Maine Coon Picture: Daily Telegraph 2013: Pickles story Boston Feb 2014
Maine Coons Get Bigger
An argument has arisen about whether cats can be too big. The reason is that Pickles from Boston is 21lbs and 3 foot long. The fear is that the large cat is not only obese but subject to diseases related to obesity like diabetes and heart disease. One extremist has called for sever dieting or even the prosecution of owners for letting the fat cats get even fatter.
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The biggest problem that Maine Coons face is breeders who insist on breeding from cats who have hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. The breed is prone to it and it passes down the line. When breeders are looking to breed for form over function, this is when shortcuts are made (no ultrasound screening for heart issues) as the goal has become unethical, the goal is to breed a very big cat.
ReplyDeleteThe diabetes issues is more likely to happen to cats who regularly endure large amounts of stress (cats can develop diabetes as a stress response) or when cats have been allowed to become too hefty.
There is a difference between a large breed of cat and a cat who is simply fat. The weight and size quoted isn't unusual in healthy weight Maine Coons.