Owners of Maine Coons who try to trim their pets at home most often argue with the desire to help them withstand the heat, rid them of tangles, and want to avoid shedding or bathing that cats don’t like. Sometimes a haircut is done to decorate the pet, giving it the appearance of a lion, for example. Whatever the reason, most often a haircut harms, not helps, a Maine Coon.
Reasons for getting a haircut
There are several good reasons for getting a haircut:
- Keep your cat out of the heat. It is believed that it is easier for a pet to endure the heat without a huge amount of wool blanket. But it is not always the case. Maine Coons are too susceptible to any changes in temperature, so the absence of fur can not only relieve them from the heat, but, on the contrary, will lead to heat stroke. Also, without his fur coat, he can catch a cold under the air conditioning. This happens because cutting disrupts the natural microclimate of the cat’s body.
- Prevent skin diseases. There are cases when a Maine Coon develops small bald patches as a result of some disease; as a result, the owners come to a solution that eliminates this problem - they trim the diseased animal. But in fact, this leads to camouflage, but does not solve the problem of bald spots.
- Get rid of prolonged shedding. If the shedding is prolonged, it means that there are reasons for this. For example, inappropriate temperature, improper feeding of the Maine Coon, stress, etc. Here, haircuts also do not solve the problem.
- Change your appearance with a decorative haircut. The Maine Coon is a true Aboriginal. He is brutal in his shaggyness - this is the beauty. Therefore, you should not make him beautiful and fashionable, because he will no longer be a Maine Coon.
- To prevent vomiting of eaten wool. It’s easier to start brushing your pet daily with special combs and slickers.
- Get rid of tangles. This is the only reason that justifies a haircut, but this method does not always help. It is better to cut only in advanced cases, otherwise various skin diseases and parasites may appear along with tangles.
Advice! If mats form frequently in your Maine Coon, you need to solve the problem differently: try washing the cat 1-2 times a month. This will help the fur become softer and less tangled.
Do Maine Coons need to be cut?
A lush collar and a long fluffy tail are the distinctive features of the breed. But all this splendor entails an accumulation of wool on carpets, upholstered furniture and clothes of the owners. Sometimes they try to reduce the distress during shedding by turning to a hairdresser.
There is also a misconception that depriving a cat of its fur will save it from the heat. In fact, it helps protect the body from heat stroke.
Most groomers believe that cutting is completely unnecessary and even harmful. But there are cases when it is necessary.
When is a haircut necessary?
- Grooming cats before the show. There are several secrets that experts use to give wool a high-quality show look.
- Removing formed tangles. If you do not carefully comb out dead fur, it will fall into clumps. Particularly problem areas are the sides, collar and panties.
- Trimming long hairs under the tail. It is better to carefully trim the delicate area sometimes than to wash out feces stuck to the fur every day.
- The Maine Coon is a native breed. It is valued for its natural, wild beauty. After a haircut, he will lose his individuality and natural attractiveness.
Why you shouldn't cut Maine Coons unless necessary
- The grooming procedure is stressful for the cat. In the salons, for safety, the animal’s neck and paws are secured with leather straps. In some cases, anesthesia is applied to restless animals so that the groomer can do his job properly. This method negatively affects the health of the pet.
- The structure of the coat changes. Some owners mistakenly think that thanks to a haircut, the coat will become thicker and begin to grow longer. Its quality will actually change, but for the worse. It will no longer be so smooth, two-layered, it will become “cotton,” and for this reason much more tangles will begin to form.
- Thermoregulation failure. A healthy coat is responsible for maintaining body temperature. Along with it, the air layer is removed, which protects sensitive skin from the environment. A beautiful haircut can cause a cold or overheating.
- Impaired perception. To orient themselves in space, cats use vibrissae. These are not only whiskers, but also long, stiff hairs located along the fur of giant cats. By removing them, a person destroys the animal’s navigation system. The pet becomes insecure and less active because it does not feel the size of its own body. Maybe even go to the toilet past the tray.
- Mental trauma. Without the usual “clothes,” the cat feels inferior and tries to hide from its relatives and people.
The Internet is replete with photos and videos of Maine Coon haircuts like a lion. The main part of the animal's body is shaved with a clipper, leaving the head, collar, paws and tip of the tail intact. Wanting to highlight their pet, owners often do not realize that they are causing irreparable harm to it.
You shouldn't cut your cat's hair like this:
The dangers of haircuts
Maine Coon wool has two layers, which is very important, because after shearing it loses the following qualities:
- Thermoregulation. With the help of special layers, the animal’s normal body temperature is maintained. This is achieved due to the air gap between the body and the environment.
- Navigation. The structure of the Maine Coon's coat allows it, with the help of hard vibrissae (tactile hairs), to move and navigate in space, to avoid obstacles, which is very important at night, because this breed loves to hunt.
- Activity and vigor. The lack of fur explains the lethargic behavior of the Maine Coon; without it, they lose orientation, become confused, and want to hide in a secluded place.
- Density and softness of wool. There are times when hairs lose their stiffness or do not grow to the desired length. There are much more tangles after cutting.
Grooming according to veterinary indications
There are only two necessary measures when grooming Maine Coon cats is necessary:
- for animal skin diseases;
- for uncombed tangles that are located too close to the skin.
Important! Cutting tangles is dangerous, as the animal may accidentally get hurt. As a result, the cat will lose trust in its owner and even begin to show aggression.
Animal grooming is carried out using a special clipper, which has more power than a human clipper.
Grooming a Maine Coon before a show
The master performs the following manipulations:
- removes excess volume;
- fillets the affected areas, creating a natural effect;
- leaves the tail and ear tufts intact;
- trims the Maine Coon’s famous “smile” in the mouth area;
- A minimal amount of fur is removed to preserve the natural silhouette of the cat.
At home, tangles are usually cut off. Before the procedure, be sure to wipe the scissors with a disinfectant (peroxide, chlorhexidine). The difficulty lies in the fact that large, knocked down lumps lie close to thin skin. Extreme caution or the help of a specialist will be required so as not to injure the pet.
Preparation for the process
If a haircut is an inevitable process, then you will have to prepare and learn a few secrets and tricks.
- Maine Coons need to be bathed before being groomed. Many pets love water, but there are also those who experience stress from being submerged. Therefore, you need to put a small towel on the bottom so that the paws are stable. After this, you can gradually add water.
- Before applying, mix a little shampoo with water in your palm. Apply the resulting liquid to the wet wool using gentle movements. Make sure that water does not get into the animal's ears and nose.
- It is better to bathe a Maine Coon with three shampoos at once in the required sequence: deep cleaning of the hair, strengthening the color and maintaining the texture. In addition to shampoo, you can also use a special balm to make the cover shiny and silky.
- Before cutting, the coat must be thoroughly dried. This is done with a hair dryer at low speed or with a towel. After this, the cat is combed and the mats are carefully removed. Only after all the procedures have been completed can you start cutting.
Recommendations for Maine Coon coat care
Caring for Maine Coon fur is not difficult, the main thing is to comb out the thick undercoat in a timely manner and prevent the formation of tangles. It is also important to know how to bathe a Maine Coon correctly.
Combing
Maine Coons need to be brushed every day. To do this, you can use a wide-toothed metal comb and a special wool brush. As a rule, Maine Coons are taught to be brushed from childhood, so the daily process of brushing their coat does not cause problems for owners.
Furminators should not be used, because they are designed to remove not only dead hair, but also part of the normal one. This contributes to hair breakage, deteriorates the quality of the Maine Coon's coat and disrupts its natural growth.
Brush the Maine Coon first from the head to the tail, then from the back towards the belly. After this, you can begin combing your paws and tail.
Bathing and cosmetics
Owners ask the question: “How often should I bathe a Maine Coon?” It depends on whether the animal attends exhibitions. When preparing for each exhibition, the animal should be thoroughly groomed using professional veterinary cosmetics.
If the pet is not a show pet, then you should not bathe it often, because it is very stressful for cats. Also, when bathing, shampoo removes the protective layer from the skin of the Maine Coon. Frequently washing your pet may cause problems with oily fur.
You should choose specialized bathing products that are designed for semi-long-haired cats. Several shampoos are needed; for cleansing, maintaining color, strengthening and texturing wool. It is possible to use balms to make hair easier to comb.
After bathing, the coat must be thoroughly dried and combed. Until it is completely dry, you should not let your pet wander around the house on its own; it may get dirty again.
How to get rid of tangles
Mats, due to the presence of thick undercoat, are a common problem for Maine Coon cats. You should only try to comb tangles with dry hair. When wet, it becomes impossible to untangle the tangles. To detangle, you can take a comb with sparse teeth and a comb with teeth of different frequencies and lengths.
Sometimes it is not possible to comb out tangles. In such cases, all that remains is to cut them off. It is not recommended to do this yourself. Usually they are located very close to the skin and there is a high risk of injuring the animal. It is better to take your pet to a grooming salon.
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For the owners, whom I can now only help remotely, Enota and I recorded a video “How to scratch a Maine Coon. Basic technique." Link to the video in profile. Unfortunately, at the time of filming, no one had mats, but we are now carefully growing one mat on the butt of one obstinate cat, so the next video will be two in one: “I don’t want to itch, I want to bite” and “No freedom for coons tangles! ⠀ Let's together help our cats molt and come out of self-isolation neat! And then, when this is all over, I can already bring chic, shine and beauty
