20+ (Honest!) Maine Coon Pros and Cons

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Considering getting a Maine Coon? Wondering, what are the pros and cons of Maine Coon cats? Then you’ve come to the right place! Here’s 20+ (completely honest!) Maine Coon pros and cons – speaking 100% from experience, with our own Maine Coon kitten, Cody. Are Maine Coon’s a good breed? What are the best and worst things about them? You’ll soon find out! So let’s get stuck in, shall we?

20+ (Honest!) Maine Coon Pros and Cons

So when it comes to the pros and cons of Maine Coon cats, there’s a few things you should bear in mind.

  1. Not ALL cats are the same. This is generally, the pros and cons of Maine Coon cats, based on their typical behaviours and characteristics of the Maine Coon cat breed, but each Maine Coon will still have it’s own individual habits and quirks.
  2. The way in which your Maine Coon behaves, will be influenced by you – as an owner. (Which essentially means – you have the power to bring out the best of them!)
  3. Some Maine Coon pros and cons, will matter more (or less) to you, depending on what you see as important. Just remember – most “cons” can be overcome or worked on; with any cat breed.

The Pro’s of Maine Coon Cats

So let’s start off with the pro’s of Maine Coon cats, shall we? (Because trust me – there’s lots of these!) See, some of the best things about having a Maine Coon, include the fact that…

1) They’re Stunning!

Now let’s start by stating the obvious, because one of the common initial draws for getting a Maine Coon in the first place, is because they’re so darn BEAUTIFUL!

In fact, they’re regularly listed as one of the most beautiful cat breeds in the world, consequently making them one of the most popular cat breeds in the world too.

See, they have a very regal, lion-like appearance, with big square jaw, a little fluffy mane and massive paws! It makes them look WILD – especially with their glowing, gold eyes, masses of fur and long fluffy tail!

Only the best part? You can still cuddle them; giving you a stunning, friendly miniature lion / tiger cub of your own! (Or so it feels anyway.)

Alongside this, Maine Coon’s also come in over 75 different pattern and colour combinations, which means they still keep their individuality and uniqueness.

This makes their appearance alone, a massive “selling point” of Maine Coons. But what else is there to them? Well…

Pros and Cons of Maine Coon Cats

2) They’re Highly Affectionate

Maine Coons are social, loving animals that thrive on companionship. It’s not that they can’t be on their own. (They can.) But they certainly love being with you, around you, lying on you… the lot!

In fact, I can’t even tell you how many times our Maine Coon Cody, falls asleep on me, in one day… And if he’s not asleep on you (with a preference for lying on your chest, face or shoulder!), he’ll be lying next to you!

All in all, if you give your Maine Coon love, I can GUARANTEE, you’ll get all that love back (and more!); making them truly beautiful animals – on the inside too.

Now it is worth mentioning that…

3) Maine Coon’s Attach To One Person (The Most!)

Now this is one of the Maine Coon pros and cons, that can be both a pro and a con (which we’ll touch on shortly.)

See, Maine Coon cats decide early on, who they will imprint on. It’s this pre-programmed drive within them to imprint – usually on the person who is the most mother-like figure to them. (Although this can be a man too!)

That person then becomes “their person” and they are 100% dedicated to them!

Now that’s not to say that they can’t bond with other family members, or be affectionate with them too… But they certainly have their “favourite.”

In our house-hold, that person for Cody, is me. (After all, I’m around him every day, for most of the day, working from home.) But this genuinely makes us the best of friends…

Speaking from experience here now then, I can certainly tell you – that if you become “the chosen one” for your Maine Coon, it creates a bond like no other!

It’s heart-warming (if not heart-melting at times!), completely beats loneliness, gives you such close companionship and keeps you immensely entertained too!

This leads me another one of the best things about Maine Coons…

4) They’re Full of Personality!

Never in my life, have I met a cat with as much personality, as our Maine Coon, Cody. I mean have a watch of some of his funny kitten moments. (If that doesn’t convince you, I don’t know what will!)

Maine Coons are smart, inquisitive, and fast to learn and grow… Talking of growing, because of their size, they have a lot of energy, which means they like to play and explore, which means you’re never left feeling bored!

There are so many different games you can play with your Maine Coon – from Hide and Seek, right the way to cat ping pong! (Because yes – cat ping pong is a thing!)

In fact, because of their inquisitive, curious nature – they can even create their own games out of seemingly boring objects. (It’s absolutely brilliant!)

So you can certainly say that Maine Coon’s are very FUN cats, which are funny to watch and easy to interact with…

funny things about maine coon cats

5) They’re Smart

Maine Coon’s are incredibly intelligent, in more ways than one. Not only are they fast learners, and good at training to do cat challenges or tricks, but they also learn from watching you so much.

For instance, I swear our Maine Coon Cody now eats with his paws as he’s seen us eating with our hands! (It’s hilarious!)

Alongside this, Maine Coon’s also have a very high emotionally intelligence. This is often due to the deep bond they build with their owners… It enables them to better read human emotions and pick up on any changes in their owner’s emotional state or behaviour.

For instance (here’s a cute story for you now!) –

I was once poorly, and my partner left for work, shutting my bedroom door to try to help me get more sleep, as Cody was jumping around playing…

However, Cody didn’t like being shut out, so somehow opened the door himself (no joke!) and then – instead of continuing to play like he usually would – he lay down beside me and cuddled into me… I guess to comfort me!

Yes, they are amazing animals! (Are you starting to see that the pro’s of Maine Coon’s will most likely outweigh the con’s for you?!)

Maine Coon Pros and Cons

6) Maine Coons Are Chilled & Adaptable

Maine Coon’s are generally quite calm, cool and collected. They’re very easy going and have a gentle nature; pretty much “taking things as they come.” As a result, they’re very adaptable…

So long as they have you, they’re happy, essentially! Or so long as they know you’re coming back, and feel safe wherever they are – they’ll usually tend to embrace it!

This makes them great to travel with. It also means you can take them many places you go.

For instance, anytime we go to visit friends or family – we’ll bring our Maine Coon, Cody, with us, and he’ll happily start playing or exploring, never phased by any other animals that are there.

We also now leave Cody with family, and he’s more than happy for a few days (which is a common misconception…)

Yes, Maine Coon’s are incredibly loving and loyal (especially to one person), but they’ll still take things in their stride and embrace new people and new places. This leads us onto our next point…

7) They Can Be Left Alone

Another common misconception is that Maine Coon’s are so clingy… you can’t ever leave them! Well, in most cases, this isn’t true. Although they usually WANT to be around you, they don’t NEED to be around you.

They can be demanding, and they do love their love, but they’re also perfectly ok to be on their own every now and then, so they have still got a little independence.

This doesn’t mean that they won’t get lonely if they’re not getting the love they crave and the quality time they deserve, but if you want a day out, you don’t have to worry about them being left on their own. (Like you would with a dog for example.)

Maine Coon’s can look after themselves… They’ll just be ready to welcome you when you get home, as opposed to some cat breeds who like / need that space and time to themselves.

Maine Coon Pros and Cons

8) You Can Take Them On Walks

Maine Coon’s are one of the best cat breeds for taking on a walk.

Why? Well because they’re very trainable cats. They also like going where you going, and are able to trust you – which makes them then fully enjoy going on walks with you.

Now this is actually also a major “plus” as it then, in turn, makes them one of the best cats to have in an apartment. See, it’s far better – if you’re going to have a cat in an apartment – that you can still take them outside.

So with a Maine Coon – you’re able to still give them the best of both worlds – with an indoor-outdoor life, that’s now SAFE for them.

(After all, Maine Coon’s are a little ditsy. They’re not the best breeds to roam around on their own. Theft is also a big risk with Maine Coon cats, so by being able to train them to walk on a leash and go out with you – it’s the best option all-round.)

Furthermore – having a cat that you can take out and about with you, is HEAPS of fun! I mean, look at the adventures we get up to… (It’s brilliant!)

9) You Can Have Them With Other Pets

Another wonderful thing about Maine Coon cats, is that, despite their size, they’re actually a very sweet-tempered, gentle breed that aren’t very territorial.

They’re relaxed, social and playful, which means they typically get along pretty well with other animals.

This means that if you already have cats or dogs, and want to introduce a new Maine Coon into the family – the process should be a lot easier… Especially if you introduce them from a kitten.

As mentioned, we bring our Maine Coon here, there and everywhere. He’s always very inquisitive of other cats and just wants to make friends… And he’s even gone face-to-face with a husky!

So they’re a great breed if you already have, or want to have, other pets too. On a similar note…

10) They’re Great With Kids

Maine Coon’s are the “purrfect” family pet. Their playfulness and fun character, keeps kids entertained, but their lack of aggression also makes them less likely to unpredictably lash out.

They’re also very friendly and loving, which means lots of cuddles for children who treat them right (and are gentle enough with them!) In most cases – they will become truly part of the family, and like your kid’s best friend!

best things about maine coons

The Con’s of Maine Coon Cats

To complete our Maine Coon pros and cons, we’ve got to turn it around now and look at the negatives of these furry little friends. See, you can’t deny the fact that…

1) They’re Expensive

Let’s address the elephant in the room here, because you can’t accurately weigh up the Maine Coon pros and cons, without bringing in the fact that these guys are expensive!

In fact, they rank as one of the most expensive cat breeds, typically ranging from $400-$4,000 (depending on whether you want certification of their breed – enabling you to also breed them yourself) and how rare the type of Maine Coon it is.

Not only are the upfront costs of buying a Maine Coon higher than many cat breeds, but because Maine Coon’s are the largest domestic cat breed, you’ll end up having to buy bigger ‘everything’ for them, which then ends up costing more.

In fact, let’s break this down a little further…

2) They Need The Biggest of Everything!

When you get your Maine Coon, you’ll need a bigger Maine Coon cat bed, a bigger Maine Coon cat carrier, a bigger cat tree, bigger scratching posts (otherwise they’ll just knock those over) -and even a bigger litter tray.

They also outgrow things quickly, which is why we recommend, where possible, always buying a size up, or the biggest size you can… Because trust me, they’ll grow faster than you think and you’ll only have to learn how to sell stuff online if you don’t get the biggest from the get go!

(We had one cat bed that barely lasted a few weeks before Cody’s arms were sprawling out of it uncomfortably!)

Being bigger in size, as mentioned previously, they’ll also have more energy, but you don’t necessarily need a bigger space – just more ways to tire them out, plus plenty of toys they can play with by themselves to keep them entertained!

3) They Have a Healthy Appetite!

Another unsurprising aspect of Maine Coons, is that they have a healthy appetite and do tend to eat a lot. They’re not typically greedy… They just get hungry because of their size!

What’s more, Maine Coon’s should eat a high protein diet, to keep them growing nicely, and keep their insides healthy (able to properly digest everything!)

The thing is, I was debating whether to include this on our Maine Coon pros and cons list, because – what do you think the problem with a healthy appetite is? Money. You’d imagine it would be expensive.

But actually… raw food can be one of the most affordable cat foods of them all (whilst remaining high quality!), so it’s simply about swatting up and doing your research… Then it’s no problem at all!

EXTRA NOTE: Maine Coon’s are known to have sensitive stomach’s so as part of preparing for your cat / kitten, you should do your research before you bring them home… To avoid excess food changes that can upset their stomach!

should I get a maine coon cat?

4) Maine Coon’s Need a Little “Fur Maintenance”!

Now one of the biggest things that worry new or considering-to-be Maine Coon owners, is all that fur! And YES – Maine Coon’s do need a little TLC to keep their fur from getting matted. But here’s the good news –

Although a Maine Coon’s fur is thick and long, they don’t actually shed even half as much as as other long-haired cats, so it won’t be going everywhere…

They certainly don’t shed anymore than your standard “tabby” cat, or similar, anyway. And as their fur is finer, you barely even notice it.

What you do need to do however – is keep on top with brushing their coat, mostly to prevent their fur from becoming knotted or matted. Little and often is always best with this…

Just 2-5 minutes of brushing a day, helps to keep the fur-problems at bay, so certainly don’t let this put you off!

5) They’re Messy (But Clean!)

We told you that our Maine Coon, Cody, insists on eating with his paws now, right?! Uh huh, Maine Coon’s can be known for playing with their food. Mostly because they’re playful animals, with a lot of character!

They can also be messy, flicking litter out of the tray (they don’t know their own strength, right?!) and with all of their fur – THAT can then become messy, with things getting stuck in it too!

It’s worth noting however, that they may make a mess, but will tend to try to clean it up afterwards. They’re very clean animals… Just naturally a little messy. (Which sounds all too familiar to me! Ha!)

Maine Coon Pros and Cons

6) They Attach To One Person…

So we mentioned earlier that the fact that Maine Coon’s attach to one person, right? And although this is good for the person who they DO attach to… It’s not always good for everyone else. (Unsurprisingly, right?!)

See, it doesn’t matter what others may do – your Maine Coon will be friendly, they can be loving, but they will never really share as deep of a bond as with “their chosen human.”

For me, this can be a negative – as I know how our Cody is with me – and it’s kind of sad that he won’t give others the same love, and they can’t see him the way that I see him!

I mean, some people even think that our Cody “never purrs”, yet all I have to do is pop him in my arms or give him a little chin rub and it’s PURR, PURR, PURR! So it can be a shame that he’s not like this with everyone!

I mean, watch him here with me… It’s adorable but I 100% get preferential treatment!

Maine Coon Pros and Cons

7) They Can Be Demanding!

Now you must have expected this one, when it comes to the Maine Coon pros and cons… Can’t you tell by everything that we’ve revealed about their character so far, that they can be pretty demanding?!

They love company. And they’re not as independent as other cat breeds. That’s why they’re often referred to as dog-like-cats. As a result, you may find that:

  • They don’t like being shut out of the room that you’re in.
  • They’ll follow you around… Literally EVERYWHERE! (Toilet and everything!)
  • They’ll talk to you… A lot! (But remember – Maine Coon’s don’t meow very much, but instead – chirp!)
  • They’re always climbing onto you or rubbing into you for cuddles and love!
  • Some may cry and suffer from separation anxiety…

The thing is, it’s all about setting boundaries. Yes, Maine Coon’s like frequent human attention, or even simply being in your company (especially if you’re their chosen human!), but if they get used to also being apart from you, especially from a young age – it is more manageable.

Don’t let them boss you around. Teach them the rules (especially when it comes to feeding, bed time and play time), and you’ll find this far less of a problem. On a similar note…

8) Maine Coon’s Can Be Pretty Noisy!

Maine Coon’s are very vocal and talkative, which can be seen as both a pro and a con.

On the one side – they’ve got a lot of character and give you the companionship as they will literally reply back in a chirp when you talk to them, or go “off on one”, chirping away to you to try to tell you things.

On the other side however – it’s not helpful when you’re trying to work, sleep, or talk on the phone. (I often have people saying to me on the phone, “Oh, I can hear Cody!” But in all honesty, you can’t NOT!)

What’s more, because they like to be around you for so much of the time, you can feel like you don’t get alone time. But – the biggest thing I’d say about this is – you get used to it, and would certainly miss them if they wasn’t there anymore!

9) They’re LITERALLY Scaredy Cats

Now, despite their size, Maine Coon’s can be known to be “scaredy cats!” Uh huh. You wouldn’t think it, right?! See, although they’re happy to explore new environments (especially if they’re with you), they can be a little wary or skittish.

They will also often jump at noises, put their ears back or become overly alert… And then there’s things like – hiding every time the post gets pushed through the door!

Too much stimulation can also be overwhelming with them. (Think a room full of loud people… Yep, that’s not “the dream” for a Maine Coon, who would much rather prefer to be tucked up, just the two of you!)

But remember – they are ok. It’s just their nature. And like we said as one of the pro’s of Maine Coon cats – they’re still adaptable. (They’d just be one of the “screamers” on a rollercoaster, if they were a human, for example!)

why you shouldn't get a maine coon cat

10) Common Health Conditions, BUT…

Now it’s worth being aware that there are some common health conditions in Maine Coons. The three most popular being: hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), hip dysplasia and spinal muscular atrophy (SMA)”

However, these are typically inherited, which means you can check with your breeder (and if they’re legit, they will have paperwork to prove this) to make sure that their cat-parents have been genetically tested and they are not a carrier of these… Therefore dramatically dwindling their chances of these health concerns… being of any concern!

This therefore isn’t something to put you off getting a Maine Coon, but it is definitely something to be aware of and to check out properly, before you buy your Maine Coon. (It’s better to be super on the ball with this one!)

That’s All For This One

So there we have it – that rounds up the 20+ (REAL & HONEST!) pros and cons of Maine Coon cats, based on our experience with our Maine Coon, Cody.

Now some may see the Maine Coon pros and cons as different, from others, so we’d love to hear your experience… COMMENT BELOW!

But as a whole, these are the biggest things that we’ve found since bringing our Maine Coon into our family.

Thinking of getting your own? Get prepared. Get excited. Then go for it! Because I promise you – once you have your new furry friend in your life, you won’t ever look back!

Maine Coon Pros and Cons
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Ella
Ell is the Founder of Totally Purrfect & Cat Mom to Cody, The Maine Coon. Her areas of expertise lie in Cat Care, Enrichment & Training.

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