How To Keep A Maine Coon Clean
Learning how to keep a Maine Coon clean is an essential part of owning this wonderful cat breed.
The Maine Coon Cat’s long, thick fur is prone to mats and tangles, which is often the most difficult part of keeping them clean. It’s important to brush a Maine Coon’s fur at least once every week, and sometimes trimming may be required to prevent tangles. You should also clean a Maine Coon’s teeth, ears, and paws to prevent infection and bacteria.
An owner keeping hygienic practices for their cat often makes a big difference when it comes to their cat’s lifespan.
Keeping your Maine Coon clean and tidy will help keep them healthy and promote a long life.
Learning how to keep your Maine Coon clean can seem overwhelming at first, but once you establish a routine, it will better serve both you and your cat in the long run!
Read on to find out all that goes into keeping Maine Coons clean and healthy.
How To Keep A Maine Coon Clean
It is vital to learn proper Maine Coon hygiene in order to keep your furry friend consistently clean and healthy.
A lot of people see the wild-looking Maine Coon and wonder are Maine Coon’s clean?
Overall, like other cats, Maine Coons are good at keeping themselves properly clean.
However, Maine Coons also have long, thick fur that is more prone to mats and tangles than short-furred cats.
Cats are also incapable of trimming their own nails, cleaning the insides of their ears, or keeping their own teeth clean.
To ensure a long and healthy life for your cat, you’ll need to learn some Maine Coon grooming tips.
Read my ultimate Maine Coon grooming guide for more details.
The main things you need to learn in order to keep your Maine Coon clean are:
- How to groom your cat’s fur
- Trim its nails
- Clean its ears
- Clean its nose
- Keep its bottom clean
- Brush its teeth
In this article, we’re going to take an in-depth look at all of these grooming requirements.
Before you start reading my fact-filled article, make sure you’ve purchased these top 5 Maine Coon grooming brushes.
Each has its own purpose and will be used on a weekly basis on your treasured Maine Coon cat
How Often Should You Groom A Maine Coon
When it comes to brushing your cat’s fur, you will need to groom your Maine Coon at least once every week.
It’s more desirable, however, to brush your Maine Coon two or three times every week.
During shedding season, you should brush your Maine Coon about three times a week or more.
Other kinds of grooming, such as teeth cleaning, ear cleaning, and fur trimming, need to happen at different intervals.
For example, most owners like to clean their Maine Coon’s teeth once every day, but only clean their cat’s ears or nose as needed.
Brushing a cat’s teeth might sound a touch bizarre! Believe it or not, though, it’s actually a very important Maine Coon grooming tip.
Therefore, if you are unsure where to start, or not sure which products you require, take a look at my article “Interesting Maine Coon Teeth Facts“.
Click on either the link or picture below, to read my step-by-step guide on how to brush your cat’s teeth.
Maine Coon Grooming Tools
It is also important to have a variety of grooming tools at your disposal when caring for your Maine Coon.
If you do not already have these 5 grooming brushes, I recommend you buy them straight away!
For more information on grooming a Maine Coon cat, take a look at the list below to learn about the most common Maine Coon grooming tools:
Glove Brush
For Maine Coons who enjoy being petted, but do not necessarily like brushes or combs, the glove brush is a great option to still groom your cat.
Glove brushes are rubber gloves covered in teeth like a comb so that you can remove dead hair while petting your cat
Grooming Comb
Grooming combs are not useful for removing dead hair, but they do help keep your cat’s fur organized.
These combs have widely spaced teeth that are good for separating larger tangles.
Slicker Brush
The slicker brush is a classic, fine-toothed brush that is perfect for removing dead hair from your cat.
However, some cats find these brushes too sharp and painful if you push down too hard (these ones are my favorite).
Bristle Brush
Bristle brushes are a great way to finish off a grooming session for long-haired cats.
These brushes do not remove dead hair, but they do smooth the coat, leaving it gorgeous and shiny.
Flea Comb
As its name suggests, the flea comb is an incredibly fine comb that is specifically used to remove fleas.
You should not need a flea comb very often, but it can come in handy if your cat is infected with these annoying bugs.
De-Matting Maine Coon Cats
Maine Coons are one of the long-haired breeds that are more likely to develop mats.
If they neglect their grooming for too long, their fur can become so tangled that it forms a mat, which cannot simply be brushed out.
Make the job easy, by using a combination of these 5 Maine Coon grooming tools.
Mats are most common in overweight or senior cats, who can have difficulty grooming themselves as much as they’re supposed to.
Mats aren’t just unsightly, they’re also potentially dangerous to your cat. Mats can cause skin irritation, pain, and even infection.
It’s important to get rid of mats on your cat as soon as possible.
Removing mats from a Maine Coon is a difficult process that requires a lot of patience.
1. Cornstarch Or Talcum Powder
The first step to removing a mat is to use either cornstarch or talcum powder.
Begin massaging the substance into the mat and around it, and slowly, gently pull the mat away from the skin.
It is also important to note that you should never bathe a cat before removing mats, as it will actually only make the process more difficult.
2. Wide-Toothed Comb
Then, use a wide-toothed comb to begin gently and carefully brushing through the mat.
Hold your cat’s fur at the base of its skin, so that you are not actually pulling on your cat while brushing.
For Maine Coons, you will want to use an undercoat comb, which has two sets of teeth at different lengths and is designed to comb through the Maine Coon’s thick fur.
You can also use a mat comb, which is a kind of comb that carefully cuts at your cat’s fur as it combs.
This can help dislodge the mat without being as potentially dangerous as scissors.
3. Razors Or Clippers
If you are still unable to get rid of your Maine Coon’s mats, you might have to resort to razors or clippers.
However, the safest way to do this is to take your Maine Coon to a professional groomer, who will not accidentally cut your cat’s skin.
Maine Coon Grooming Styles
Some cat owners choose to get their Maine Coon’s fur styled, either for sanitary reasons, looks, or both. Here are the common grooming styles found in Maine Coon cats.
Lion Cut
The lion cut is a relatively popular style for cats, especially in longhaired cats like Maine Coons.
The fur on most of the cat’s body is trimmed quite short, but is left long on the paws, head, neck, chest, and tail. This leaves the cat looking like a lion, and also prevents mats and tangles.
Read more about the Maine Coon lion cut and why so many owners consider this a barbaric act.
Belly Shave
Some owners get their cat’s belly shaved, as well as the fur near the rear end to prevent dirtiness and matting.
Sanitary Cut
The sanitary cut is simply a trim or shave near a cat’s rear end, so that no feces or urine can get stuck to the cat’s fur whenever it uses the litter box.
Comb Cut
The comb cut is when a long haired cat’s fur is trimmed until it is roughly the same length as a short haired cat.
Should You Shave A Maine Coon?
With all of the extreme hairstyles available for Maine Coons, you might be wondering whether it’s a good idea to get your Maine Coon shaved or trimmed?
While it can prevent matting, shaving your cat is often an unpleasant experience for your poor pet. Furthermore, it actually hinders your cat’s ability to manage heat.
While you might imagine that a shorter cut would help keep your cat cool in the summer months, it is actually the opposite!
Cats use their fur to trap the cooler air and keep their temperature regulated when it is hot.
Shaving a cat’s fur therefore actually makes them far more susceptible to heatstroke and sunburn.
If you are worried about matting and tangling, then you might want to consider a Maine Coon sanitary cut, where a groomer will simply trim the fur near your cat’s rear end.
You can also get other “problem spots” trimmed to prevent matting, as well.
Should I Bathe My Maine Coon?
Some owners choose to bathe their cats, while others don’t.
So do Maine Coons need baths?
In most cases, this breed does not require bathing, and it instead comes down to personal preference.
The exception to this is if your cat becomes extremely muddy, or is so dirty that it is unable to clean itself.
Most Maine Coons love the water, so bathtime is not a nightmare like it is with other cat breeds.
Many owners also like to bathe their Maine Coons because it is a quick way to get rid of loose, dead fur, as well as keep their cats smelling nice.
Bathing also helps remove dander, which can keep your home cleaner, particularly if someone in the house has a mild allergy.
Are Maine Coon cats hypoallergenic? Click here to find out!
Since bathing is optional, and not essential to your Maine Coon’s health and hygiene, then you probably should not bathe your Maine Coon if bathtime is a stressful ordeal for your cat.
How To Wash A Maine Coon
If you do choose to bathe your Maine Coon, here are the steps you should follow:
- Fill The Tub: First, fill your tub with just a few inches of lukewarm to warm water and set your cat in the tub.
- Rinse The Coat: Using a shower head or hand shower, gently rinse your cat’s coat, but avoid getting water into your cat’s ears or eyes.
- Shampoo: Use pet safe shampoo and gently massage it into your cat’s coat, but avoid getting any on your cat’s face.
- Rinse Again: Rinse the shampoo from your cat’s coat and wait until it is no longer sudsy.
- Dry: Finally, you can remove your Maine Coon from the tub and wrap it in a warm, dry towel to dry off.
Best Maine Coon Shampoo
When finding a shampoo for your Maine Coon, the most important part is choosing a shampoo that is specifically made for cats.
There are many to choose from, but I personally like this cat shampoo sold via Amazon, as it smells divine and it helps to keep our Maine Coon calm whilst he is washed.
Avoid human shampoo as it can contain many harmful chemicals, and even dog shampoo can dry out your cat’s skin.
Also avoid ingredients like sulfates, parabens, and artificial dyes.
How To Clean Maine Coon Ears
Not all Maine Coons need their ears cleaned, but if you notice any discharge in your cat’s ears, then you should make it part of your grooming routine.
- Pour a few drops of ear cleaning solution into your cat’s ear canal.
- Massage the base of your cat’s ear for around thirty seconds.
- Use a cotton ball to wipe any discharge from the inside of your cat’s ear.
Cleaning Maine Coon Teeth
Not everyone thinks about cleaning their cat’s teeth, but providing quality dental care is important for ensuring your cat’s health.
Use a toothpaste specifically designed for cats (Link to Amazon) and use either a finger brush for cats or a piece of gauze.
It can take some time to get your cat used to teeth brushing, so start young and only do it for a little bit at a time at first.
- Lift your cat’s lips to reveal its teeth and gums.
- Gently massage with the toothbrush.
Ideally, you should clean your cat’s teeth once a day, but even once a week can have a marked improvement on your cat’s dental hygiene.
Since most cats have difficulty with the tooth-brushing process, you’ll also want to provide lots of treats and praise (source 1).
Maine Coon Dirty Nose
A Maine Coon runny nose is usually a sign of an infection.
It is normal for a cat to get a few boogers every so often, but if your cat’s nose is constantly snotty or dirty, then it’s due to some kind of chronic illness.
However, some cats, particularly kittens, may have a few secretions right at the corner of their nose, which isn’t usually something to worry about.
If your cat’s nose is dirty, simply use a damp cloth to gently wipe away the crust or boogers (source 1).
Maine Coon Dirty Bottom
Sometimes, a cat’s feces will get stuck in its fur around its bottom, a phenomenon that is sometimes referred to as Maine Coon dingleberries.
These “dingleberries” can lead to infection and discomfort and should be taken care of as quickly as possible.
A Maine Coon dirty bottom is, unfortunately, a relatively common problem, as this breed’s long hair on the back of its legs can cause some difficulty while using the litter box.
To clean your Maine Coon’s bottom, you should use pet-safe cleansing wipes (click the link to see the latest pricing on Amazon) to gently clean the area.
If that does not work, then a warm bath might be a better option.
If this becomes a common problem, then you might want to consider keeping the fur on your cat’s rear end trimmed.
Cutting Maine Coon Claws
A cat’s claws grow naturally fast, and if they are left unattended, they can curl as they grow, eventually curling into the cat’s paws and causing severe damage.
Furthermore, it is important to trim your cat’s nails to prevent damage to furniture and to yourself!
You should trim your cat’s nails every ten days and two weeks.
Use a high-quality nail clipper that is specially designed for cats.
Cheap nail clippers tend to cause a cat’s nail to splinter, which can be uncomfortable and even dangerous.
Unfortunately, nail clipping can be a distressing experience for many cats.
If you get your Maine Coon as a kitten, you can make the experience better by touching your cat’s paws often.
During petting or cuddling sessions, gently squeezing your cat’s paws can help desensitize it to being touched, which will make it easier to cut its nails later (sources 1).
Cutting Maine Coon Paw Tufts
A unique trait among many Maine Coons is their tufted paws.
While not all Maine Coons have this trait, the ones that do can sometimes be more prone to mats and tangles. This is especially true for indoor/outdoor cats.
If your Maine Coon’s paw tufts are regularly clean and untangled, then you shouldn’t need to trim them at all.
However, if you notice the following you might want to consider keeping them trimmed for hygienic purposes:
- Dirt
- Debris
- Mats
Maine Coon Litter Box
Another important factor to consider is your pet’s hygiene is their litter box.
You will need to scoop out your cat’s litter once a day or once every two days.
You should also fully replace all the litter in the box every week.
A standard-size litter box just won’t do, so make sure you buy the best Maine Coon extra-large cat litter boxes.
Conclusion
Learning how to keep a Maine Coon clean is incredibly important to your cat’s long-term health and hygiene.
By regularly grooming your cat’s fur, as well as keeping its teeth, ears, nose, and the rest of its body clean and healthy, your Maine Coon will be much more likely to live a long and happy life.
Related Questions
Maine Coon Messy Eater
Some Maine Coons are prone to messy eating, especially if they use their paws to eat. Many owners choose to invest in a mat for their cat’s food bowls to make it easier to clean up.
