The appearance and change of teeth in Maine Coons is a complex but natural process for all mammals. Kittens are born blind and toothless. The first “ladder” of teeth begins to emerge already in the 2nd week of life, and by 3 months of age the pet already has a full set of milk teeth: 12 on top and 14 on the bottom. From the 4th month, the process of replacing baby teeth with permanent ones begins.
They itch - they grow
Most often, a change in a kitten’s teeth is noticed by the baby’s changed behavior. At the age of about 4 months, the little baby begins to gnaw furniture legs, wires, arms and legs of the owner. This behavior is most often associated with the eruption of new teeth. This condition is accompanied by significant discomfort and stress for the Maine Coon. Two to three months after the start of the shift, the Maine cat appears new teeth - large and sharp.
Important! Only a Maine Coon with the correct bite meets breed standards.
During the difficult period of growth, baby teeth and growing permanent teeth remain in the mouth at the same time for some time. The owner needs to ensure that the change occurs within a short period of time, and if necessary, seek the help of a veterinarian. Loose teeth create painful sensations, and if they linger in place for too long, a malocclusion may form. Such a defect may result in disqualification from exhibitions.
Features of “dental shedding” in cats
Just like in humans, tooth loss is an unpleasant process for cats. This happens randomly, but sometimes the animal may experience severe discomfort. During the period when a Maine Coon's baby teeth are replaced by permanent ones, he can begin to gnaw on everything he finds. Veterinarians advise paying attention to the animal’s gums when changing fangs. They can become inflamed, and this will lead to the appearance of ulcers and suppuration. In case of inflammation of the gums, in order to alleviate the condition, the following remedies are used:
- sea buckthorn oil;
- infusion of chamomile or oak bark;
- yarrow solution;
- pharmacy antimicrobial gels for children.
The cat's bite depends on the correct growth of the permanent incisors. For owners who keep a pet as a family member, this is not a problem. But for those who like to attend exhibitions with him, this may serve as a reason for disqualification. According to nature's standards, the bite should be perfect. For this reason, taking care of your cat's oral cavity is essential. In addition, this will help avoid dental problems in the future.
How to help the baby?
What should you do if your baby’s gums are inflamed and bleeding, ulcers appear and pus comes out? In this case, rubbing with folk remedies and medications will help:
- sea buckthorn oil;
- decoctions of chamomile, oak bark, yarrow;
- special ointments and gels;
- children's anti-inflammatory drugs.
To speed up teething for your little Maine Coon, you can buy special toys at the pet store. Sticks with a pleasant smell for the cat will be a pleasant surprise for the baby. You should not allow a playful teenage cat to chew on everything, as this bad habit can persist for a long time.
Symptoms
Vaccinations for kittens: what and when to do, at what age
It is not always possible to notice the process when kittens change teeth, since this usually happens painlessly without causing discomfort to the pet. The understanding that a kitten has lost a baby tooth comes when it is found in the apartment.
When a kitten is teething, he chews on everything.
However, the change of fangs in a kitten can be recognized by the following signs:
- unpleasant odor from the mouth, which disappears as soon as the last tooth erupts;
- increased salivation;
- swollen gums; if redness or bleeding is detected, it is recommended to consult a specialist to avoid chronic inflammation;
- a slight increase in temperature, during which the kitten tries to warm up in the owner’s arms or by hiding under a blanket;
- the pet tries to chew hard objects, in a similar way he tries to soothe the itching in the gums and push out a loose tooth;
- probability of territory marking in males;
- loss of appetite or complete refusal to eat for 1-2 days due to sore gums. To eliminate this symptom, it is recommended to replace your usual food with softer or finely chopped food with a high phosphorus content. The best options are industrial feed in liquid or canned form, fermented milk products;
- irritability, aggressiveness, decreased activity and prolonged sleep in a warm place.
Kittens often chew their owner's fingers
Note! Loss of a baby tooth can occur during eating, causing it to be swallowed with food. It is necessary to trace the exit of the swallowed tooth naturally. If this does not happen, it causes pain and discomfort to the pet, you should seek help from a veterinary clinic.
What to feed kittens during this period
There are often recommendations to switch to soft, crushed food during the period of replacing a kitten's fangs, which will avoid irritating the swollen gums and make the feeding process easier. Some veterinarians, on the contrary, believe that with soft food, the likelihood of eating a lost tooth increases. Experts recommend adding dry food to your pet’s diet, which will help reduce gum itching.
But this food is a must for kittens, since adult pieces are larger, denser and drier. For pets whose diet consists of homemade products, the best option would be chopped boiled chicken, turkey, fermented milk products, fresh carrots or cucumbers, and pieces of sea fish once a week. In addition, vitamin supplements in the form of drops will help enrich foods with the necessary phosphorus and calcium.
This is interesting: Photo of a white Maine Coon
Vaccinations and teeth
During the change of teeth, it is not recommended to vaccinate animals whose immunity is weakened by stress. To protect your pet from dangerous diseases, it is necessary to vaccinate at 3-4 months. If these deadlines were missed for some reason, it is better to wait until 7-8 months, and before that, be careful: reduce contact with other animals, limit walks on the street, etc.
Intrabreed diseases
The most serious diseases of Maine Coons are hereditary, so the selection of breeding animals must be very careful. The most dangerous hereditary diseases among representatives of this breed are:
- Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The cause of this disease is hardening of the heart muscle, which can lead to embolism or complete cardiac arrest. The disease is caused by a disorder in the genes that produce a protein that helps stimulate heart contraction.
- Spinal muscular atrophy is a severe hereditary disorder in which spinal cord neurons die and muscle tissue is destroyed.
- Hip dysplasia. This disease is not life-threatening for the animal, but it turns the pet into a disabled person and is accompanied by lameness, pain and frequent dislocations.
- Polycystic kidney disease. This disease is congenital in nature, in which the kitten is born with cysts in the kidneys. As they grow, they can lead to disruption of the functioning of organs, and then to their complete failure.
No treatment for hereditary diseases can completely restore a cat’s health, so it is very important to identify animals carrying the disease and exclude them from breeding.
Oral hygiene
For an adult Maine Coon, timely teeth cleaning is important. The health of the cat largely depends on them. You need to accustom your baby to oral care from the first days of his stay in your home, and then your adult cat will be more tolerant of hygiene procedures. So that your coon can receive worthy awards at shows and please you for a long time, learn to brush your pussy’s teeth:
- Wash your hands first.
- Take the cat on your lap, calm it down, and prepare for the procedure.
- Gently open your pet's teeth and begin rubbing them in a circular motion. In the first stages, accustom your baby to brushing using available means: your own finger wrapped in gauze, a human toothbrush. In the future, you can purchase a special cat brush and paste.
- When you finish brushing your teeth, praise your baby. You can give him some of his favorite treat.
Nurseries
You can find a cattery through a cat club, on the Internet, or at exhibitions.
You can wait for the kittens to arrive by booking them in advance. Catteries usually have their own Internet - a resource where information about all cats, cats, matings, exhibitions, and connections with foreign breeders is indicated. Professional breeders are interested in acquiring new animals every two to three years.
If the same animals constantly mate with each other, and there is no influx of new blood, it means that the owner makes money from reproduction and sale, and he is not interested in improving the quality of the breed. A professional breeder will definitely invite the future buyer to the nursery, show all the animals, and help with choosing a kitten. If the weight of the male cat has been declared, you can ask for a control weighing - this is a normal procedure.
There are nurseries in apartments and outside the city. Even if it is located far from the city, it is better to visit it. When purchasing, an agreement will be concluded between the buyer and the seller on how the animal is planned to be used, how it can and cannot be crossed, and how the matings will take place. Nurseries provide all documents for kittens.
Care from day one
Regular dental cleanings will help prevent feline dental problems from developing. An acute problem for many cats is the formation of tartar. Like people, its appearance begins with a slight change in the color of the teeth - they acquire a yellowish tint. Small deposits first appear at the base of the tooth and then spread to the entire free surface.
Interesting! Dry food from well-known manufacturers not only has a balanced composition, but also serves as a good preventive measure for the formation of tartar in cats.
Cat tartar must be removed promptly. This cannot be done at home, and you will have to go to a veterinary clinic, where specialists will quickly help your pet. Ultrasonic technology is now used to remove plaque, although in remote areas the old fashioned method of removing plaque with tweezers may be used.
If possible, it is worth looking for a specialist with modern equipment, since mechanical cleaning leads to unnecessary stress for the animal.
In cats, tooth decay leads to tooth loss. Regular preventative wiping of the mouth with herbal infusions will help reduce the likelihood of its occurrence. Rose hips are most often used to maintain dental health.
Some owners consider caring for Maine Coon teeth optional. At the same time, representatives of the Maine breed have oral diseases, inflammation and other dental problems quite often. Preventing dental diseases in cats is much simpler and cheaper than treating them. Basic rules for caring for cats:
- carefully choose the animal’s diet;
- a sufficient amount of hard food that cleans teeth well;
- Regular examination by a veterinarian.
Changing teeth is the beginning of your pet’s adult life. Your attention is very important to him during this period. Be attentive to your growing Maine Coon to keep your faithful furry friend with ear tufts healthy!
What to feed a Maine Coon - choosing the type of diet
When deciding what to feed your Maine Coon, you need to make a choice from three possible diets:
- Natural.
- Industrial.
- Mixed.
Each type of diet has advantages and disadvantages for both owner and pet. Naturally, the owner must act in the best interests of the cat
It is important to remember that it is better not to change the type of kitten’s diet until it is one year old. Changing the type of feeding is acceptable after a period of adaptation to a new home or when changing an unsuitable diet
Natural diet
Unlike most cats, Maine Coons prefer a variety of flavors in their food. Even adult representatives of the breed consume a variety of foods with great pleasure.
A natural diet for Maine Coons includes:
- Feeding raw and cooked foods in pure and mixed form.
- Feeding exclusively raw foods.
- Feeding with homemade semi-finished products.
Benefits of a natural diet:
- The ability to provide your pet with a varied, healthy diet.
- Control over the quality and freshness of products.
- The ability to adjust the caloric content of the diet depending on the activity of the pet and the season of the year.
- Significant reduction in risks associated with digestive system sensitivity.
Disadvantages of a natural diet:
- Pet food must be prepared separately and regularly, which takes a lot of time.
- Even the highest quality products do not compensate for the pet’s needs for vitamins and microelements, so the kitten must receive food supplements.
- Natural food spoils quickly, so it should not be left in an automatic feeder.
A Maine Coon kitten can be switched to a natural diet from 1–1.5 months of age. Large cats that mature late are characterized by a slight delay in the transition to an adult diet.
Ready-made feed
Industrial food is an excellent and sometimes the only alternative for owners who do not have enough time to prepare food for their pet. However, ready-made food is not always useful.
Ready-made feeds are divided into types:
- Dry – granules.
- Semi-moist - pieces with gravy or jelly.
- Wet - pate or paste.
- Treats.
The type of feed is an important criterion, but its quality is fundamental. For the convenience of owners, the quality of feed is indicated by classes:
- Economy
- Premium
- Super premium.
- Holistic.
The higher the class of food, the more expensive it is. Super-premium and holistic food grades are suitable for feeding Maine Coons. If the pet is healthy and does not have a tendency to any genetic pathologies, it can be fed with everyday, high-quality food.
If a kitten has chronic health problems, including hereditary ones, it needs to be fed products for animals with specific needs:
- Maintenance, preventive, medicinal feeds.
- Products for emaciated kittens and adult animals.
Advantages of ready-made feed:
- Save time.
- High-quality feed contains a basic complex of vitamins and microelements.
- Dry food has a long shelf life.
- It is easy to calculate the daily feed intake.
Disadvantages of ready-made feeds:
- Relatively high cost.
- The risk of buying fake food.
- Diet monotony.
Maine Coon kittens begin to be fed soft industrial food from the age of one month. If a kitten is deprived of maternal care, it must be fed with an industrial cat milk substitute. Transfer to dry food is made after complete replacement of baby teeth.
Mixed diet
A mixed diet involves compiling a menu of industrial and natural food
It is important to remember that a pet's digestive system is much more sensitive than that of a human. Cats cannot digest food of different textures, even if they eat it at different times. Some food is not digested in the pet's intestines
Some food is not digested in the pet's intestines.
The process of decay leads to the extinction of colonies of friendly bacteria and their replacement by pathogenic microflora. As a result, the cat develops dysbiosis, which results in chronic indigestion, diarrhea, and constipation.
A mixed diet is acceptable only in some cases. For example, if canned high-quality food is added to natural food. Temporary mixing of the diet is the stage of transferring a cat from natural to industrial feeding.
At what age does replacement occur?
Already from the age of three months, the baby's milky bone processes in the mouth begin to fall out.
When the kitten is 3-4 months old, the baby teeth fall out and change. Permanent teeth are cut gradually - first, new incisors appear, then fangs, small and large on the sides. Maximum up to 8 months. In life, they are all located in their places, and consist of 14 lower and 16 upper. If the process itself is asymptomatic, then it can be noticed by the pet’s behavior. At this time, cats begin to chew everything, they often salivate heavily, and a smell appears from the mouth, which is absolutely natural.
Pregnancy
In most cat breeds, pregnancy ends no later than 65 days after mating, however, in Maine Coons, labor can begin 68-70 days after conception.
Signs of pregnancy usually appear on the first 21 days after conception. The cat's nipples swell and her eyes become calmer and sleepier. Ingoda females may experience toxicosis, but usually it does not cause much concern.
As the kittens grow, the cat begins to gain weight, her appetite increases and she becomes more affectionate. Throughout pregnancy, the cat must be given special vitamins and ensure that its diet is balanced.
A few days after labor begins, the cat begins to show anxiety. She constantly licks her belly and looks for a secluded corner where she can later give birth in peace. Therefore, it is very important to prepare the place for birth in advance and prepare the necessary items (clean linen rags, sterile solution, scissors).
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When labor begins, it is necessary to be present next to the cat and monitor its condition. Usually, veterinarians do not recommend interfering with the birth process since the cat’s instincts themselves will tell the cat what to do. The only thing the owner can do is to monitor whether all the kittens were born alive, and whether the animal is bleeding.
