Maine Coon diseases: Vaccinations, castration, childbirth

Charming giants of the cat world - Maine Coons - give the impression of animals with good health. But for insidious diseases, the breed and size of the pet does not matter. Sooner or later, the owner of the coon is faced with a question about vaccination. When are Maine Coons vaccinated and how to prepare yourself and the animal for this procedure?

Maine Coon vaccinations - pros and cons

To do or not to do, that is the question. Veterinarians and breeders are still arguing about whether cats need vaccinations. It would seem that there is no discussion here, since vaccinations are done for the benefit of the pet:

• Vaccination helps prevent the development of serious diseases in Maine Coons. Some diseases can also affect humans.
• The immune system of the vaccinated animal is enhanced.
• Some vaccines are used not only for prevention purposes, but also for the treatment of infectious diseases.
• Vaccination will cost the owner much less than complex treatment for a sick Maine Coon.
• If an animal’s veterinary passport does not contain vaccination marks, it will not be possible to travel with it on trains or planes.

But some experts and breeders explain their non-acceptance of vaccinations with the following arguments:

• The administered vaccine is effective only in the first months after the injection.
• Vaccination reduces the production of natural immunity in animals.
• Many vaccines contain mercury and other heavy metals that can cause damage to your pet's nervous system and cancer.

When to vaccinate

Even if a cat is the only animal in the house, this does not guarantee their protection from infections. Street clothes and shoes carry many microorganisms into the room, and many of them are pathogenic. So quite often, apartment cats that have never been outside, to the surprise of their owners, become ill with lichen. In the summer, domestic unvaccinated cats and dogs are taken to the countryside, where they can come into contact with carriers of dangerous feline diseases, including rabies.

Timely vaccination can save an animal from serious illness and even death. Nurseries are also not immune to viruses. Maine Coons and cats of other breeds go to exhibitions where many competitors are present, participate in matings with animals from other catteries and are at serious risk of becoming infected.

Vaccinations have one serious drawback - they slow down the production of animals' own immunity, some of them are poorly tolerated by kittens. But the risk of an unvaccinated animal getting sick is much more serious, so vaccinations for Maine Coons, both kittens and adult animals, will bring much more benefit than harm.

There are mandatory indications for animal vaccination:

• transportation from one place to another;
• participation in exhibitions and shows;
• mating;
• stay in a hotel for animals.

Useful to read: Cat and tick bite: how to avoid the consequences

If it is necessary to take a Maine Coon abroad, a veterinary passport must be issued, which must contain a note about the vaccination performed.

This is interesting: Maine Coon polydact

When is vaccination required?

Many owners of Maine Coons and cats of other breeds are sure that if their pet does not go outside, it should not be vaccinated. Veterinarians are rushing to debunk this myth: even an animal that does not leave the walls of its home can become infected with a serious disease.

Some groups of pets are required to be vaccinated. These include:

• Animals that roam freely outside the home. By default, they can come into contact with their homeless brethren.
• Males and cats being prepared for mating.
• Pets that their owners are planning to temporarily rent to a pet hotel.
• Cats that are being prepared to travel abroad or attend exhibitions.

Animals taken from the street must also be vaccinated. Of course, it is difficult to imagine a purebred Maine Coon walking freely along the sidewalks. But if the owner was not sure that his pet had been vaccinated and there is no way to check this fact, it is better to contact a veterinary clinic.

Which families are Maine Coon kittens suitable for?

Almost any family can have a Maine Coon kitten. But keep in mind that these animals do not tolerate family scandals and quarrels very well. So, if you experience them frequently, it may be best to consider getting another cat.

What you definitely need when raising a baby is patience. He needs to be repeatedly explained what is required of him, like a small child. When the kitten fulfills your requirements, reward him and treat him with something tasty.

As soon as the kitten appears in the house, immediately designate places for it where no one wants it to appear: table, shelves, closet, etc. Let him know that disobedience will result in punishment.

Hitting an animal or shouting at it is strictly prohibited. If the kitten violates the prohibitions, as a last resort, you can clap your hands, scaring him, or lightly spank him with a newspaper. A spanking should not come from a beloved owner. The newspaper is perceived by the cat as something extraneous, in no way connected with the owner’s hand.

Fluffy kittens with high intelligence are likely to become favorites of the whole family. Maine Coons can easily be taught various commands. Then your pet will have no price at all.

What diseases are Maine Coons vaccinated against?

Modern vaccines contain viruses of certain diseases. They are designed to protect Maine Coons from the most dangerous cat diseases. These include:

• Leukopenia. In common parlance - plague. This disease is very easily transmitted and very difficult for cats to carry. The main signs of the disease: fever, damage to the intestines, nasopharynx, heart.
• Rhinotracheitis. A dangerous disease that quickly “sticks” to cats. The pet becomes passive, lethargic, and discharge oozes from its eyes.
• Calcivirosis. The causative agent of this disease is not sensitive to most used disinfectants. Quickly adapts to the conditions around it. Sick cats experience conjunctivitis, body temperature rises, and the mucous membranes become covered with ulcers.
• Infectious peritonitis. Another common disease in cats, often leading to the death of the animal. Main signs: difficulty breathing, lack of appetite, swollen lymph nodes, fever.
• Leukemia. Viral leukemia is transmitted to a healthy animal after contact with a sick animal. The disease affects the hematopoietic system and increases the cat's susceptibility to infections. Typical signs of viral leukemia: depression, lack of appetite, exhaustion, reproductive dysfunction, enlarged lymph nodes, fever.
• Chlamydia. A highly contagious infectious disease, also called feline chlamydial conjunctivitis. Transmitted by airborne droplets, sexual contact and contact. Main symptoms: discharge from the eyes and nose, shortness of breath, lethargy, loss of appetite, frequent urination.

Vaccination against rabies is mandatory for Maine Coons and other cats. The owner must ensure that the animal receives the appropriate vaccine. After all, a sick pet can infect a person. A domestic cat can become infected with rabies after being bitten by a sick animal. Sometimes, for the saliva of a rabid animal to become infected, it is enough just to come into contact with the area of ​​open wounds or the mucous membrane of a pet’s mouth.

The symptoms of the disease depend on the form of rabies. The most difficult thing to recognize is the atypical form. Signs of this disease resemble gastritis: diarrhea, vomiting, exhaustion. With a mild form of rabies, the cat becomes overly playful, literally intrusive. The owners of a sick pet may think that it is choking, but in fact this is how paralysis of the pharynx occurs. In the violent form of rabies, the cat becomes lethargic and aloof, tries to eat inedible objects, gnaw and lick the bite site through which the rabies virus entered.

Classification of vaccinations

There are generally accepted vaccination schedules, but for Maine Coons the schedule is selected individually. The classification is:

• Live vaccines. Most of these drugs are made from live pathogens that have lost the ability to cause disease, but in turn stimulate the immune system to produce protective antibodies.
• Inactivated vaccines do not contain live viruses, but are inferior to live vaccines in their effectiveness and are more allergenic than the former.

A mandatory vaccination not only for Maine Coons, but also for other animals, is a vaccination against rabies. This disease is deadly for pets, as well as for humans. Kittens must be vaccinated against plague, infectious and viral diseases, and leukemia. They are also vaccinated against panleukopenia, herpes, rhinotracheitis, chlamydia, calcivirus infectious disease and other dangerous viruses. Due to the fact that old vaccines do not work on new strains of viruses, drugs are constantly updated and often in complex ways.

Features of vaccination of Maine Coons

Before vaccinating the charming giant Maine Coons, it is useful to familiarize yourself with the list of vaccines offered by veterinary clinics and the features of their use.

Types of vaccines

There are two main types of vaccines for cats:

• Alive. They include viral agents of the disease, only slightly weakened. Such viruses are no longer capable of developing the disease, but they force the body to produce appropriate antibodies.
• Dead (synthetic). Laboratory-derived vaccines. They contain dead cells similar to disease viruses. These cells are safe for the animal and cause an appropriate immune response. Such vaccines have a weaker effect compared to live strains of the disease, but are easier to tolerate in animals.

Modern vaccines are practically safe for Maine Coons and do not cause side effects. Of course, provided that the pet is healthy.

Another stumbling block in the selection of vaccines is the purchase of imported or domestic products. Modern veterinarians offer several developments for domestic cats:

• Multifel 4. It is considered one of the most effective Russian-made drugs. It creates lasting immunity. The vaccine is used to form an immune barrier against the most common cat diseases: panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and chlamydia. Some experts consider one of the disadvantages of Multifel 4 to be the possibility of pet allergies and the absence of rhinotracheitis viruses in its composition.
• Nobivac - Tricat. Imported live vaccine. Contains weakened leukemia, chlamydia, rhinotracheitis and panleukopenia viruses. Nobivac - Tricat should be used with caution in debilitated cats. After vaccination, a deterioration in the animal’s condition is often observed.
• Felovax. A vaccine containing dead viruses, safe for Maine Coons. The drug contains weakened viruses of the four most common feline diseases: panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, calicivirus and chlamydia.
• Quadrocket. Russian-made vaccine. Includes rabies, panleukopenia, herpes and calcivirosis viruses.
• Purevax. Helps to form stable immunity in Maine Coons to panleukopenia, infectious rhinotracheitis, calcivirus and chlamydia within two weeks after vaccination. The main contraindication to the use of Purevax is individual intolerance to the components of the vaccine.
• Microderm. The action of this live vaccine is aimed at combating lichen infection. Interestingly, the product has a healing effect. That is, with its help you can cure an already infected cat.

Many vaccines are combination vaccines. They include weakened strains of several diseases, for example, rhinotracheitis and calcivirosis. This approach is very convenient, because the animal receives two injections at a time, and not three or four.

Methods of administering the vaccine

The speed of action of the drug and the degree of subsequent protection depend on how the vaccine was administered. Any vaccination should be carried out taking into account the recommendations of the veterinarian or the manufacturer.

Thus, vaccines containing feline panleukopenia virus are administered subcutaneously or intramuscularly. Some vaccines (against peritonitis) are administered intranasally, in other words, as drops in the nose.

Preparing for vaccination

The owner of a Maine Coon can minimize the risk of developing side effects after vaccination. To do this, just follow a few simple preparatory steps:

• Make sure that the coon is absolutely healthy before vaccination.
• Ask your veterinarian what vaccines are available.
• If necessary, you can purchase an alternative to the vaccine offered by the clinic. The product is stored under suitable conditions.
• Purchase only modern vaccines.
• Two weeks before vaccination, the Maine Coon should be dewormed, that is, dewormed. Parasites reduce the body's immune strength.

Maine Coon vaccination schedule

Maine Coon vaccinations begin at a very tender age - 2-3 months. But the introduction of the first vaccine does not make sense without repeated revaccination. Next, the vaccine is given to prevent diseases at certain intervals.

Table: Maine Coon vaccination schedule

Types of vaccines and diseases

Opponents of vaccination insist that vaccinations are harmful because they weaken the immunity of animals that are supposedly not threatened by any external infection . Experience shows that this opinion is wrong: viruses easily penetrate from the street into an enclosed space, clinging to clothes and shoes. Maine Coons are vaccinated against the most “popular” feline diseases, including panleukopenia, rhinotracheitis, leukemia, calcivirus, chlamydia, herpes and rabies.

Vaccines

The list of in-demand biological products includes:

• Nobivas Tricat Trio (live) – herpes viral rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia, calcivirosis (Intervet, Holland);
• Nobivac Forcat (live) – panleukopenia, calcevirus infection, chlamydia, viral rhinotracheitis (Intervet, Holland);
• Leucorifelin (combined) – infectious rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia, calcivirosis (Merial, France);
• Fel-O-Vax 4 (inactivated) – panleukopenia, herpes viral rhinotracheitis, chlamydia, calcivirosis (Fort Dodge, USA);
• Quadricate (combined) – panleukopenia, calcivirosis, herpes viral rhinotracheitis, rabies (Merial, France);
• Purevax RCP/RCPCh (combined) – panleukopenia, infectious rhinotracheitis, chlamydia, calcivirosis (Merial, France);
• Multifel 4 (inactivated) – rhinotracheitis, panleukopenia, calcivirosis and chlamydia (Narvak, Russia);
• Polivak-TM/Microderm/Vakderm F – dermatomycosis (Russia);
• Nobivas Rabies (Holland)/Rabisin (France) – inactivated rabies vaccines;
• Purevax FeLV – leukemia (Merial, France); Primucell FIP (live) – viral peritonitis (Merial, France).

Viruses mutate, and some drugs are quickly replaced by others: biologists have to create vaccines that can fight new strains.

Vaccine selection

The owner of the Maine Coon is usually determined not so much by the type of vaccine (live, combined or inactivated), but by the country of origin. The veterinary clinic will always ask whether a domestic or imported drug should be administered to the pet. If you are short on funds, opt for the Russian vaccine; if you are not going to save money, opt for an imported one.

Important! You will also need a foreign drug if you intend to travel with your Maine Coon outside the country. Most countries recognize vaccination carried out exclusively with European drugs. The names of the vaccines, as well as the dates of their administration, must be indicated in the international veterinary passport.

Return to content

What to do after vaccination

After vaccination and revaccination, the Maine Coon needs to be quarantined. The latter is necessary so that the animal that has been vaccinated has time to develop antibodies to the disease. While in quarantine, the Maine Coon should not go outside or have contact with other animals.

An isolated pet needs to be fed well and provided with rest. It is better to discuss the specific diet during this period with your veterinarian.

The exact period of isolation depends on the type of vaccination and the general condition of the kitten or adult. The more complex the vaccine (it protects against more diseases), the more difficult it is for the cat’s body to produce antibodies. Consequently, the pet needs more time to adapt.

The average isolation period is 7-14 days. The exception is the rabies vaccination. After it, the Maine Coon must be in quarantine for at least 30 days.

Why is vaccination necessary?

Recently, many opponents of vaccination of people and animals have appeared. This phenomenon can only be explained by the high efficiency of vaccinations, as a result of which the number of diseases has significantly decreased.

Currently, vaccination of pets is not regulated anywhere, and some owners are in no hurry to get vaccinated, hoping to save money in this way or simply out of laziness.

Important! Be sure to deworm and treat for fleas and ticks before vaccination. The presence of parasites in a pet significantly increases the risk of allergic reactions.

A responsible owner strives to protect the life of his pet as much as possible. Modern vaccines of domestic and foreign production are safe, practically do not cause allergic reactions and are effective against many pathogens. In principle, if your coon does not walk outside, you can take a risk and not vaccinate. There are also several broad categories of cats for which vaccinations are required:

• walking outside the apartment;
• show cats;
• kitten producers;
• traveling with a cat owner;
• placed for foster care.

Possible complications after vaccination

After administering the vaccine, the owner should observe the animals for a week. During this period, a number of signs and symptoms may appear that are the result of an allergy to the biocomponents of the drug. The most common side effects from the vaccine are:

• inflammation of the skin at the injection site;
• diarrhea and vomiting;
• apathetic state.

Important. If the Owner has observed at least one of these symptoms in the cat, the animal should be immediately shown to a veterinarian.

How does vaccination work?

At the owner’s request, the animal can be vaccinated in a clinic, private or public, as well as at home or in a nursery, having first called a doctor.

Maine Coons are vaccinated for the first time at two months, the next at three months, the third when the animal is one year old, and then vaccination is carried out annually or every two years (according to the European system).

There are a number of restrictions for vaccination. It is prohibited to vaccinate:

• sick cats and cats;
• pregnant and lactating cats;
• cats in heat;
• kittens up to 2 months;
• weakened or stressed animals;
• animals that have not undergone deworming.

The vaccination schedule is selected for each Maine Coon individually. 10 days before vaccination, the animal must be dewormed. Vaccinations are only allowed for a healthy Maine Coon, so before the procedure the kitten must be examined, its temperature taken, and only if there are no signs of ill health can the vaccine be administered.

Deworming before vaccination

Before vaccination, you MUST deworm your cat, regardless of the last time you did it. The presence of diseases and parasites weakens the immune system and, as a result of vaccination, insufficient antibodies may be produced, then even a vaccinated cat can get sick. This is called “breakthrough of post-vaccination immunity.” In addition, if a cat has worms, vaccination can cause serious complications, including death.

Anthelmintic can be bought at a veterinary pharmacy or pet store, but under no circumstances in a tent or on the market, where it may turn out to be a fake. Some good medicines for worms: Kanikvantel, Polyvercan, Cystal-Cat, Drontal.

After anthelmintic, if the cat does not poop after a day, you need to give Vaseline oil. Pour 3-5 ml from a syringe without a needle into your mouth 2-3 times after 1-2 hours and wait for the result. After 10 days, deworming must be repeated, since the medicine does not affect the eggs and larvae of worms. After deworming, you need to wait until the larvae mature and kill the newly born worms in the second dose. Here it is important not to wait too long and poison the young worms before they reach sexual maturity and have time to lay new eggs. Sexual maturity in most types of worms occurs after 14-20 days. There is also no need to rush too much - you need to poison when ALL the larvae have already turned into worms. An interval of 10 days is the optimal period.

10 days after the last anthelmintic dose, you need to get the first vaccination.

Do I need to get vaccinated?

For cat owners, the need for regular vaccinations is not as clear-cut as for those who have a dog. Most cats live in city apartments and do not come into direct contact with possible sources of deadly infection. But there is one “but”: you yourself can bring the infection on shoes, clothes or other objects that have been in the external environment. The secretions of sick cats (saliva, urine, feces), and with them pathogens, enter the soil. You bring particles of this soil in the form of dust and dirt home on your shoes. This is a very likely scenario, although the risk is less than for animals walking outside. Don't rely on chance. Do not think that it is extremely unlikely that your cat will become infected in this way. When your cat actually gets sick, it won't matter to you whether the chance of infection was 50% or 0.5%.

For some diseases, the mortality rate is very high (for example, 50-70% of cats die when infected with panleukopenia). Rabies is fatal in 100% of cases, including in humans. You can become infected with rabies not only from other cats and dogs, but from almost any animal, including rats and mice, which are common prey for cats.

The vaccine contains a specific set of viruses that have been weakened or “killed” so they cannot cause disease. But their introduction into the cat’s body stimulates the production of antibodies. They accumulate in the body after the vaccine is administered, and when a live virus enters the body, the antibodies kill it. Even if vaccinated animals get sick, they tolerate the disease easily and in a non-life-threatening form.

Unvaccinated animals do not have these antibodies in their blood, and the body takes considerable time to produce them. And the more microbes that enter the body, the more antibodies are needed to neutralize them. Sometimes the animal’s body simply does not have time to produce the required amount of antibodies and the cat gets sick. In kittens, the immune system is not yet formed and works very slowly, so young animals are more susceptible to infectious diseases.

Vaccination: protection against diseases

What vaccinations do Maine Coons need? It is mandatory to get a rabies vaccination. Contact with the street and other animals does not affect the need to perform it. The disease is deadly for both the pet and its owners. Therefore, vaccination against rabies is mandatory.

Vaccination is carried out no earlier than the pet reaches the age of 3 months. Maine Coons are vaccinated every year.

There are other vaccinations that must be given to your cat. The pet must be vaccinated against:

• Plagues, infections. It is carried out after the kitten stops feeding on its mother’s milk. Viral diseases. The drug is administered to the animal annually. Leukemia. Protection against the disease must be carried out when the Maine Cund reaches the age of 1 year. Administration of the vaccine does not guarantee 100% protection. Therefore, the manipulation must be performed when the owner is sure that the cat is no longer sick.

When performing vaccinations, you must strictly adhere to the schedule.

Vaccination dates

Maine Coons should be vaccinated for the first time at 2 months. This is a complex vaccine against:

• tracheitis; viral infection; chlamydia; pailenkopenia.

You should not overload the kitten’s body by vaccinating against all diseases at once. This can undermine the immune system. Maine Coon cat vaccinations are scheduled according to a specific schedule.

The first vaccinations are given to Maine Coons up to one year old. The action must be performed before 3 months or after 8.

It is necessary to vaccinate your pet if it is completely healthy. Before the upcoming vaccine administration, animals are given anthelmintic medication in advance. It is necessary to treat your pet against fleas and ticks 7-10 days before the procedure. The second vaccination is given at 3 months along with the introduction of the rabies vaccine.

The veterinarian examines and measures the pet's temperature before Maine Coons are vaccinated. In case of pathology or presence of diseases, the manipulation is postponed. At the clinic you can get a reminder about the approximate vaccination schedule.

It is not advisable to administer the drug at home. Improper storage or packaging of the vaccine may alter the medication and cause harm to the breed. To administer the vaccine, you need to contact a veterinary clinic specialist.

Advantages and disadvantages

Since there are many positive factors of vaccination, breeders rarely pay attention to the negative ones. But only by comparing them for himself, the owner can decide whether to vaccinate or not

The first factor is age. If the kitten feeds on mother's milk, due to its composition, the little Maine Coon is provided with immunity.

Maine Coons are vaccinated several times, and vaccinations can be difficult to tolerate. Some vaccines are not very effective in producing immunity and may also increase the risk of developing sarcoma. Vaccination is not carried out once and for life, so it is worth carrying out several times. Vaccinations differ from each other not only in price, but also in quality. They can be tolerated differently by animals; after some, the pet may walk lethargic and sleepy for 3 days, and some will not provide protection to the kitten at all and it may get sick.

Vaccination dates

Maine Coons should be vaccinated for the first time at 2 months. This is a complex vaccine against:

• tracheitis; viral infection; chlamydia; pailenkopenia.

You should not overload the kitten’s body by vaccinating against all diseases at once. This can undermine the immune system. Maine Coon cat vaccinations are scheduled according to a specific schedule.

The first vaccinations are given to Maine Coons up to one year old. The action must be performed before 3 months or after 8.

It is necessary to vaccinate your pet if it is completely healthy. Before the upcoming vaccine administration, animals are given anthelmintic medication in advance. It is necessary to treat your pet against fleas and ticks 7-10 days before the procedure. The second vaccination is given at 3 months along with the introduction of the rabies vaccine.

The veterinarian examines and measures the pet's temperature before Maine Coons are vaccinated. In case of pathology or presence of diseases, the manipulation is postponed. At the clinic you can get a reminder about the approximate vaccination schedule.

It is not advisable to administer the drug at home. Improper storage or packaging of the vaccine may alter the medication and cause harm to the breed. To administer the vaccine, you need to contact a veterinary clinic specialist.