Quick question about moulting [shedding]

**YvonnePhoto** · 21st March 2012, 04:01 PM

Hi all

Just want to check about the amount one should expect a Maine Coon to shed fur. When we got Ella, at 20wks old in late December, she had a mighty neck ruff and was very fluffy furry.

This was her in the first few weeks

Quick question about moulting [shedding]-6643603511_77f53510c7_z.jpg

Since then, she has lost a lot of fur, all over as her main body hair turns from fluffy to silkier, her tail is marginally less bushy, but currently still very good, but round her neck ruff she has lost so much we are just a little bit concerned and just want to check that its normal. Now we have always had cats and understand that they are all loosing their winter coats at the moment [I could stuff many cushions from my vacuum bag right now] and with Ella, I am guessing there is an increased level of this as she matures. She is eating well, and whilst still a bag of kitteny bones compared to the fat lumps that are my our moggies, is gaining weight and growing in length and height. She has also been wormed, treated for fleas and is generally extremely fit and healthy in herself. We dont over groom, in fact have almost completely stopped grooming for the last 2 weeks or so as she is keeping herself very tidy and no more matts. Anyway, apologies for pic quality, its only from my phone, but this is her today - with so much less fur she looks younger than she did nearly 3 months ago.

Quick question about moulting [shedding]-imag0446.jpg

Don't get me wrong, she is not exactly going bald, and what is there feels in really good condition, apart from just round the back of her neck which feels a bit 'scrubby' and rough, but only in comparison to the rest of her and it is slowly improving. She doesn't wear any kind of collar btw.

Anyway, just wanted to check if this is within the boundary of 'normal' from people that have owned more MC's than we have. My gut instinct says all is well, but as I have access to this mine of information here on the forum, makes sense to double check.

Thank in advance all xxx

**Bethy_boo** · 21st March 2012, 07:17 PM

I'm no MC expert, not had mine for even a year yet. But I am almost certain that her shedding is very normal. I find that mine have gone through a big change in their coats over the last couple of months. At one point Poif looked positively scraggy, I felt so ashamed! Lol It's looking much better now. Ffion's coat has thickened recently but is much lighter and you can see the peachy splodges, over the winter she almost went completely grey!

I'm pretty sure others on the forum have noted that their MC's coat grows back to front, so it's thick in the summer and thin in the winter.

She does have a mighty fine mane and I'm sure it will return in good time.

x

**H&SWells** · 21st March 2012, 07:22 PM

at the moment i have more hair on the floor than carpet !!!! Ruffs disappearing rapidly and constantly grooming them selves - 1st spring for me too so cant comment on 'normal'. Beautiful fur baby btw - what colour is she ?

**Bethy_boo** · 21st March 2012, 08:15 PM

Neither of mine have ever had a proper ruff

**YvonnePhoto** · 21st March 2012, 10:17 PM

Originally Posted by H&SWells

at the moment i have more hair on the floor than carpet !!!! Ruffs disappearing rapidly and constantly grooming them selves - 1st spring for me too so cant comment on 'normal'. Beautiful fur baby btw - what colour is she ?

yep same here, can't believe where it all comes from

She is a silver tortie tabby & white

**jckkerrison** · 21st March 2012, 10:32 PM

Hi Yvonne if you put Hello-I joined today a need help into the advanced search box you will be able to see that a few of us indeed do have back to front cats & ruff problems & my problem cat is also silver & white....x

**brightlight23** · 21st March 2012, 11:31 PM

same here too - a silver and white, and only going into the second year of MC ownership. It mainly seems to be the white fur that comes out - and seems to resemble cotton wool. I have a real problem with it sticking to clothes - particularly tights. Hoping things settle down quickly. As Jackie points out, I do recall a longer thread on this topic, so will be going to look there myself, to find out when things might be likely to settle down x

**YvonnePhoto** · 22nd March 2012, 12:15 AM

Yep, found the thread, and it does seem that it's perfectly normal - oh and she also does the thing of her tongue sometimes not quite being long enough for her ruff fur, though not at the moment

As she has had a huge ruff, I am just hoping it is seasonal and returns later in the year as it was pretty majestic. If is doesn't though, so be it, she is still gorgeous to us... even after she managed to knock the heaviest duty glass vase you have ever seen off the window today....and despite the fact she has been in season again for the last 5 days, her calling is driving poor Mr Mumble nuts, he just keeps escaping to the garden to escape her

Does seem to be passing now though.

Thanks for the responses everyone, very much appreciated and has satisfied that niggle in the back of my mind.

**YvonnePhoto** · 22nd March 2012, 12:23 AM

Originally Posted by brightlight23

same here too - a silver and white, and only going into the second year of MC ownership. It mainly seems to be the white fur that comes out - and seems to resemble cotton wool. I have a real problem with it sticking to clothes - particularly tights. Hoping things settle down quickly. As Jackie points out, I do recall a longer thread on this topic, so will be going to look there myself, to find out when things might be likely to settle down x

You might have already seen these, but we got one last year as a 'twofer' deal with a comb we bought for the dogs, and it is fantastic at removing all kinds of pet hairs from clothes and upholstery. The simplest of devices are often the best it seems. In our house it has to contend with that cotton wool maine coon stuff, smooth coated jack russell hairs [which seem to have a life of their own and can burrow into anything] and short haired cat fur too.

CarPET - Pet Hair Remover - Love Pets

**brightlight23** · 22nd March 2012, 08:46 AM

Originally Posted by YvonnePhoto

You might have already seen these, but we got one last year as a 'twofer' deal with a comb we bought for the dogs, and it is fantastic at removing all kinds of pet hairs from clothes and upholstery. The simplest of devices are often the best it seems. In our house it has to contend with that cotton wool maine coon stuff, smooth coated jack russell hairs [which seem to have a life of their own and can burrow into anything] and short haired cat fur too.

CarPET - Pet Hair Remover - Love Pets

. Thanks very much Yvonne. Looks like this would come in very handy, as getting tired of manually removing the fur. Will order later today! x