Customer Reviews

Maine Coon Cats (Barron's Complete Pet Owner's Manuals)

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4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

"Maine Coon Cats" is one of a series of cat books published by Barron's. It has been 'personalized' by inserting the breed name 'Maine Coon' into the title and various other places in the text. Most of text is about cats in general, but all of the book's photographs display big, fuzzy Maine Coons. And there are some specifics about this very special breed - the cost of a show kitten vs. 'just a pet', a short history of the breed, etc. We own a small Maine Coon cattery ('JustThisOnce' Cattery) with five current residents (if you don't count the humans). For a more specific book on this native American breed, I'd recommend "This is the Maine Coon Cat" by Sharyn P. Bass. The photographs are mainly black and white (and grainy), but the text is much more specific to Coonies, especially if you plan to show. I learned from Bass's book that our Maine Coons aren't unique in the way they scoop water out of their dish with a big, hairy paw and then drink it. Evidently, this is one of the breed traits that got Maine Coons mistaken for raccoons in the first place!

I don't want to turn you away from Barron's "Maine Coon Cats - A Complete Owners Manual". It contains very good generic information about raising cats, and the photographs are really lovely. It just has that 'mass produced' feel about it.

This is a good introduction to Maine Coon cats. Mostly, this is a "care and feeding of" book that could apply to any cat, which is what this book is really for. If you are new to cat ownership and have a Maine Coon, this will get you started.

We have Maine Coon rescue cats and we don't plan to breed any cats (preferring to adopt orphans--there's a glut of cats out there.) But if you were planning to breed Maine Coons, you surely would need a more comprehensive book than this slim volume.

However, if you just want some general background about the history, pictures of coat colors and information about the general qualities of this breed, this book is just fine. The most valuable page is actually in the back, describing various illnesses, with a black and white drawing and description of a cat "not doin' right", which is how a cat subtly tells you it is feeling sick. We caught our cat "not doin' right" and she was actually on the point of being seriously ill. We caught it in time--thanks to that helpful description --cats are sometimes not terribly expressive, purring even in pain and perking up if their beloved owners are around.

We are Maine Coon breeders and think so much of this book that we include a copy with every kitten purchased. It's full of good cat care information, great pictures of cats, and a guide to understanding behavior.

A lot of the info in this book is just general "cat" info, but it is full of outstanding glossy photographs of Maine Coons. You can find an example of virtually every color type in here, and the back section has enough Maine Coone-specific information to get a person started. It only took me about half an hour to read this little book, but the pictures are so well done that I found myself flipping back through to look at them again. Well worth the price.

As the adopted companion of an elderly but still goofy Maine Coon, I bought this little book hoping to find more about the idiosyncracies of the breed: characteristics beyond the obvious, visible ones, things that made them truly unique. Unfortunately, I read almost nothing new, and even less that was Maine Coon-specific. As another reviewer noted, it was a very quick read, and a frustrating one. The pictures are lovely, but then, so are all *my* cats.

"Maine Coon Cats" is a beginner's manual for someone that has never owned cats. It has a few interesting insights on Maine Coons but mostly focuses on cat care in general. It does have a well researched section on the common medical problems in cats.

Our family resides with a Main Coon and I found this book very interesting and helpful. I had questions about behavior and health information. It gave me all the information I needed and more, I found it a fun read so many of the things that were talked about our cat has reacted just as the author said the Main Coon would react. Many helpful suggestions helped make our cat and family live comfortably together with better understanding of what the cat's needs are and how he will react to different situations and what to expect when company comes to visit.

I really enjoyed reading this one. It gives good information about the breed, its history, specific characteristics if Maine Coons and has some nice pictures showing good examples of this breed.

This book is indeed the 'complete pet owners manual' written to prepare the reader for what's in store if you follow through on obtaining one of these breathtaking animals. I learned a lot about the history and care of the Maine Coon Cat. I recently lost my American shorthair who managed to live for 19 years and 11 months. Lyon was a great joy to me and took to my retirement very well until she became deaf and blind and could not longer take care of herself. I plane on getting a Maine Coon Cat

as soon as I can find a suitable one.

MY CAT IS A MIX BUT ABOUT 75% MNCOON. THIS BOOK DID EXPLAIN ALOT OF QUIRKS AND BRED IN HABITS I NOW SEE IN MINE. THEY ARE CRAZY CREATURES.
VERY INFORMATIVE AND PICS GALORE,THANKS-LBSMITH