Purr-fectly Clean: The 5 Best Shampoos for Your Majestic Maine

Despite what some cat people may say, there is nothing wrong with giving your Maine Coon a good old sudsy bath. As long as you bathe your gentle giant in moderation—and with a properly balanced and gentle shampoo—there are many benefits to bathing your kitty. But with all those cat shampoos out there, how do you pick the best Maine Coon shampoo?

Look for a gentle, species-appropriate shampoo with natural ingredients and an appropriate pH balance that won’t strip your cat’s protective skin mantle. Avoid shampoos with chemical additives such as parabens, sulfates, detergents, silicone, or phthalates. Opt for fragrance-free or naturally fragranced shampoo without dyes.

Most Maine Coons have long and shaggy fur, and for some reason, self-grooming is not always the top thing on their to-do list. Every 4-6 weeks, they may start getting a little funky, and then it’s time for the tub. So, here are some of the best shampoos on the market that are safe, natural, and suitable for your much-loved Maine Coon.

A Quick Overview: The 5 Best Maine Coon Shampoos

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Exploring The 5 Best Maine Coon Shampoos: A Closer Look

1. Best Overall: Earthbath Oatmeal & Aloe Pet Shampoo

Specifications

Ingredients	Purified water, coconut-based cleansers, colloidal oatmeal (3%), organic Aloe vera, almond and vanilla essence, and a natural preservative of olive oil squalene
Best For	Dry and itchy skin
pH	6.4 – 6.8
For	Cats and dogs
Directions	Lather your moistened cat well, leave the shampoo on for 90 seconds, and rinse well

Earthbath shampoo is a popular USA-based pet brand with an excellent reputation for sustainable and earth-friendly products. The shampoo is all-natural and free from harmful chemicals such as:

• Sulfate
• Parabens
• Phosphates
• Dyes
• Soap

Earthbath harnesses the moisturizing qualities of colloidal oatmeal and organic Aloe vera’s antimicrobial and antibacterial properties for a comforting and naturally cleansing shampoo. The product also offers the natural scent of food-grade vanilla and almond for a subtle fragrance.

You can use the shampoo in diluted form for an extra gentle wash of 10 parts water to one part shampoo. The shampoo runoff is also kind to the environment and will not pollute our waterways. All in all, the product is a gentle, pH-balanced offering with sustainably sourced ingredients and a top choice for your Maine Coon.

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2. Best for Organic Ingredient: Pawtitas Cat Oatmeal Shampoo

Specifications

Ingredients	Purified Water with a coconut-based cleanser. Certified organic: Neem, chamomile, olive leaf, and Moringa. Colloidal oatmeal, shea butter, organic glycerin, organic preservative, fragrance-free
Best For	Dry, sensitive skin
pH	Balanced for cats
Directions	Massage onto a wet coat for 5 minutes, then rinse with body-temperature water
Life stage	Suitable for kittens twelve weeks and older

US-based Pawtitas has dedicated its brand to sourcing sustainable and organic ingredients of the highest quality to ensure your pet’s health. Their handcrafted organic shampoo carries the USDA organic certification, which is rare in pet shampoos.

The Pawtitas cat shampoo offers a holistic variety of natural ingredients including colloidal oatmeal, calming shea butter chamomile, moringa, and olive leaf to gently clean your cat while protecting their sensitive skin. The colloidal oatmeal reduces skin inflammation and promotes collagen production for a glossy coat.

The product is also free from nasty parabens, sulfates, and artificial fragrances that can irritate cats’ skin. The company is also committed to cruelty-free products that do not harm animals.

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3. Best for Hypoallergenic: BotaniVet Certified Organic Manuka Honey Pet Shampoo

Specifications

Ingredients	Manuka honey, organic coconut, jojoba, olive oil, organic vegetable glycerin, organic guar gum, rosemary extract (as a natural preservative), and organic Aloe vera. A natural berry fragrance
Best For	Sensitive skin prone to allergies
pH	5.5-6.5
Directions	Lather onto the wet coat, wait several minutes and rinse
Life Stage	Adult cats and dogs

The US-based Vet Remedy™ creates its BotaniVet range of safe, non-toxic pet products from 100% natural sources. A board-certified veterinary dermatologist oversees their pet product range of certified organic products for quality and effectiveness.

The BotaniVet Pet Shampoo harnesses the fantastic curative properties of Manuka honey, which the company sustainably sources from remote forests of New Zealand. This honey has proven antimicrobial, antibacterial, and wound-healing qualities.

This honey has a potent version of the compound methylglyoxal, which manufacturers cannot replicate in ordinary honey. Each batch of honey is third-party tested for potency, and their bees are antibiotic and miticide-free.

The soap is sourced from certified organic coconut, jojoba, and olive oils that are soothing and anti-inflammatory for MCs with sensitive skin. The ingredient list also contains silver, Aloe vera, and green tea extract, which all offer extra antifungal and antibacterial qualities.

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4. Best for Maine Coon Kittens: Kin+Kind Natural Oatmeal Shampoo

Specifications

Ingredients	Organic: Organic Aloe, Olive Oil, Coconut Oil Vegetable Soap (Caprylyl/Capryl Glucoside), Natural Thickener (Hydroxyethyl Cellulose), Colloidal Oatmeal, Soapbark, Caprylhydroxamic Acid Natural preservative, made from coconut oil, Vegetable Glycerin
Best For	Kittens, cats with sensitive skin
pH	Balanced
Directions	Apply shampoo to a motioned coat and massage it well. Rinse well.
Life Stage	Puppy and kitten safe, cats and dogs

Kin+Kind offers a pet-first range of products using quality organic ingredients and cutting-edge research into safe and effective plant-based products. The American-based company uses a Ph.D. vet-approved range of ingredients in their USDA-certified organic facility.

This Kin+Kind Shampoo is extra gentle on the skin with the power of colloidal oatmeal for its soothing and moisturizing effects. The shampoo uses organic olive oil and coconut for a super gentle cleanse, even on your kitten, and is tearless and fragrance-free.

Because they use natural ingredients, the shampoo won’t foam up like many shampoos that include harmful foaming agents in their formula. However, the gentle cleaning is still effective and easier to rinse for a residue-free finish.

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5. Best for Small Clean-Ups: PetPotion Refresh Organic, No Rinse Waterless Pet Shampoo

Specifications

Ingredients	Distilled water, organic olive, sunflower, jojoba, Aloe juice, shea butter, calendula extract, rosemary extract
Best For	Small spill, bottom issues,
pH	Balanced
Directions	Shake well, aim, and spray generously. Either wipe with a damp cloth or massage in and leave to air dry for soft, clean fur
Life Stage	Adult cats and dogs

When your Maine Coon has a little “oopsie,” and they are between monthly bathtimes, the PetPotion misting spray is an excellent way for a fuss-free clean-up. Funk Zones LLC’s PetPotion range aims to take the chore out of pet cleaning with their no-rinse cleaning mist.

Their ingredients are certified USDA organic with a host of organic ingredients, including the following:

• Aloe vera juice
• Sunflower
• Jojoba
• Vegetable glycerin
• Guar gum
• Shea butter
• Calendula extract
• Rosemary

PetPotion promotes water saving with their product, which is reusable and refillable with about 64-100 mini baths per 5.5oz bottle.

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Why You Need to Shampoo Your Maine Fluff？

1. A Shampoo Wash Reduces Shedding, and Hairballs

A regular grooming regime does wonders for hairball problems in the Maine Coon breed. Hairballs, or “bezoars” in medical terms, are undigested fur collected in your cat’s digestive tract and gets “coughed up” (usually in my nice rug!)

A deep wash every 4-6 weeks can help dislodge and remove dead hair and work with regular grooming to reduce the amount of hair your MC swallows when grooming.

2. Bathing Your MC Eliminates Odor and Litter Box Residue

Most Maine Coons boast a pair of rather hairy breeches—their snow suits from their ancestors who braved the better Maine Coon winters. However fastidious your MC may be, there are bound to be some litter box accidents where not-so-sweet debris may become trapped in their shaggy fur.

Although wipes help, they don’t deep clean and loosen the buried dirt and dander that collects over time under their shaggy fur. Sometimes, a deep clean with shampoo is the only solution to an MC that smells a little funky. 

Warm water also offers soothing benefits and washes away dead skin, dandruff, and allergens like pollen and dust. It also prevents debris from contaminating the skin, causing infections and skin irritations.

3. Maine Coons Have Trouble Cleaning Their Thick Coat

However dedicated your MC may be to grooming themselves, there are still hard-to-reach areas where they might fail. Some Maine coons have particularly thick ruffs and areas of their body that are hard to properly penetrate by licking alone.

These areas may become greasy with sebum and sweat gland secretions and collect a layer of dust and dirt that combing and grooming can’t clean properly. Finding an excellent cat shampoo and bathing your MC is ideal for returning their coat to square one in the cleanliness department.

4. Older Maine Coons or Those With Mobility Issues Need Washing

Gentle giant MCs tend to have hip and joint issues later in life. If your MC is mobility compromised, they might not be able to clean themselves properly anymore. Regular bathing is then essential to ensure that your MC’s coat stays clean, soft, and free from litter box residue to keep your Maine Coon content and clean.

5 Key Considerations on Choosing the Perfect Shampoo

1. Your Shampoo Should Be Breed-Specific and pH-balanced for Cats

The acid mantle is a thin, oily film on the outermost layer of skin made up of sweat, sebum from the sebaceous glands, dead skin cells, fatty acids, and several other organic materials. This layer forms a protective barrier to the underlying skin.

Scientists believe that this usually acidic layer has antibacterial and anti-microbial properties and functions to maintain the beneficial flora of the skin surface.

Just like in our guts, our skin teems with microbes and bacteria, which helps our skin fight off infections or environmental substances that may damage the underlying skin. This acid mantle has a particular pH that must remain constant to maintain the beneficial bacteria and ward off damaging elements to the skin. 

The Potential Hydrogen scale (pH scale) ranges from 0-14, with 7pH being neutral; everything above 7 is alkaline, and below 7 is acidic. Humans have mildly acidic skin, most of which lies around 5.5pH, while dogs are slightly alkaline at around 7.4pH. Your Maine Coon will typically have an acidic skin pH of around 6.43.

Thus, dog and human shampoos may upset the delicate balance of your Maine Coon’s acid mantle and pave the way for fungal and bacterial skin infections. Look for a cat shampoo of at least 6pH to ensure their skin remains healthy.

2. Look for a Gentle Shampoo That’s Easy to Rinse

Look for soap-free shampoos that will not leave a residue on your MC’s coat to ensure no build-up will affect their coat and skin. Seek hypoallergenic, natural ingredient-based shampoos that will not dry out your cat’s skin.

Ingredients for a top-tier cat shampoo include the following:

Aloe Vera

Aloe Vera comes from the Aloe barbadensis miller. This fleshy green succulent grows in many parts of the world, and humankind has sought the curative properties of this plant for centuries. It is a fantastic ingredient for a feline shampoo. Aloe vera has many skin benefits, including the following:

• Promotes collagen synthesis for healing
• Protects the skin from radiation damage
• Anti-inflammatory properties
• Aloe has mucopolysaccharides that help in binding moisture into the skin and bind epidermal cells from flaking and dryness
• Aloe vera is a natural antiseptic, inhibiting the growth of fungi, bacteria, and viruses.

Phytosterols

These plant-derived natural molecules, such as beta-sitosterol (BSS) and its glycoside (BSSG), are kind to the bodies and skins of humans and pets. Studies show these molecules also have immune-boosting properties and help build collagen and stimulate hair growth.

Colloidal Oatmeal

Colloidal oatmeal is a superfood, and the ground power contains a host of health-boosting ingredients, including the following:

• Vitamins
• Proteins
• Lipids
• Polysaccharides

The multiple benefits of oatmeal include moisturizing, cleansing, antioxidant, and anti-inflammatory properties. On top of its benefits, oatmeal is also an anti-irritant that inhibits immune responses such as skin inflammation.

Other Key Ingredients to Look Out for in a Cat Shampoo

• Chamomile
• Lavender
• Buttermilk
• Shea butter
• Coconut oil
• Olive oil
• Vitamin E

3. Cat Shampoo Should Be Free From Harmful Chemicals

Look for a natural ingredient list and avoid harsh chemicals that can strip away your Maine Coon’s natural protective barrier. Cats are far more sensitive to substances such as shampoos because, unlike humans with an epidermal (outermost skin layer) of up to 1.5 millimeters, The top layer of the skin, the cat epidermis, is very thin (ranging from 0.3-0.5 mm thick),

With such a thin skin, harsh detergents and chemicals can play havoc in your Maine Coons skin.

Look out for red-flag ingredients such as the following:

• Synthetic Fragrances: Fragrances contain many ingredients that may harm your cat, such as phthalates, cause hormone disruption, and even lead to cancer. They also disturb your cat’s sensitive nose.
• Formaldehyde: Manufacturers often hide this ingredient behind scientific names such as Diazolidinyl urea, Imidazolidinyl urea, and Quaternium-15. This chemical used in preserving dead bodies can cause your Maine Coon’s skin to blister and cause painful rashes.
• Triclosan: This is an antibacterial and antifungal ingredient that some have linked to organ toxicity due to its ability to build up in human and animal bodies (and our waterways)
• Mineral oil is a hydrocarbon from the petroleum process that creates a layer over your pet’s skin. This layer prevents the skin from releasing its natural oils and toxins that can lead to rashes and itchiness. 
• Phthalates are a common ingredient in fragranced shampoos that may cause endocrine hormonal disruption.
• Artificial Dyes: These dyes may contain harmful ingredients from the manufacturing process, such as petroleum byproducts and harsh chemicals
• Alcohol: Alcohol dries out your cat’s skin and opens them up to environmental toxins.
• Silicone: Silicone ingredients trick our eyes into believing our coat is healthy and shining. The truth is the plastic-like liquid coats the healthy fur and clogs your kitty’s pores to prevent the skin from breathing. This ingredient may hide behind the names of Dimethicone, Cyclomethicone, and Cyclopentasiloxane.
• Cocamide MEA: Although many manufacturers claim this is a natural coconut fatty acid, the ingredient contains the chemical monoethanolamide (MEA), which is irritant and corrosive.
• Polyethylene glycol (PEG) & Propylene Glycol (PPG): These are also nasty ingredients sourced from the petroleum industry that may harm your Maine Coon.
• Parabens are a type of preservative found in cosmetic products that may absorb into their skin, disrupt endocrine function, and lead to cancer.
• Sodium lauryl is a type of detergent that can be toxic to your cat, causing respiratory issues.
• Polysorbates: A non-toxic vegetable-based sugar alcohol used as an emulsifying and fragrance addition. However, when ethoxylated, it may contain ethylene oxide, which may be toxic.

🌟🌟Top suggestion: If you are uncertain of a listed ingredient, check this fab site, Pet Shampoo Ingredient Database, for an easy alphabetical search.

4. Identify Your Maine Coon’s Particular Needs

Each Maine Coon is unique, and not every cat needs the same type of shampoo. If your MC has allergies, seek a vet-approved, medicated shampoo for their condition. If your MC suffers from a dry coat, seek a naturally moisturizing shampoo to bring back the gloss in their coat.

Also, note if your MC may be a flea taxi, like my Halo. If your kitty has critters, look for a shampoo that will sort out the issue!

5. Dry Shampoo Vs Wet: Which is Better?

While dry shampoo may be great for local spills or dirt patches, it is not a complete cleaning solution for your Maine Coon. Dry shampoos merely mask the underlying issues by improving odor and degreasing dirty areas but won’t give your MC the deep clean of a water bath,

The National Cat Groomers Institute stands firmly against waterless product ranges’ ability to clean cat coats and firmly endorses cat water baths as a proper cleaning solution.

Maine Coons love water and, if bathed from a young kitten, may even enjoy the whole process. If you don’t believe me— look at this happy guy!