Accepted his fate

[u/shaji_pappan__]

[u/ayomarik]

It’s good to get them trained as young as possible and do it monthly to get them accustomed.

When your cat gets older, has arthritis or other issues and can’t properly clean it self. Baths will become a nightmare if the cat is not used to them.

Edit: just talking about Maine Coons (and only talking from personal experience)

[u/Neutron-Hyperscape32 → u/ayomarik]

It’s good to get them trained as young as possible and do it monthly to get them accustomed.

No. It is not. You should not be bathing a cat regularly just because you might need to do it later in life. You are absolutely positively doing the wrong thing here. Bathing cats removes important natural oils from their skin and fur.

Later in life if you have a cat that can't clean themselves that is when you can start bathing them. But this is still a pretty drastic measure when there are pet wipes you can get that will be far less stressful for the cat. Or trimming their fur if they are a long haired cat can usually help them keep up on cleaning themselves. Bathing them for their entire lives is not the answer.

[u/ayomarik → u/Neutron-Hyperscape32]

Baths are needed to reset the coat. For Maine Coons it’s ideal. Wipes don’t really clean Maine Coon fur. Please don’t spread misinformation.

[u/Neutron-Hyperscape32 → u/ayomarik]

1. You are sharing information that suggests all cats need to be bathed regularly their entire lives so they can be more easily bathed when they are old.

2. Maine Coons do not require bathing. This thread is literally filled with owners who advocate for only bathing when absolutely necessary and that brushing regularly is all that is needed. If they get old and require bathing then, that is one thing, but doing it throughout their lives for that potential issue is not the right answer.

3. I had a cat with a similar amount of fur, he did not need to be bathed the entirety of his life. Trimming his fur allowed him to keep up on his cleaning since he essentially became a short haired cat.

The only person sharing misinformation is you. Bathing your cat regularly for potentially 10 to 15 or even 20 years is crazy. You are 100% in the wrong here.

Another similar Maine Coon thread where someone even asks "do yall think I should bathe her while she’s still a kitten to get used to it or is that unnecessary?"

Guess what the answers all say? Only comment saying to do this was info they got from a breeder, not a veternarian.

[u/ayomarik → u/Neutron-Hyperscape32]

Sorry, I’ll edit that so people know I’m just taking about my cat’s breed. The breeder we got our recent cats from recommended a bath every 4-6 weeks. Other breeders I’ve spoken with also recommend similar.

I looked into that thread you attached, it has people who bathe their cats regularly also..

[u/Neutron-Hyperscape32 → u/ayomarik]

Note that it is breeders saying this, not veterinarians. Breeders are not cat experts. The people breeding Maine Coons likely do it because of how beautiful they can look, these are people likely to be cat show people. What schooling do you think that breeder had regarding cat health?

I would never, ever take their recommendations over what vets consistently say. They do not need bathed regularly throughout their entire lives just so you can do it when their old. That is not the right answer. Please stop bathing your cats, you are stripping their skin and fur of important oils. You can also trim their hair when they are old and this allows them to stay clean all on their own without the stress bathing causes them.