Editing Maine Coon (section)

== Health ==
===Life expectancy===
Pet insurance data obtained from a study during years&nbsp;2003–2006 in Sweden puts the median lifespan of the Maine Coon at >&nbsp;12.5&nbsp;years. 74% lived to 10&nbsp;years or more and 54% lived to 12.5&nbsp;years or more.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Egenvall |first1=A. |last2=Nødtvedt |first2=A. |last3=Häggström |first3=J. |last4=Ström Holst |first4=B. |last5=Möller |first5=L. |last6=Bonnett |first6=B.&nbsp;N. |title=Mortality of life-insured Swedish cats during 1999–2006: Age, breed, sex, and diagnosis |journal=Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine |volume=23 |issue=6 |pages=1175–1183 |year=2009 |pmid=19780926 |doi=10.1111/j.1939-1676.2009.0396.x|pmc=7167180 }}</ref> A UK study found a life expectancy of 9.71 years compared to 11.74 years overall.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Teng | first1=Kendy Tzu-yun | last2=Brodbelt | first2=Dave C | last3=Church | first3=David B | last4=O’Neill | first4=Dan G | title=Life tables of annual life expectancy and risk factors for mortality in cats in the UK | journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery | volume=26 | issue=5 | date=2024 | pages=1098612X241234556 | issn=1098-612X | doi=10.1177/1098612X241234556 | pmid=38714312 | pmc=11156239 }}</ref>

=== Heart ===
[[File:Stunning White Maine Coon.JPG|thumb|A solid-white female with hazel eyes]]

[[Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy]] (HCM) has been observed in Maine Coon populations.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Kittleson | first1=Mark D. | last2=Meurs | first2=Kathryn M. | last3=Munro | first3=Marcia J. | last4=Kittleson | first4=Judith A. | last5=Liu | first5=Si-Kwang | last6=Pion | first6=Paul D. | last7=Towbin | first7=Jeffrey A. | title=Familial Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy in Maine Coon Cats | journal=Circulation | publisher=Ovid Technologies (Wolters Kluwer Health) | volume=99 | issue=24 | date=1999-06-22 | issn=0009-7322 | doi=10.1161/01.cir.99.24.3172 | pages=3172–3180| pmid=10377082 }}</ref> A mutation in the [[MYBPC3]] gene found in Maine Coons has been associated with HCM.<ref>{{cite journal | last1=Godiksen | first1=Mia TN | last2=Granstrøm | first2=Sara | last3=Koch | first3=Jørgen | last4=Christiansen | first4=Michael | title=Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy in young Maine Coon cats caused by the p.A31P cMyBP-C mutation - the clinical significance of having the mutation | journal=Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica | publisher=Springer Science and Business Media LLC | volume=53 | issue=1 | date=2011-02-09 | issn=1751-0147 | doi=10.1186/1751-0147-53-7 | doi-access=free | page=7| pmid=21306647 | pmc=3044103 }}</ref>

Of all the Maine Coons tested for the MyBPC mutation at the Veterinary Cardiac Genetics Lab at the College of Veterinary Medicine at [[Washington State University]], approximately one-third tested positive.<ref name="WSU">{{cite web |title=Frequently Asked Questions about the test for the Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy Mutation |publisher=[[Washington State University]] |url=http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/deptsvcgl/FAQ.aspx |access-date=21 November 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080926111602/http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/deptsVCGL/FAQ.aspx |archive-date=26 September 2008 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Not all cats that test positive will have clinical signs of the disease, and some Maine Coon cats with clinical evidence of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy test negative for this mutation, strongly suggesting that a second mutation exists in the breed. The HCM prevalence was found to be 10.1% (95% CI 5.8 -14.3%) in this study.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.vetogene.it/GATTI/upload/jvim12031.pdf |title=Myosin-Binding Protein C DNA Variants in Domestic Cats (A31P, A74T, R820W) and their Association with Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy |website=vetogene.it |access-date=4 November 2013 |archive-date=11 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150211222112/http://www.vetogene.it/GATTI/upload/jvim12031.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref> Early growth and nutrition, larger body size, and obesity may be environmental modifiers of genetic predisposition to HCM.<ref>{{Cite journal|last1=Freeman|first1=Lisa M|last2=Rush|first2=John E|last3=Meurs|first3=Kathryn M|last4=Bulmer|first4=Barret J|last5=Cunningham|first5=Suzanne M|date=21 September 2012|title=Body size and metabolic differences in Maine Coon cats with and without hypertrophic cardiomyopathy|journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery |volume=15|issue=2|pages=74–80|doi=10.1177/1098612x12460847|issn=1098-612X|pmc=5971105|pmid=23001953}}</ref>

=== Kidney ===
[[Polycystic kidney disease]] (PKD) is an inherited condition in cats that causes multiple cysts (pockets of fluid) to form in the kidneys. These cysts are present from birth. Initially, they are very small, but they grow larger over time and may eventually disrupt kidney function, resulting in kidney failure. While renal cysts are observed with a low incidence in Maine Coons, PKD appears to be a misnomer in this particular breed. In a 2013 study, spanning 8&nbsp;years, renal cysts were documented by ultrasound in 7 of 187&nbsp;healthy Maine Coons enrolled in a pre-breeding screening programme. The cysts were mostly single and unilateral (6/7, 85.7%), small (mean 3.6&nbsp;mm in diameter), and located at the corticomedullary junction (4/6, 66.7%). Thus, different in size, number, and location from those observed in Persian-related breeds. In the same study, all six Maine Coon cats with renal cysts tested negative for the PKD1 mutation, proving the disease in these cats to be unrelated to the PKD observed in Persians and related breeds. Gene sequencing of these cats failed to demonstrate any common genetic sequences. Gendron et al. found that 'Maine Coon PKD' represents a form of juvenile [[nephropathy]] other than PKD.<ref>{{Cite journal |last1=Gendron |first1=Karine |last2=Owczarek-Lipska |first2=Marta |last3=Lang |first3=Johann |last4=Leeb |first4=Tosso |date=December 2013 |title=Maine Coon renal screening: ultrasonographical characterisation and preliminary genetic analysis for common genes in cats with renal cysts |journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery |volume=15 |issue=12 |pages=1079–1085 |doi=10.1177/1098612X13492164 |issn=1098-612X |pmid=23735675 |s2cid=43268867|pmc=10816467 }}</ref>

=== Skeletal, joint and muscle ===
[[Hip dysplasia (canine)|Hip dysplasia]] is an abnormality of the hip joint which can cause crippling lameness and [[arthritis]]. The cats most commonly affected with hip dysplasia tend to be males of the larger, big-boned breeds such as Persians and Maine Coons. The relatively smaller size and weight of cats frequently results in symptoms that are less pronounced.<ref>{{cite book |title=Cat Owner's Home Veterinary Handbook |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9lGTIbYkXxMC&pg=PA359 |edition=3rd |year=2007 |publisher=John Wiley and Sons |isbn=978-0-470-09530-0 |page=359}}</ref> X-rays submitted to the [[Orthopedic Foundation for Animals]] (OFA) between 1974 and 2011 indicates that 24.3% of Maine Coons in the database were dysplastic. Dysplasia was more severe in bilateral than unilateral cases and with increasing age.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Loder |first1=Randall T. |last2=Todhunter |first2=Rory J. |date=21 April 2017  |title=Demographics of hip dysplasia in the Maine Coon cat |journal=Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery |volume=20 |issue=4 |pages=302–307 |doi=10.1177/1098612x17705554 |pmid=28430011 |pmc=11129213 |issn=1098-612X|hdl=1805/17463 |s2cid=4355779 |hdl-access=free }}</ref>

The Maine Coon is one of the more commonly affected breeds for [[spinal muscular atrophy]]. An [[autosomal recessive]] mutation in both the [[LIX1]] and [[LNPEP]] gene are responsible for the condition in the breed.<ref>{{cite book |author1-first=James A.C. |author1-last=Oliver |author2-first=Cathryn S. |author2-last=Mellersh | editor1-first=Barbara | editor1-last=Cooper | editor2-first=Elizabeth |editor2-last=Mullineaux |editor3-first=Lynn | editor3-last=Turner |title=BSAVA Textbook of Veterinary Nursing |date=2020 |publisher=British Small Animal Veterinary Association |isbn=978-1-910-44339-2 |edition=Sixth|chapter=Genetics| page=131}}</ref>

=== Other ===
Maine Coons also seem to be predisposed to develop [[entropion]], mainly on the lateral aspect of the eyelids, which can lead to corneal irritation and ulceration, and may require surgery.<ref>{{Cite book |title=Veterinary ophthalmology |date=2021 |isbn=978-1-119-44181-6 |editor=Kirk N. Gelatt |edition=Sixth |location=Hoboken, NJ |publisher=Wiley |oclc=1143827380}}</ref>