# MAINE ****??



## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

I found a kitty that was extremely skinny and obviously hungry. After coaxing it into my house, I fed it and loved it. It became the houshold cat, and I have had it for a few years. I ended up naming it Lil Cat, becasue it is so small. Come to find out, this cat is a Maine **** cat. The color is brown with tabby markings. After reading about Maine Coons, I found out the are typically very large cats. My cat is no more than 4 pounds. 

Is it very unusual to have such a small Maine ****? 
Was my kitty the runt?


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

Your cat is more than likely a domestic long hair (DLH) and not a Maine ****. If it was a kitten when you found it, a lack of proper nutrition may have stunted it's growth and it could also be a runt.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

What makes you think he's a Maine ****? He was a stray, so there's no way to know that and it's really unlikely. The world is FULL of lovely brown tabbies, and 99.9% of them aren't Maine Coons.


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## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

The vet said it was a Maine ****. It has the lion like main, and a big, poofy tail. I was just wondering how typical it is to have a tiny Maine ****.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

Vets know NOTHING about cat breeds. There is like a 1% chance the cat is a Maine ****. Again: the world is full of long-haired brown tabbies. Brown tabbies is the most common cat color out there, after all. I'm sure your kitty is gorgeous and wonderful -- why is it necessary to believe that he/she (why do you call him/her "it"??) is purebred? Just love your cat for who he/she is.


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## Jack&Harley (Nov 2, 2008)

My cat has a maine around his neck and a fluffy tail but isn't maine ****. That is very petite for a male cat and I would assume improper nutrition stunted growth. 

Leslie


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

"Maine" comes from the state of Maine. A lion has a "mane." No connection.


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## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

I understand that. 

I have been told that MAINE coons typically have a "lion like mane", poofy tail, and hair that comes to a point off of their ears. 

Listen, I'm just looking to find out about my cat, my pet. 

No need to get sarcastic. 

It's just a cat.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

I'm not being sarcastic--just explaining.

The fact is that the chances of your finding a purebred cat on the street are slim. What you describe fits most long-haired cats, honestly, and given the Maine Coons ARE large cats, it's even more unlikely.

You could always post pictures if it really matters. Perhaps over in the breeding forum -- perhaps someone who breeds Maine Coons could look at them.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

No...please don't start another thread about this in Breeding. If you want to post pictures, add them to this thread.

pm8675309...unfortunately no one can tell you with any authority that a cat found on the street is purebred, not even a breeder. The large ruff, fluffy tail and lynx tipped ears can be found in DLH as well as Maine Coons. The size of your cat is pretty indicative that it's not a Maine ****, even if it was starved at an early age. Holly is a Maine ****...she's a bag of bones and still weighs 12 lbs...they're very large framed cats...put some weight on her and she'd easily be a 14-15 lb cat.


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## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

Excellent! 

Thanks for the information!


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## bkitty (Aug 17, 2009)

We have a very small "Maine ****". Pixel only weighs in at slightly over 7 lb. We know he is not purebred with his grandsire being a purebred Maine **** & the rest of his line being ******* barn cats. But since he has all the characteristics except for the bone and size (pint sized version of our beloved Tig who weighed in at 22 lb & was slightly over 37 inches from nose to tailtip), we do just refer to him as Maine **** when folks ask what he is. We also have Tuffy who came from a Maine **** rescue as a so called purebred but never developed the classic full coat or full plumey tail but did get the classic ear tufting, paws and body type. Both cats have the odd personality quirks I associate with the Maine **** breed. And both of them work it for every bit of attention if someone notices


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## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

I don't know what my kitty is, but I love (it). 
I also have a pixie bob, another unusual breed. Five digits on it's paws.


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## marie73 (Jul 12, 2006)

I wanna see a picture!!!!!  

Cinderella is referred to as Burmese in one of her medical records and on her rabies shot certificate. I'd never heard of a Birman before, but you'd think vets would know the difference. Army vet - maybe they only know German Shepherds (MP dogs).


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

pm8675309 said:


> I don't know what my kitty is, but I love (it).


Why do you keep referring to your cat as "it"?


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## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

The sex of my feline friend is unknown. 

It stays out of my sex life, I stay out of his/hers. 
It's sort of a mutual understanding.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

You're kidding, right? 8O

All other things aside, I sure hope you're not letting your "feline friend" go outside, b/c if you are, he's male and he's contributed, in the time you've had him, to the overpopulation problem in a MASSIVE way. If he/she were female, you'd already have had several litters on your doorstep.

Have you never even taken him/her to a VET? 8O


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## DylansMummy (May 23, 2004)

Surely your vet would want to know the se of the cat? Especially helpful when it comes to spaying/neutering if nothing else.

What is the cats name?


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## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

The cat's name is 'Lil Cat. I let it pick its own name, and it seemed pretty set on it. 
Yes, it does go outside, but I am unsure whether or not it still has genitalia (love makin' parts) as I got the cat used.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

oh boy ...... I would stand well back if I were you. Preferably with fireproof clothing.

You might want to consider checking with the vet if your little friend still has their reproductive organs. After all, you dont want to find baby cats in your closest or your friend sowing his wild oats and creating babies in other peoples closets, right?


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## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

Agreed. 

I have had the cat for a while now; no kittens so far. 

The cat lives in a suburban area in AZ, United States. There aren't many others cats around. 
Also, I think the eagles/falcons/coyotes in the area take care of the overpopulation issue.


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

Well, that is the HEIGHT of irresponsibility. Are you unaware of how many homeless cats there are, thanks to those who allow unaltered cats to roam? And having had this cat for "several years" and never taking him/her to the vet (I do NOT refer to animals as 'it') is irresponsible as well, even apart from the fact that he/she either needs to be neutered/spayed or determined by the vet to have been altered already.

Not sure where you live, but a few statistics for you from the US:

- Approximately 4 million cats and dogs are put down every year -- one every 8 seconds. This is thanks to folks who fail to alter their pets.

- http://catnet.stanford.edu/articles/cat ... lation.pdf

I'll bow out here now, as I can't POSSIBLY say anything nice to a person who is knowingly contributing to cat overpopulation.


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## melysion (Mar 12, 2007)

Well, in that case I guess you have a wee laddie on your hands. It would be best to get him neutered though - will stop him going off for days after the ladies - and will decrease the possibility of him fighting other cats for territory. 

I think there are some low cost vet centres around if money is an issue.

EDIT: remember to button up that fireproof clothing! Its going to get hot in this thread!!!

Seriously though. Just get your little guy neutered.


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## pm8675309 (Dec 16, 2009)

No, I take it back, I remember it was spaid/neutered. I remember the shaved privates, and plastic parking cone around the neck. 

I don't call it "alter your pet", I call it genital mutilation. 
Same reason I won't get a vasectomy. 

I always call my animals "it", as they are animals. 

I imagine your cats on the table, couches, beds, etc. 
To me, this is the height of irresonsibility. 

If you want to tug at my heart strings, talk about all the humans that die every year because of disease or malnutrition. You buy premium cat chow for you pet with a clean conscience, while people in 3rd world countries starve to death. 

I am not trying to preach, I am guilty of indulging from time to time like a typical american, however, I am just trying to give some perspective here. 

You are right about the cat problem, though.


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## KittyMonster (Nov 8, 2009)

_Shoos troll back under the bridge_

Away with ye!


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## raecarrow (Oct 27, 2009)

*jaw hits floor* Wwwwwhhhhaaatttt?!?!?!


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## hoofmaiden (Sep 28, 2009)

OK. I'm going to assume this is a troll. If so, GO AWAY.

If not: This is a forum for people who love their cats, know their cat's genders, behave responsibly with them, and provide veterinary care for them. If you're not like that, I'm not sure what you'll find here. Answer: NOT MUCH.


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## doodlebug (May 13, 2006)

OK...the original question has been answered and this is going nowhere good. Time to lock it.

pm8675309 this forum probably isn't a good match for you. 867-5309...yeah we got your number. Give it back to Jenny.


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