The Maine Coon is one of the largest breeds of domestic cat breeds, known for its intelligence and playfulness as well as its distinctive physical appearance. The breed is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America and originated from New England, making it America’s first indigenous show cat. The Maine Coon Cat is known as “the gentle giant.

Maine Coon cats are very large and energetic cats, sometimes weighing up to around 11-12 kilograms (25 pounds); the average weight is 6 to 9 kilograms (13-20 pounds) for adult males and less (7-11 pounds) for females. Male Maine Coons may grow to a length in excess of 1 meter (40 inches); the longest cat on record is a Maine Coon 121cm (49 inches) in length. Growth to full size often takes longer than for most cats, with Maine Coons usually reaching full size at age four or five.

The most common color/pattern in the breed is brown with tabby markings. Maine Coon are recognized in all colors, including tortoiseshell, except for chocolate, lavender, ticked tabby, and the point-restricted (“Siamese”) pattern. Eye color also varies widely. All patterns may have green, green-gold, or gold. Blue eyes, or one blue eye with one gold eye, are possible in white coat cats. They share similar facial markings, for example, a distinct “M” shape on the forehead.

Maine Coons have medium-long, dense fur, with longer hair, or a ruff, on their chests similar to the mane of a lion (which is why the breed is sometimes humorously called the “Mane Coon”). Their fur consists of two layers – an undercoat and an additional layer of longer guard hairs, which gives the breed their key physical feature. The fur is generally very soft. Maine Coons have long hair on the backs of their legs (called pantaloons or britches) and between their toes which helps to keep warm in the cold. They also have bushy plumed tails and broad, angular heads, squared-off muzzles and wide-set ears topped with tufts of fur. Most Maine Coons keep their fur in good order without the need for additional human grooming, but due to the length and quantity of hair, most will also benefit from a simple brushing once a week. While the Coon may be polydactyl, having one or more extra toes on their paws, this trait is generally bred out.

Maine Coons have large ears, which can be tipped at the end with fur. This is a common trait of a Maine Coon, giving them their Lynx-like appearance.

Maine Coons are a breed distinguished by intelligence, dexterity, and playfulness. They have a tendency to use their front paws extensively (often curling the paw round to pick objects up) and as a consequence will easily learn to open cabinet doors, turn on water faucets, or pick up small objects. Some Maine Coons will eat from their paws, rather than eating from the bowl itself.

Due to their above-average intelligence, Maine Coons are known to be one of the easiest cat breeds to train. Maine Coons are noted for their ability to trill their meows, which sounds like a combination of a purr and a meow, and they tend to make this sound when happy or startled. They are noted for rarely eating alone, preferring to eat in the company of other cats or humans. Maine Coons are usually not “lap” cats (possibly because of their large size), and thus are generally not comfortable sitting on a person’s lap or chest, though this may depend on the personality of the individual cat.

Some Maine Coons enjoy playing with, but not usually in, water. They may dip toys in their water bowls before playing with them, or just tip the water bowl over. They may also skim their paws across the surface of their water bowl. Maine Coons occasionally engage in mischievous behavior when bored, such as deliberately pushing things off tables and the tops of refrigerators with their paws.

Maine Coons can be very dog-like in their behavior. Playing fetch is a favorite game. As with dogs, they will bring their ball, drop it at the feet of their intended playmate and wait for the ball to be thrown. They will often accompany their owner on chores like getting the mail, etc.

Since the Maine coon’s coat has a silky, all-weather texture and is water resistant, the fur doesn’t mat as easily as a Persian’s would. Regular grooming is still needed, however. To keep the Maine coon looking sharp, comb two or three times a week with a good quality steel comb. During the fall, when they shed their summer coats, and spring, when they shed their heavier winter coats, additional grooming is usually needed.

The Siamese cats are one of the first noticeably accepted breeds of Oriental cat. The breed is believed to be from Southeast Asia, and is said to be descended from the sacred temple cats of Siam (now Thailand). In the 20th century the Siamese cat became one of the most popular breeds in Europe and North America.

The Siamese cats is well-known by its brilliant blue eyes and colored points on ears, face, tail and feet, which provide a striking contrast to its light-colored body.

With their sleek lines, striking color contrast, aristocratic heads, deep blue almond eyes, and short silky short, the Siamese is a tremendously beautiful and elegant cat. Another typical feature of the Siamese is its well-known voice. They are great communicators and like no other cat speak both with their voice and with their body. Siamese cats love accompany and spending time with their humans and are real lap cats.

Siamese kittens are born without the dark markings and develop them throughout the first weeks of their lives.

Siamese cat care need moderately little grooming. Their close-lying coat can do with a gentle brushing just once a week to remove dead hair.

With a proper care, Siamese Cats life expectancy can be more than 15-20 years.

Siamese cat can be a stubborn cat. Although Siamese love people and are generally easy to be around, sometimes they have habits that people might not want to live with.

Siamese are curious and active cats. They have the long athletic lines as well as the ability to jump well. They can easily navigate countertops or cooking spaces that might be off limits. Because they tend to be easily excitable, they may also scratch on surfaces that are not appropriate, like the formal living room sofa.
When attempting to train your stubborn Siamese out of these habits, you may find yourself frustrated. Pet owners often make certain mistakes when trying to train their pets. Siamese cats can be particularly frustrating.

It helps to remember these three things. First, remember that your cat learns at the moment of the action. Second, be consistent. This can be difficult if your cat loves to be on the counters while you are at work or in another room. Third, let your environment do the work. This is probably the most effective training method. Spray something the cat doesn’t like on the nice sofa to keep them from scratching that and make the scratching post very available.

A kitten is fighting to survive after kids threw bricks at her and then set her on fire in West Baltimore.

The 8-month-old cat, named Gabrielle at BARCS where she’s being treated this morning, was deliberately set on fire and burned in the Garrison Avenue neighborhood, the shelters executive directer Jennifer Mead-Brause says.

Despite serious burns on her side and back, she’s hanging in there, walking around and even purring, Mead-Brause told Unleashed this morning.

“She’s doing OK,” she said. “I feel good about her. She’s going to take a long time to recover and like with Phoenix, she’s got to be able to fight off the infection.”

Phoenix, a pit bull puppy, was doused with gasoline and set on fire in Southwest Baltimore in May. She had to be euthanized a few days later after her kidneys began to fail due to her injuries.

[UPDATE 11:08 a.m. The Snyder Foundation is offering a reward of $1,000 for anyone that comes forward with information leading to the conviction of the individuals responsible for this crime.]
In the case of Gabrielle, a tiny black and white cat, Animal Control received a call from a citizen concerning a cat that had been set on fire. The citizen stated that she saw several kids throw rocks and bricks at the cat and then pour a liquid on it. She turned away and when she turned back, the cat was burning. The cat was able to roll and put the flames out, but the kids caught it and set it on fire a second time.

That was about a week ago. Animal Control was finally able to find the cat and get her treated yesterday.

Local animal rescue group Recyled Love will be taking over Gabrielle’s treatment and care, probably starting today. She’s being treated with pain medication and antibiotics.

Police will be investigating the case, BARCS says. Mead-Brause wasn’t sure if this case is related to cat burnings earlier this summer in Northwest Baltimore.

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What are the most common mistakes that pet owners make with their pets? 

Here are five mistakes many pet owners make, which I can think of:

1. Did not bring their pets for yearly examination. Yearly exams are important and can find health problems early when many are more treatable.
2. Cost-conscious on nutrition. A good quality and nutrition food for your cat is important. By skimping on nutrition matters can be a problem. Cats need a high quality diet that is formulated to meet their life-stage needs. Kitten should be on kitten diet, adult should be on adult diet, while senior cat should be on senior diet.
3. Many pet owners do not put consideration and pay enough attention to toxins and medications that cats can get into. Maybe it comes down to cat-proofing your home to ensure your cat can’t get into common toxins such as rat poison, antifreeze, medications (cat and human) or the trash. Cats are especially fond of thread and other liner objects such as yarn and ribbon. Keep those items picked-up and out of the reach of your cat.
4. Don’t monitor their cats. It is important to monitor cats on a daily basis. Cats are so good at hiding their illnesses that often by the time we notice – the disease may be quite advanced. For this reason – it is important to look for early signs of problems.  Monitor your cat’s urination, defections, attitude and appetite every day. Don’t make the mistake of keeping dry food available at all times.  You won’t be able to tell if your cat is eating – offer a little canned food twice a day to ensure he is eager to eat.
5. Don’t keep a current ID tag or microchip on their cat. Many cats don’t have a current ID tag or microchip. Dog owners do a way better job at keeping their dog identified. However, even indoor cats occasionally get out. This is the most vulnerable of cats. An ID tag or microchip is the BEST way a lost cat can be returned to you. At the clinics – we often see pets brought in without a tag or microchip that end up at Rabies Control or the Humane Society. Without identification, many of these pets are never reunited with their owners.

Whatever you do, keep your cat safe. Ensure he has a good collar with an ID tag. Also, feed them a good quality cat food, check that he is eating well and keep your home “cat-proof”.

What do good cat owners do that make them good owners and help give them good healthy cats? 

Here are a few things that come to mind:

1. Play with their cats. Nearly all cats love to run and play. It is a natural release and helps keep them physically healthy and emotionally happy. Make sure your cat has lots of fine fun toys that he likes and work to keep him in play. Point the laser pointer on the wall or ceiling, swing that feather, or roll a ball. Do this for at least 10 to 20 minutes a day.
2. Make sure that your cat has yearly check-ups to help look for any medical problems early is a very good habit. Your veterinarian will also find out if your cat requires any flea control, vaccines, or heartworm preventative medications. These will help to keep your cat healthy and happy.
3. Good daily care. Daily monitoring of your cats appetite, urinations, bowel movements are a part of being a good responsible cat owner. Healthy cats have a good appetite, normal urinations and healthy bowel movements. Any abnormalities should be noted and any persistent changes should be reported to your veterinarian.
4. Feed a good quality food. Good nutrition is a very important part of a cat’s health and is the most proactive thing you can do to keep your cat healthy. Over the past two decades,  a lot of science has gone into formulating cat foods to optimize a cat’s health.  Take advantage of that knowledge by feeding a premium cat food.
5. Daily grooming. Monitoring your cats nails and trimming when needed, brushing his teeth at least every other day and daily hair brushing are important to prevent unnecessary problems such as dental disease, torn nails, and uncomfortable hairballs.

Make sure, everything start at early age of your cat