Fur

At what age your Maine Coon kitten starts to grow it's shaggy coat can vary greatly. Some kittens develop coat almost immediately and look like miniature MC adults at 3 or 4 months, while others will start getting britches and belly fur around 6 months and a ruff will start to fill in as late as 1 year, provided the kitten has been altered before 8 months of age. Maine Coons get their adult fur in at age 2.

Teeth/Gum Health As a breed, Maine Coons, are more prone to juvenile gingivitis, gingivitis, peritonitis, and stomatitis. Although for all cats, 8 in 10 will eventually end up with gum and tooth issues. Cat's mouths are full of bacteria

It is essential to use a Vet that is familiar with this breed, not familiar with DLH thought to be Maine Coons, but the actual true breed. Many MC kittens will experience juvenile gingivitis while teething. This breed loses all baby teeth. It takes about 6 months for the adult teeth to grow in. It varies from kitten to kitten on how much swelling of the gums they experience during this process which occurs from 5 months to a year of age. Many Vets misdiagnose this as stomatitis or other mouth diseases and recommend pulling teeth.  Do Not let them pull any teeth. Find another vet. Always get a second opinion, just like you would for your own health.

Also, some MC kittens have an enzyme in their mouth that makes the gums try to grow over the teeth as the body is rejecting the teeth. Do Not pull any teeth. The proper treatment is giving the kitten/cat Prednisone for inflammation for several weeks. In severe cases, surgery is required to remove some of the excess growth. Then give prednisone and an antibiotic. Surprisingly, the excess growth normally does not grow back. It is very unlikely that a MC kitten or young adult cat will have any kind of permanent mouth diseases that would require pulling teeth. Remember, MC Cats grow until 4 years of age, so they are just a big kitten at 1 year old.

Maine Coons are very interactive with people. Around the ages of 6 months to a year old they can go through a cautious stage. This is called the teenager stage. As they mature they will become more like a lap cat and much more affectionate. This is usually around ages 2 to 3 years old. As a kitten they are very busy!

Do not be concerned if your cat doesn't look like a Maine Coon all at once. The variations of growth patterns are as varied as they are among different families of humans. No, not all MC's will look the same, but the classic shaggy coat, square muzzle and big expressive eyes will all come together eventually, the cat will be your loving and ever-present companion! You may be initially attracted to the Maine Coon for their rugged good looks, but you'll fall in love with the personality.