Big in size, Maine Coons are big in personality too. These playful, friendly, affectionate cats make great family pets who love nothing more than playing and hanging out with their family. Keeping their kitten-like tendencies well into adulthood, Maine Coons are like toddlers - they’re highly curious, charming and somewhat stubborn. If you’ve got a mouse problem, a Maine Coon will happily take care of that for you. Thanks to their quickness and huge paws, they’re known to be excellent mousers. One thing’s for sure, you’ll never have a dull day with a Maine Coon at home!
Maine Coon Facts
Maine Coons are beloved North American cats with a long history - in fact, they’re one of the oldest native cat breeds in North America. They’re so well loved, the state of Maine adopted the Maine Coon as its official state cat in 1985
- Breed: Maine Coon
- Height: 25-40cm
- Weight: 3.5-8kg
- Life Span: 10-13 years
- Coat: Long, double
- Colour: Various including white, black, red, blue and cream
What Does a Maine Coon Look Like?
Maine Coon cats are big - really big. So big, they’re one of the largest domestic cat breeds out there. It takes a while for them to grow to their full adult length though - around 4 to 5 years. Maine Coons can grow up to 40cm long and weigh up to 8kg. A Maine Coon was even crowned the world’s largest domestic cat by the Guinness Book of World Records in 2018.
Maine Coons are strong, muscular cats with a broad chest and solid legs, topped off by a triangular-shaped head. Their large round eyes are wide-set and usually green, gold or copper. Perched on top of their head are large, pointy, tufty ears. Their other distinguishing feature is their bushy, plush tail.
It’s not only their physical size that makes them look big. They’ve also got a long, dense, silky coat that’s especially thick around their stomach, back and neck, giving them a mane-like look. They even have lots of fur on the underside of their (oversized) paws! Handy for these Northern-bred cats to cope with snow. Maine Coons coats come in a wide range of colours and patterns, although commonly they’re brown tabbies.
Maine Coon
Maine Coon Temperament: Gentle Giant
Although their size might be intimidating, their personality isn’t. Maine Coon cats make brilliant family pets - they’re patient, gentle, calm, affectionate and tolerant of being picked up, held and cuddled, which makes them a great choice for families with kids. Easy going and charming, they get on well with all members of the household, including other furry ones.
A Maine Coon wants to be at the heart of the household - they love spending time with their humans and becoming a central part of the family. Expect a Maine Coon-shaped shadow that follows you everywhere.
We really do mean everywhere because one of the Maine Coon’s biggest quirks is their love of water. Unlike most cats, Maine Coons aren’t afraid of water. In fact, they’re fascinated by it. A Maine Coon will spend time every day playing with water, whether that’s splashing their water bowl, trying to turn on a tap, or even waiting for you to be done showering so they can get in and bat and lap the water. If you like your peace and privacy in the shower, you might want to reconsider the Maine Coon. Or invest in a water fountain to keep them happy while you’re showering.
Maine Coons aren’t known for being overly clingy, but they are known for keeping their kitten-like playfulness long into their adult years. A Maine Coon will enjoy daily play sessions, preferably with you or other family members, normally in the morning and evening. Between the playing, they’ll happily snooze the day away. Sure, they’re social and family-orientated but Maine Coons aren’t usually lap cats. (Given they weigh up to 8kg this is probably a good thing!) Instead, they prefer to cuddle up beside you, rather than on you. Devoted to their family, a Maine Coon can be a little wary of strangers at first.
Keeping Maine Coon Cats Healthy: 3 Issues to Watch Out For
Because of their large size, Maine Coons are a risk of joint and heart problems. While their large teeth can lead to large dental issues. Preventative care, like regular vet check-ups, is a great way to keep your Maine Coon healthy and happy.
Joint Problems
Normally affecting large dogs, Maine Coons can also experience hip dysplasia. This is when the hip joint doesn’t form properly so the ball and socket don’t fit together, causing lameness, stiffness and pain. Left unchecked, hip dysplasia can lead to other joint issues, like arthritis. It can be treated in many ways, including medication, physical therapy, weight management and surgery.
Hip dysplasia is an inherited condition though, so responsible breeders should screen for it.
Heart Conditions
Maine Coons are known to suffer from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM). HCM causes the muscular walls around a cat’s heart to thicken, which impacts on their heart’s function. It can be difficult to diagnose as most cats won’t show any symptoms. Regular vet checks, where a Maine Coon’s heart will be checked, can help monitor their heart health.
HCM is progressive and sadly there’s currently no cure. Again, it’s thought to be inherited and something breeders should screen for.
Dental & Gum Disease
Unhealthy, diseased tissue in a Maine Coon’s mouth can lead to bacteria entering their bloodstream, putting them at risk of a wide range of health problems, including kidney and heart issues. Feeding your Maine Coon dry food (kibble) or dental cat treats can help, as it sloughs off any tartar or plaque build-up. Brushing your cat’s teeth is also important in warding off dental problems.
Caring for Your Maine Coon Cat
With their long, fluffy coats, be prepared to spend plenty of quality time with your Maine Coon, keeping their mane in great shape.
Grooming
It takes some work to look as gorgeous as a Maine Coon. Luckily, Maine Coons love attention and spending time with you so grooming won’t feel too much of a chore.
Their long, double coat needs regular brushing - aim for at least 2 or 3 times a week. This will help remove any loose undercoat hair. Left unchecked, a Maine Coon’s coat can quickly become matted and your floor will be covered in hairballs. A deshedding tool or wide-tooth steel comb can help you get through the top coat and remove the dead hair underneath. Maine Coons also need baths, especially when their coats begin to look greasy or stringy.
A necessary, but somewhat unpleasant task, is cleaning up their back end. With long hair around their tails, little bits of poo can get stuck there. That’s where you come in - you might need to give the area a wipe.
Nutrition
Maine Coons are social cats and this includes their dining habits. Some Maine Coons don’t like to eat alone. Instead, they prefer to chow down once other cats or humans are eating too. A Maine Coon’s diet isn't very different from any other cat’s. They need quality cat food that’s suitable for their life stage (kitten, adult or senior). However, as a bigger cat, they do tend to eat more food.
With their wide, square-shaped jaws, they can be fast eaters. You could either invest in a slow or puzzle feeder or try food that’s tailored to Maine Coons like the Royal Canin Maine Coon Cat Food. The kibble is larger which suits their jaws and teeth better. Plus, it has joint- and coat-friendly ingredients to help care for the health of their bones and fur.
Exercise & Play Time
Stock up on plenty of cat toys and cat trees / scratchers for the kitten-like Maine Coon. Not only do they enjoy regular playtime, they need mental and physical stimulation as they’re highly intelligent cats. Maine Coons particularly love wand cat toys which they can bat and chase. Go for a heavy duty, quality one - Maine Coons are strong enough to snap flimsy cords. This also makes Maine Coons strong enough for tug-of-war games. They’ve even been known to play fetch.
You can expect a Maine Coon to have bouts of intense energy, running, playing and jumping around the home. The rest of the time, they’ll happily snuggle down and snooze the hours away.
Another unusual thing about Maine Coons is that they’re really trainable. They can learn to walk on a lead & harness outdoors so you can take them for neighbourhood strolls.
Litter Training
As Maine Coons are quite trainable, litter tray training should be easy especially and best done with positive reinforcement. Read our blog: Cat litter tips from our cat fanatic for tips and advice on litter and litter training.
Always use a quality litter and keep the litter tray clean. Cats are very particular about bathroom hygiene, and a clean litter tray will help to keep their coat clean as well. Speaking of litter trays, ensure to get a litter tray that fits your cat to ensure they have plenty of room to turn around and squat. That means ensuring that your litter tray is big enough for your large Maine Coon.