There is something absolutely incredible and admirable about Maine Coon cats that is hard to comprehend unless you own a Maine Coon kitty yourself. Our Maine Coons are those different, loving, and powerful creatures.
Where do our Maine Coons Reside?
Brought to the US by the ships of the Eurasian North, Maine Coon cats are perfectly suited for the inclement northern environments. Historically, Maine Coon breed originated in the state of Maine. The cats were bred to be large, athletic, and loyal animals with long slightly oily hair.
Just as all other hardy Maine Coon cats, our feline residents are extremely strong and tough. Our king, Nimbus, is the living proof of how robust and powerful this breed can be. However, when KimRidge Farm moved to Arizona, all our cats became full-time indoor residents.
The reason being is that the local desert environment is quite cruel for any outdoor pets. Unfortunately, outdoor cats get injured or even killed by wild coyotes, stray dogs, raccoons, and hawks in this hostile environment. In addition, a danger of a venomous snake or scorpion encounter is very high.
It is possible that our Maine Coons are perfectly fit to take on a desert rival and win the contest. But we are not willing to take this chance. Our cats are too dear to us.
In addition, the Southwest climate is very harsh for the northern breeds. The sun in the high desert is so relentless, it will singe the fur, burn the eyes and ears. All our cats stay in the air-conditioned house with no exception.
Meet our Maine Coon Cats
Our Breeding Pair
We are very fortunate to have Umay (the pretty lady in red in the picture above) and Nimbus (the velvety-blue gentlemen) living on KimRidge Farm.
I know, it looks like she is slapping him on the cheek, but they are not fighting. When cats fight, their ears are pulled back and their claws are extended. Umay is also making a fancy skirt with her rump hair to look more attractive. She just forgot to show off her gorgeous tail.
Umay and Nimbus are so very unique and different from any other cats we had in the past. And we did have our share of cats on our farm.
Umay (Queen)
Umay is our beautiful solid orange queen. She doesn’t have any white hair. Just different shades of orange.
Umay joined the family when she was still a kitten. Now, she is a mother herself.
Our majestic female Maine Coon cat is a true find. Although, Umay has a wild knack in her, she is very affectionate. She likes sit on top of a recliner and ambush her humans. She gently catches every passerby by his or her arm.
Nimbus (Sire)
Nimbus is a solid blue Maine Coon and a proud father of our Maine Coon kittens.
He is a new addition to our family. He came to us from a Maine Coon breeder in California at the age of two years.
Nimbus adjusted to his new home amazingly fast. In fact, he was snuggling with us on the first day. Nimbus has a laid-back personality. He follows us everywhere and loves to cuddle on the lap.
He doesn’t last long on the lap, however, because he gets hot very quickly in his thick and silky long layered coat. Umay is very pleased to have Nimbus as her new companion.
Some people compare Maine Coons with dogs because they follow their master everywhere. If that’s the case, Nimbus is the classic Maine Coon. He spends his time in the same room with his humans.
Nimbus doesn’t like to be picked up. When we do pick him up, however, he feels like a dog. He doesn’t relax and snuggle. He tries to readjust or escape. But when we put him down, he does not run away. He just stays with you.
His body is built of all muscle and bone. At his twenty pounds of weight, he has no fat on him. Nimbus is very strong and limber. Let me reiterate, Nimbus is a very strong Maine Coon cat!
Our Maine Coon Kittens
Journal Posts about our Kittens on the Farm
What do we Feed our Maine Coon Cats?
Cats are Obligate Carnivores
Just like all cats wild or domestic, Maine Coons are obligate carnivores. In the wild, cats catch mise, rats, birds, squirrels, lizards, insects and anything else that provides a complete protein diet. Likewise, the diet of our indoor cats emulates that of their native environment. Hence, our cats eat raw chicken with the bones and organs included, raw fish, small amounts of red meat, farm-fresh eggs from our free-ranging chickens.
Cat Food Preparation
We prepare their food ahead of time. We buy chicken and grind it along with the bones and organs. Sometimes, we add fish or red meat to their daily rations. Our Maine Coons also benefit from raw eggs from our free-range chickens. The eggs are beneficial only when they come from free-ranging birds who enjoy at least 80% protein in their natural diet. These eggs are rich in vitamin K2, the key vitamin involved in the regulation of calcium absorption into the bone and removal of calcium from the smooth muscle of the arteries. Thus, farm eggs help maintain healthy heart and bones.
We store our cat food in the freezer and defrost small portions in the refrigerator. Our Maine Coons eat twice a day.
Because of this healthy nutrition, our Maine Coons are strong, muscular, energetic, and overall healthy. Their coats are silky and shiny. Their kitty litter is virtually odor-free. Because their food does not have artificial fillers and unnecessary carbohydrates, the cats require less food compared to the commercial wet or dry food. The cost of feeding raw meat to our cats does not exceed the cost of buying dry food. And, it’s much less expensive than a combination of dry and canned food.
Our only one-time expense for this type of food preparation was Weston commercial meat grinder that is powerful enough to grind chicken bones into the meals. The investment was well-worth it. Cats need bones for calcium and other minerals. Obviously, we use this grinder for our hamburgers and other meals.
Visit our Maine Coons on Facebook.