often Should You Brush Your Maine Coon?
Maine Coon cats do not have a lot of undercoat and their hair does not get mat quickly. Even if the hair is a little bit mat and needs to be brushed it does not require as much work as brushing a persian cat, for example.
Some people recommend to brush a Maine Coon every day. However they don´t only recommend this because it makes the hair look good and healthy, they also recommend it because the cat gets used to brushing and does not cause trouble when brushing.
Personally, I don´t do that. Maine Coon cats are pretty laid back and they don´t get mad at you anyway. Further the hair doesn´t really stay healthy because you brush it every day. Sure sometimes a cat needs to be brushed, because the hair looks mat, but if that´s not the case, I don´t see a point in brushing it every day. It´s just not needed, so why doing it?
If you still want to brush your Maine Coon cat´s hair on a regular base, you can definitely do so. Every two to three days is totally enough though.
Maine Coon Cat´s Change Their Coat
In spring and in fall Maine Coon cat´s change their coat (it depends on the temperature as well). Some people say that the Maine Coon loses more hair during that time. I can´t confirm that as I don´t really notice more hair, but during this time you might want to brush your Maine Coon cat more often to get rid of the loose hair in the undercoat.
What Is The Best Brush For That?
You definitely want to get a brush that is suited for cats with very long hair. Even if a Maine Coon cat´s hair doesn´t require a lot of work, you still want to get it done properly. The brushes for long hair will get the job done quickly and properly.
A lot of people use a Furminator brush to brush their Maine Coon and I completely understand why. That brush removes all the loose hair easily and besides that it is very easy too clean. Just push one button and all the hairs on the brush come loose. Further this brush is perfect for cats with long hair and it is not expensive at all. Check the price on Amazon here!
How To Brush A Maine Coon
Brushes like the Furminator make brushing without hurting your cat very easy. There is not a special way you should brush your cat. It really is just common sense. Be careful at the eyes and other sensitive bodyparts. If you hurt your Maine Coon cat during brushing it might associate brushing with pain after a while and this will make grooming harder for both of you.
Further be careful at the tail. Cats are sensitive there and the hair at the tail grows very slowly.
You Can Bath Your Maine Coon
Did you know that Maine Coon cats actually love water? Normally cats hate water, but whenever Maine Coons gets the opportunity to get their feed wet, they definitely do so. For example, most Maine Coon cats love to play with the water in a big water bowl. That´s why they often create such a mess when drinking.
Many Maine Coon cats even like to take a bath and swim a little bit. You definitely can give your Maine Coon a bath if you want. You only have to make sure that the water is not too cold. Otherwise your Maine Coon might get sick and that´s absolutely not what you want.
Giving your Maine Coon a bath can be fun for you and your cat.
Please note that cats normally don´t need a bath except their coat is very dirty and you can´t let them run around in your house anymore. Then it is definitely needed even though cats clean their furr themselves. Also note that you should not force your cat to take a bath. If your Maine Coon wants to bath, good, if not, consider cleaning your cat with a wet facecloth.
Please don´t use any shampoo for humans when washing your Maine Coon. There are special cat shampoos that you can use for that and those are not expensive at all. If you want to learn more about bathing Maine Coons and Maine Coons and water, have a look at this article here.
My Maine Coon Hates Being Brushed – What To Do?
As I already said, Maine Coon cats are pretty laid back. There are known for being the most friendly cat breed for a reason. There are some Maine Coon cat´s that don´t like to be brushed, though. Our Maine Coon cat, Maze, doesn´t really like it, but she doesn´t attack us for brushing her.
She just starts to play with the brush and wants to make us stop. It isn´t really a problem, but this way it takes a couple of minutes longer to brush her.
You should introduce your Maine Coon to the brush early. It is best if you start when your Maine Coon is still a kitten, but even if you have an adult Maine Coon, you can still get the cat used to the brush easily.
I recommend to find spots where your cat loves to be crawled and start brushing there. Most of the times cats enjoy it and this makes it easier to accept being groomed. Working with a lot of treats will help as well. Show your cat the brush and give it a treat. This way your cat will associate the brush with something positive.
Beginn to brush a little bit and stop. Increase the length every session a little bit and offer treats whenever your cat stays calm during grooming. This way your cat will get used to the brush very quickly and eventually it might even purr when getting groomed.
Our Maine Coon, Maze.
It can also help to rub the brush with a little bit of cat nip. As you know, every cat is addicted to cat nip and gets totally crazy when smelling it. Just test how your Maine Coon reacts to it.
Conclusion
The huge Maine Coon cat might look like it causes you a lot of work. Getting rid of all the cat hair in your house, brushing the long Maine Coon hair each and every day. The good news is that this is not true. Compared to their massive bodies and their long hair that is perfect for surviving outside in the winter, Maine Coon cats do not really shed a lot.
Further the grooming of a Maine Coon cats is really easy and does not require much of your time. We only brush our Maine Coon cat when it is needed and besides that we let our Maine Coon, Maze, just do her thing and take care of her hair herself. If you need a brush for your cat, I definitely recommend the Furminator. Check it out here!
So do maine Coon cats shed a lot? The answer is definitely no. We also have a regular house cat called Gigetta and Gigetta loses way more hair than our Maine Coon cat, Maze. You would think it is the other way around.
I hope that this article helped you and that it showed you that you don´t have to be afraid of drowning in hair in your house, lol. If you have any questions, or if you want to share any stories about your Maine Coon cat and its hair, leave a message in the comment section below.
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