You might be thinking about getting a Maine Coon or you already have one, but you still want to learn more about them and check if you can learn something new? No matter what it is, it is great that you are doing your research.
So how can you learn more about Maine Coon cats quickly? Right, you just read this article on Maine Coon facts. I myself am the proud owner of a Maine Coon and the facts that I have listed below are not only from my own experience but also from many other Maine Coon owners as well. Maine Coons are the largest and most well-known cat breed, and they are well-loved for good reasons.
If you own a Maine Coon or are simply interested in learning more about these cats, here are 17 facts about Maine Coon cats that you just have to know.
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1. They Had Jobs Back In The Day
Maine Coon cats look as if wild cats were captured and bred as house cats. While this is true, their appearance was not the only attractive thing about them for cat owners. They are also great hunters as this article will show you in detail.
In fact, many farmers used Maine Coon cats to keep their farms clean. That means that farmers kept Maine Coon cats around to get rid of pests on the farm. Their large size makes them superior hunters for rats as well as mice.
2. Maine Coon Cats And Water? Great Idea!
You probably know that most cats simply hate water. Maine Coon cats, however, love water. There are a lot of Maine Coon cats that enjoy swimming, and if they don´t swim, they at least play with their water bowl.
Don´t believe me? Go and get a huge water bowl and watch what your Maine Coon does.
Or even better, show your Maine Coon where the shower is and that there is water. Your Maine Coon definitely will enjoy it.
We found our Maine Coon cat several times lying in the shower which was still a little bit wet. If you want to learn more about this, read this article on Maine Coons and water.
3. They Are Colorful
When I think of Maine Coon cat, the first color that comes to my mind is this tabby color that looks wild and raccoon-like. This is just one color of a variety of colors Maine Coons can have.
If you want to get a Maine Coon you should really have a look at all the colors there are because there are many.
It is so hard to decide which color is the best because they look so different, but they all are so beautiful. Red, brown, white, black, silver pattern, blue, blue-silver, and more. You can find Maine Coon cats in almost every color you like.
4. Maine Coons Are Easy To Take Care Of
You might think that this huge cat with this long hair needs more attention than cats that have shorter hair for example. This is definitely not the case. Besides being pretty laid back and not demanding at all, Maine Coon cats don´t need a lot of grooming. You don´t have to groom your Maine Coon every day. They might have long hair, but they don´t have a lot of undercoat, which makes the grooming easier. That´s why your Maine Coon cat´s fur doesn´t look messy even if you don´t brush it for a longer time. Read more about this in my article on Maine Coons and shedding here.5. It Is Not Only Fur
Many cats with long hair are actually pretty thin. The only thing that makes them look huge is the long hair. Not Maine Coon cats, though. Maine Coon cats are indeed huge and very heavy. They are the biggest domestic cat and male cats can even weigh up to 10 kilograms (26 lbs). Their paws and their heads are massive, and so are their teeth. Luckily this cat breed is known for being very friendly.6. The Gentle Giant
I am sure that you already heard this, but I just have to take this into this list, because this really is one of the things that makes Maine Coon cats so special. Maine Coon cats are very friendly. With very friendly I mean, they can´t get themselves to hurt anybody. My Maine Coon, Maze, tried to bite me once and when she had my finger in her mouth she did – nothing. She just stopped, haha. Further Maine Coon cats are very good with kids because they are so sensitive. They exactly know how to treat the kid and what the kid needs. They are very tolerant and would not do any harm to kids, or to any other living being. Except for flies, spiders, and similar stuff.7. Fur Everywhere
Maine Coon cats have so much fur for a reason. There are cats that were bred to have very long hair, but the Main Coon cat was always this way. The long hair protects them from the cold. Furr grows even out of their ears and in tufts between their toes. Some people call their paws little snow shoes. This protects their paws in harsh environments and keeps them warm in cold weather.8. Paw Looking Weird?
While we are talking about the fur growing between their toes: did you know that back in the day, Maine Coon cats were known for often having more toes than normal? This was even desirable for some breeders back in the day, because this mutation made the fur on their paws thicker and was believed to make their toes stronger. Today this is not accepted anymore and it rarely happens that a Maine Coon cat is born with more toes than normal.9. Growing Up Takes Time
Most cats are fully grown by the age of 1 or 2 years. Maine Coon cats, however, continue to grow for much longer. Do you think that a one-year-old Maine Coon cat looks impressive? Well, then think about this: Maine Coon cats grow until they are 4 years old. They are indeed already impressive by the age of one, but their appearance can change completely in the next 3 years. There are Maine Coon cats that are almost unrecognizable after they have grown up. Besides their body, the snout gets huge and it seems like their complete face looks completely different and with different I mean majestic. Their fur changes as well, and gets thicker and longer with age. They shed and re-grow a new coat several times as they grow. Want to learn more about this? Read this article on Maine Coon size.10. The Dog Of The Cat World
You have probably heard this before. Yes, Maine Coon cats are very dog-like. Why do people say this? Because Maine Coon cats love to play fetch. Our Maine Coon does this all the time and she really loves it. She even puts a ball right in front of us to invite us to throw the ball for her. Then she keeps coming back with the ball so that we can throw it again.Our Maine Coon, Maze.
Thank you for the GREAT articles. Poco is now 3, and when we adopted him at 11 weeks, we didn’t know he was a Maine Coon. By 14 weeks, the tail blossomed, the big teeth began appearing and his amazing personality grew more too. Our other cat, BK, bonded with Poco the second we brought Poco home. BKis part lynx, and they are inseparable. Our only problem was litter…Poco pushes litter out so there always is a need to sweep. Thanks to you, we can finally solve that! Now if he only would stop dragging his water bowls all over the house. !
thank you for writing about these special cats. My cat Howard is now 3 years old. I found him when he was a day or 2 old. An Eagle actually dropped him in my fluffy garden. Anyway poor Howard had a hard start but he is now a very happy, hungry and huge boy. He weighs 29lbs. The vet said he is not over weight he is just big. He will stand up and be almost 4 ft tall. They are amazing animals. I love you mention the noises that they make. Howard chirps and talks all the time. That and his growl. Would he like a companion at his age do you think? He is a bit set in his way but everything i read says that they enjoy company. Thank you for writing about these beautiful guys!!
Love,
Keely and Howard
I have a Maine coon cat he is 1 and a half years old. He is litter trained. But the last 3 months he’s been pooping on the carpet in the dinning room at night. And also in litter can’t stop him tryed everything no change in litter box is large enough otherwise he is healthy.
I too have a main coon and I think she’s a midget main coon hair like you wouldn’t believe and looks raccoonish for sure. I bought her from a boy at a corner store cause they were moving and couldn’t bring her with …my daughter had the kitten in the car before I even got out of the store at that time her name was Justice we love her so much..Children, she was like the babysitter she would sleep with Frankie when he was younger and the landlady I live with came up with her name and damn fitting
…Ready…? Francis Fluffinutter,,, fits her princess butt she has had 2 litters and everyone that got a kitten loves them but Franny is such a primadonna and she flaunts herself like she’s the s*** she’s so funny and quick to backhand one of our other 5 cats we have which happen to be either her babies or her grandbabies..and when you look at her she has the most human-like eyes..we love our Francis fluffernutter
an easy, fun read
thanks for the information. my son has a main coon oz is his name. my son and daughter in law love him a lot. so far I’ve only seen photos…what a beast! he sure is handsome. they say he has a great disposition