The first pedigreed cat to claim the “made in America” label, the Maine coon has a long history of charming people

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

They make them big in Maine. Cats, that is. The Maine coon -- the state cat of Maine -- is not only one of the largest domestic cat breeds, but also one of the most popular in the United States. It ranks fifth among the 45 breeds recognized by the Cat Fanciers Association. The laid-back cats enjoy playing in water, take well to walking on-leash, are known to play fetch, demonstrate mousing prowess, and are usually happy to keep four on the floor instead of seeking out the heights that attract other cats.

No one really knows how the breed was developed, but there are a number of fanciful stories behind its origin. One is that the first Maine coon was the result of a hookup between a cat and a raccoon -- or in some tales, a domestic cat and a bobcat. It’s easy to see why those stories popped up, given the Maine coon’s long, bushy tail -- said to resemble that of a raccoon -- and pointed ear tufts (known as lynx tips), like those of a bobcat.

It’s also suggested that they made their way to North America some 1,000 years ago, arriving with Vikings who came, saw, and went back home -- perhaps leaving some of their cats behind to colonize the new land. The Maine coon and the Norwegian forest cat share a resemblance, although breed experts can point out differences in head shape and body type.

Another theory is that Maine coons descend from six of Marie Antoinette’s Angora cats, sent to New England in advance of the French queen. Not as lucky as her cats, she was unable to escape before being taken into custody.

The most likely origin story is that New England sea captains and sailors brought home long-haired cats from exotic ports, and that those cats then mixed with the local domestic cats to create the medium- to long-haired beauties we know today. In 1895, a brown tabby Maine coon named Cosey took Best in Show at the National Cat Show at Madison Square Garden, going home with a silver collar now on display at the Cat Fanciers Association’s Feline Historical Museum in Alliance, Ohio (sadly, closed indefinitely due to COVID-19).

Nicknamed “gentle giant,” or sometimes “coonasaurus,” Maine coons can weigh as much as 25 pounds! It can be a surprise when they open their mouth and out comes a small trill, chirp or coo, as well as the usual meows and purrs, all delivered in a quiet tone of voice.

Besides the large size and fancy ears, other distinctive characteristics include a ruff around the neck; tufted paws; soft fluffs of fur, known as furnishings, inside the ears (protecting the delicate interior from snow, ice and chilly temperatures); and a coat that comes in a wide variety of colors and patterns. Brown tabby is the classic Maine coon look, but the cats also come in solids, calico, tortoiseshell, parti-color (one color plus white), and more. The only colors or patterns you won’t see are chocolate, lavender and Himalayan (pointed).

Not surprisingly, given their shaggy coats, these cats shed up a storm. If you take one home, grooming will become an important part of your life. It’s often said that Maine coons don’t mat excessively, but that’s only true if you comb or brush them out at least weekly. More often is better.

One health issue to be aware of is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, the most common form of heart disease in cats. Using a genetic test, breeders can screen adult cats for the mutation that causes HCM before breeding them. Walk away from kittens whose parents haven’t been tested. Maine coons’ large size also makes them prone to hip dysplasia, which you may have thought only affected dogs.

For mouse patrol and companionship, you can’t go wrong with a Maine coon. Given good care and nutrition, the furry giants can live 12 to 15 years -- or even more.

Q&A

Teach pups

not to bite

Q: Our new puppy’s nickname is Jaws. Even though we give her lots of chew toys, which she likes, she bites our hands and feet -- hard. We withdraw attention when she bites, but it doesn’t help. Any advice?

A: Mouthing and biting are normal behaviors for puppies -- it’s how they explore their new environment and people -- but it’s important for them to learn that it’s not polite to put their teeth on humans.

Teach your puppy to replace her mouthing of humans with a chew or other toy. Whenever she mouths or bites your skin or clothes, freeze. Don’t move until your puppy lets go. The more still you are, the less fun you are. As soon as she lets go, give her a proper chew toy. Puppies sometimes mouth or bite humans because they learn it brings attention -- even if it’s negative -- so praise her for calm behavior and appropriate play with toys rather than reacting to biting behavior.

Keep chew toys in hand so that she grabs onto what you’re holding instead of the hand itself. Praise her for chewing on a toy.

You can also walk away each time she bites. This will help her learn to decrease the strength of her play biting so as not to lose your attention. The goal is for her to apply no pressure at all to your skin with her mouth.

Pay attention to when she typically mouths or bites. She may be seeking your attention, wanting to go out to potty, or still be excited after play. Knowing this will help you better focus your training and understand her behavior.

Finally, give her plenty of naps throughout the day. If she’s not sleeping enough, she’ll be less able to control the impulses that can lead her to bite you. -- Mikkel Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Cat losing fur?

See the vet

-- If your cat is losing fur like crazy, or has patchy areas of hair loss, that’s not just normal shedding. Alopecia, as hair loss is known, can have many causes, including parasite infestations, allergies, and fungal infections such as ringworm. Cats who are losing an abnormal amount of hair may also have accompanying signs such as itchiness, sores or a change in appetite or energy level. Sometimes pain may cause them to chew at or pull out fur. A visit to the veterinarian can help to uncover underlying health problems.

-- While many dog breeds were developed in the United Kingdom and Europe, more than a few can be said to have been “Born in the USA.” They include the Alaskan malamute, American Eskimo dog, American foxhound, American water spaniel, American Staffordshire terrier, Boston terrier, Boykin spaniel, Carolina dog, Catahoula leopard dog, toy fox terrier and Chesapeake Bay retriever, as well as various coonhound breeds such as the black and tan, bluetick and redbone. Perhaps the most surprising of the lot is the Australian shepherd, who isn’t from Australia at all. Canada has its share of native breeds as well, including the Labrador retriever, the Newfoundland and the Nova Scotia duck tolling retriever.

-- Does your cat get the “zoomies” at night? Cats -- including big ones, such as the fleet cheetah -- are built for quick bursts of speed that allow them to surprise and take down prey. They can’t maintain their top speeds -- as much as 30 mph for the average domestic cat -- for long, though. Their bodies overheat quickly, and they must stop and cool down after about one minute. Indoor cats who get the zoomies are burning off excess energy that they haven’t expended in explosive chases during hunting. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

Need a hand caring for your dog or making pet care decisions? A veterinary social worker may be able to help

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

When my father died in July, I flew out to Oklahoma to help my stepmother with the funeral and other arrangements. I expected to be there for a week, but then my stepmother fell and broke her wrist and kneecap -- necessitating surgery and a lengthy stay in a rehab facility.

That brought up a big question: Who was going to care for her pets? I was able to stay an additional two weeks, but I had to be home by the end of the month to take care of my husband and our dogs after his hip replacement surgery.

My stepmother, Ann, didn’t have a regular pet sitter, and her animals -- an elderly toy poodle and a skittish cat -- were not good candidates for a boarding kennel. We needed someone who could stay in the home or make multiple visits daily, give medication, and spend time with 16-year-old Spike, who was grieving for my father. I wasn’t familiar with the resources in the area, and I had my hands full with everything else that was going on.

A veterinary social worker might have been able to help us navigate this quandary.

“These kinds of situations crop up all the time,” says Jeannine Moga of Smithfield, Virginia, a licensed clinical social worker. Moga’s work takes her into the places and situations where human and animal needs meet: homes, hospitals and veterinary clinics, to name a few. She also works in cases involving domestic violence.

Veterinary social workers have training in human-animal interactions and relationships, and may be employed by veterinary hospitals or have their own practices. Their clients might have an acute illness, an unexpected surgery or an injury from a fall or car accident -- any of which could render them unable to care for their pets for days, weeks or even months. In other instances, clients may be facing a long-term health crisis, such as a diagnosis of cancer or dementia, or a dangerous home situation involving domestic violence. They may not have family members or friends who can help.

The role of the social worker is to help clients figure out how to manage not only their animals’ care, but also their own.

“Sometimes the difficulty of finding care for an animal can prevent people from staying on track with their own health care needs,” Moga says.

It’s important to make pet care contingency plans now, so they can be set in motion if you face an emergency. This is also something that seniors and their adult children should discuss. Moga says that since the pandemic began, this issue has been “at the forefront of people’s minds, because you might get sick very suddenly.” She adds that pet owners should “plan in advance for any potential interruption in their animal’s care related to their own health and well-being.”

She recommends starting with small steps, such as writing down details about animals’ daily needs: where they eat and how much, where you keep their food, whether they receive regular medications, how often you change the litter box, what the dog’s walk or play routine is like, and so on. Include a list of pet care contacts, such as the veterinarian, the nearest emergency clinic and the groomer (if pets have regular appointments) -- as well as someone who has agreed to provide emergency pet care or transportation, and who has a key to your home. Post the information on the front of your refrigerator where it can be easily found.

In my stepmother’s case, we were fortunate that her great-granddaughter was able to move in temporarily to take care of Spike and Daisy. But helping Ann put together a care plan -- and updating my own -- is now at the top of my to-do list.

Q&A

Why is my pet

acting up?

Q: How can I better understand my pet? She often misbehaves or seems angry, and I’m never sure why.

A: When I work with clients, I see three common causes of problem behaviors in dogs and cats. Here’s what they are and how to get back on track to a good relationship.

The first is misunderstanding or ignoring a pet’s body language. You may not notice that your pet is asking for space because she’s afraid, anxious or stressed. When you don’t respond to signals such as yawning or lip-licking in dogs, or squinting or turning the head away in cats, your pet may progress to growling or snarling to get the message across. You, in turn, read that as “bad behavior” instead of recognizing that your pet is expressing fear, anxiety or stress.

Another common mistake is putting a pet in a situation she’s afraid of -- one involving small children or loud noises, for instance -- so she can get used to it. Insisting that she allow your 5-year-old nephew to hold her or running the vacuum in the same room with her can cause panic and increase fear. Instead, use gradual desensitization and counterconditioning to help reduce her stress and be better able to manage it in scary situations.

I also see people forcing pets to accept nail trims or having tangles combed out. In the struggle to escape what may have previously been a painful experience -- it hurts to have nails “quicked” or hair pulled -- pets may struggle, potentially injuring themselves or the person handling them. That makes it difficult to ensure that they get good care. A better approach is to work quietly and calmly to teach pets that rewards come with calm cooperation. You can find videos and articles about body language, behavior and training at fearfreehappyhomes.com. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Dogs vie for

mayoral title

-- A 6-month-old French bulldog named Wilbur prevailed over incumbent Brynneth Pawltro, a pit bull, in the heated race for mayor of Rabbit Hash, Kentucky (population 426). In this quadrennial contest, it’s common practice to pay for votes -- $1 each -- and anyone is eligible to do so. People from around the world determine the election’s results while raising funds for the Rabbit Hash Historical Society, which benefited this year to the tune of nearly $23,000.

-- November is National Pet Cancer Awareness Month. Among the types of cancer pets can get are lymphoma, bone cancer, liver cancer, bladder cancer, anal sac cancer and oral cancer. Watch for these warning signs, and take your pet to the veterinarian if you see any of them: loss of appetite or difficulty eating; rapid weight loss; diarrhea or vomiting; loss of interest in play or exercise; difficulty defecating or urinating, or changes in frequency of defecation; abnormal stiffness; severe lethargy; unusually strong or foul odors; blood coming from the mouth or rectum; increased thirst and urination; respiratory changes; abnormally firm swellings; or masses along the jaw or toothline.

-- Baby, it’s cold outside! Protect pet skin, fur and paws from winter’s chill with the following tips: Ward off itchy, flaky skin by using a humidifier in your home and drying your pet thoroughly when he comes in from playing in the snow. Rub petroleum jelly into paws before taking your dog outdoors to help pads retain moisture and protect them from deicing salts and other chemicals on streets and sidewalks. For dogs with longer hair on their face, belly, legs, tail or paws, prevent development of ice balls by trimming hair (especially between toes) or putting a coat on to protect the belly area. -- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.

What our dogs’ sleep habits tell us about them -- and ourselves

By Kim Campbell Thornton

Andrews McMeel Syndication

Dogs have shared our lives for millennia, and that includes our beds. We have similar sleep times and sleep habits. Like us, dogs typically take longer to fall asleep in strange places, their sleep habits change with age, and they snore.

It’s no wonder that sleep researchers find dogs to be important models for studying human sleep-related cognition. Humans and dogs tend to sleep primarily at night, and dogs’ daily sleep duration is eight to 14 hours -- compared to eight hours for humans and 12 to 15 hours for cats.

Working with family dogs and noninvasive polysomnography -- the use of sensors to monitor physiological signs like brain waves, eye movements, heart rate and breathing patterns -- researchers are able to learn more about how sleep affects cognitive processes such as memory consolidation and emotion processing. Along the way, they’ve learned more about canine sleep experiences.

If you are middle-aged or older, or live with a dog who is, you probably won’t be surprised to learn that older dogs sleep more. Dogs who have had a physically or mentally active day because of competition or advanced training sleep soundly, too. Compared to dogs who have had a more typical (read: less active) day, they become drowsy earlier, moving quickly to the sleep stages called NREM (non-rapid eye movement) and REM (rapid eye movement).

The NREM stage is when the body repairs and regrows body tissues, builds bone and muscle, and strengthens the immune system. REM sleep stimulates areas of the brain that aid learning and are associated with increased protein production.

We don’t know, though, whether dogs experience the intense dreams that humans do during REM sleep.

“Dogs are not able to tell us what they experienced during their sleep, so we can’t tell whether they dream or not,” says Vivien Reicher at Eotvos Lorand University in Budapest, Hungary, lead author of a sleep study in family dogs published in February in the Journal of Sleep Research. “Intuitively, of course, we can claim that a dog is dreaming when he or she seems to run, or whines while sleeping. The signs of dreaming -- in REM sleep, specifically -- are similar to humans: rapid eye movements, irregular respiration and heart rate, limb and body movements and twitching.”

Dogs with smushed faces, such as bulldogs, French bulldogs and pugs, may have trouble sleeping. You’ve probably been kept awake by their snoring. While more investigation needs to be done, Reicher says in an email, these dogs’ poor respiration, related to their abnormal upper airway anatomy, can result in decreased sleep quality.

Dogs also have a problem that many of us can identify with: They don’t fall asleep easily in strange places. At home, they reach REM sleep earlier than they do if they’re staying at someone else’s home, a boarding kennel or a sleep laboratory. But dogs who are used to sleeping away from home reach NREM and REM sleep much more quickly than dogs who rarely do so.

“These findings are consistent with human studies, suggesting that a novel and potentially stressful environment plays a crucial role in sleep quality,” Reicher says. “Presumably, dogs that sleep only at home are more sensitive to laboratory conditions, and those dogs that regularly accompany their owners for longer periods outside their home environment are more experienced and therefore less excited (at the sleep laboratory).”

What does all this tell us about ourselves? Dogs are increasingly recognized as models for human neuropsychiatric conditions, including sleep disorders such as narcolepsy (which can be inherited in dogs) and the disordered breathing that causes snoring and sleep apnea.

“Dog sleep research might open up new directions for investigation of the links between environmental factors and brain mechanisms underlying cognitive dysfunctions, which could help (us) better understand complex dog and even human phenotypes,” Reicher says.

One way or another, our dogs are going to help us sleep better.

Q&A

Living with

a deaf pet

Q: We’re considering adopting a pet who is deaf. Do you have any tips on safety and communication?

A: One of the things I love best about being a veterinarian is seeing the accommodations people make for pets with disabilities. Deafness is common in dogs and cats of any age. Some are born deaf, while others develop hearing loss as they age. The following tips can help you get your pet’s attention, communicate with her and keep her safe.

-- Sign language. Both dogs and cats are good at learning hand signals and even American Sign Language. Hand signals include a raised hand for “stop,” a hand moving upward for “sit,” and a hand moving down and back for “down.” Give a thumbs-up, followed by a treat or other reward, when your pet does something you like. If you’re teaching ASL, your pet’s favorite words might be “dinner,” “walk,” “play” or “outside.”

-- Visual signals. Keep a small flashlight at hand. If you need to get your pet’s attention, flash it in her direction (not in her eyes, please). She’ll learn that when she sees the flash, she should look for you. If you’re in front of her, you can wave your hand to get your pet’s attention, or use the universal signal of pointing two fingers at your eyes to indicate that she should look at you.

-- Good vibrations. Animals are highly sensitive to vibrations. If you’re coming up behind her, stomp your foot (not right next to her) so she’ll know where you’re coming from. If she’s sleeping beneath a table or desk, you can tap the surface to get her attention.

Work with a positive-reinforcement trainer to teach your pet these cues. For more about deafness in cats, see this article: fearfreehappyhomes.com/sound-matters-tips-on-living-with-a-deaf-cat. -- Dr. Marty Becker

Do you have a pet question? Send it to askpetconnection@gmail.com or visit Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker.

THE BUZZ

Chihuahua named

hero dog of the year

-- A longhaired Chihuahua named MacKenzie received the 2020 Hero Dog Award from American Humane for her work educating kids. She visits schools, teaching children about kindness toward animals and people with physical differences; about caring for baby animals with birth defects; and about the importance of social skills, play and manners for us all. MacKenzie was born five years ago with a cleft palate and was tube-fed for nearly a year before being able to have lifesaving surgery. She has since helped hundreds of other animals, giving back more than anyone could have imagined. Other nominees, all worthy of a win, are Remington, a retired search-and-rescue dog; Aura, a hearing service dog; Blue II, a military dog who saved many lives through her ability to find IEDs; Cody, a law-enforcement dog who specializes in explosives detection; Dolly Pawton, a cardiac alert dog; and Olive, a therapy dog who works in Missouri’s judicial system.

-- Cats being treated at the University of California at Davis’s Small Animal Clinic can now recover in a new feline treatment and housing suite that combines hospitalization and treatment wards. This minimizes transport time and stress for sick cats, making it more efficient for veterinarians and technicians to treat multiple hospitalized cats -- some 5,000 per year, with 50 to 75 at a time during wildfires or other large community emergencies. The new facility includes sound-dampening features throughout to reduce stress caused by barking dogs in nearby wards.

-- Rabbits and hares are related, but not identical. Both are found in many parts of the world, and there are hundreds of species and varieties of these long-eared herbivores. Hares tend to be larger, with longer ears and black markings on their fur. Most rabbits live underground in burrows or warrens. Cottontails are the exception: Like hares, they live in nests on the ground.

-- Dr. Marty Becker, Kim Campbell Thornton and Mikkel Becker

ABOUT PET CONNECTION

Pet Connection is produced by a team of pet care experts headed by “The Dr. Oz Show” veterinarian Dr. Marty Becker, founder of the Fear Free organization and author of many best-selling pet care books, and award-winning journalist Kim Campbell Thornton. Joining them is behavior consultant and lead animal trainer for Fear Free Pets Mikkel Becker. Dr. Becker can be found at Facebook.com/DrMartyBecker or on Twitter at DrMartyBecker. Kim Campbell Thornton is at Facebook.com/KimCampbellThornton and on Twitter at kkcthornton. Mikkel Becker is at Facebook.com/MikkelBecker and on Twitter at MikkelBecker.