Are you thinking about getting a Maine Coon, but you are just not sure if this is really your type of cat? Are there other cat breeds that interest you? Let me help you with that. I have made a list of Maine Coon pros and cons for you, which will make it way easier to decide if a Maine Coon is the cat you want. Spoiler: You need a Maine Coon in your life.
Maine Coon cats look very beautiful. They are one of the biggest cat breeds and they are known for being very laid back and friendly. Further they are known for being very good with kids and other animals. They even like dogs and are very dog-like themselves. Many people think that Maine Coon cats shed a lot and need a lot of brushing, but this isn´t the case. Maine Coon cats only need to be brushed from time to time and they don´t loose a lot of hair. There are only two cons when it comes to Maine Coons. The first is, that they are pretty expensive. Maine Coon cats can cost over $1000. The second is, a stable cat tree for a Maine Coon will cost more than the average cat tree for regular cats, because it needs to be more stable.
Now you know a couple of pros and cons when it comes to Maine Coon cats. Here is what that means in detail.
Pro: They Are Very Affectionate
When you get a regular house cat, you never really know what kind of character this cat is going to have. Sure, the right husbandry is key when rising a healthy and friendly cat, but there are some things that you can´t change.
The majority of people knows that cats can be pretty mean when they have a bad day. If you get a Maine Coon, it is more than likely that you will never experience something like that. Maine Coon cats are very affectionate. They use every little chance to cuddle with you and to show you that they simply love you.
Our Maine Coon, Maze, shows us each and every day how much she loves us. We are greeted by her every single morning in the exact same way. As soon as I open the bedroom door, she charges into our room and purrs very loudly. Then she gives me and my girlfriend headbutts all the time and rubbs our legs or our heads.
Our regular house cat rarely shows us this kind of affection. It seems that she demands attention instead of showing affection.
Pro: They Are Never Aggressive
Regular house cats are known for being aggressive from time to time. If the cat shows aggression it is better to not touch the cat and keep your distance. Besides that, many regular house cats like to punish you twice if you have done something to them that they don´t like. What do I mean with that? Let me explain that.
Let´s say you touched your cat´s belly and your cat hates it. What is going to happen? Your cat will probably bite you. However very often the cats seem to want to make sure that you don´t do that again and bite a second time or slap you after biting you.
You will never experience that with a well raised Maine Coon cat. Your Maine Coon might show you that it doesn´t want to be touched in a certain way for example, but it will not hurt you. Instead it will just run away.
Gigetta And Maze
I have never seen any aggression in our Maine Coon, Maze.
Pro: They Are Great With Kids And Dogs
Some people are afraid that a huge Maine Coon could be dangerous for young children. They are definitely able to do some damage when they bit or scratch, but they are called “gentle giants” for a reason. Maine Coon cats are very sensitive and know exactly how they need to treat kids and dogs or even other cats.
Here is a little example, before we got our Maine Coon, we already had our regular house cat, Gigetta. Gigetta doesn´t like strangers and she definitely does not like other animals. However we still wanted to get another cat, because we thought that it might be better for Gigetta to not being alone all the time.
So when we got Maze, Gigetta was furious. However Maze was very sensitive and gave Gigetta the time she needed. Whenever Gigetta slaps Maze, Maze just endures it and does not slap back. I have never seen Maze being aggressive towards Gigetta. That´s because a Maine Coon seems to feel what the other cat or dog or kid needs.
While Gigetta is still grumpy, she allows Maze no to sleep right next to her and she even is allowed to cuddle with Gigetta from time to time.
Pro: Shedding? No Problem!
You might think that Maine Coon cats shed a lot. I mean, they have very long hair and overall look like a wild cat that is ready for hunting in the woods in a cold area. It might surprise you, but Maine Coon cats do not shed a lot at all. In fact, it seems like our regular house cat looses more hair than our Maine Coon cat.
Maine Coon cats do not have a lot of undercoat. This makes brushing a Maine Coon way easier. By the way, Maine Coon cats do not have to be brushed each and every day. A persian cat, for example, definitely needs a lot of grooming every day, but Maine Coon cats only need it from time to time.
Some people recommend to brush a Maine Coon every second day. We have made the experience that even that is not necessary. We only brush Maze when the coat looks mat, which is normally once a week. Maze does all the grooming herself and does a good job of keeping her furr looking awesome.
Pro: They Like To Walk On A Leash
Maine Coon cats are known for being very laid back cats. That´s why most of them do not mind when you put them a harness on. This makes it very easy to train a Maine Coon to walk on a leash. Because of that, Maine Coon cats are perfect cats for traveling or just for taking your cat for a walk. This is getting more and more popular these days and it is a great thing actually, because walking your cat is an awesome exercise for your cat.
I wrote an entire article on this topic. If you want to know more about this, or if you just want to learn step-by-step how to train your Maine Coon to walk on a leash, have a look at this article.
Con: Maine Coon Cats Are Pretty Expensive
This is definitely a con. Maine Coon cats are very expensive cats, you can´t deny that. If you buy your Maine Coon from a respected breeder, you will probably pay around 1000 bucks to 1200 bucks. This is the price for a healthy and awesome looking Maine Coon.
There are a couple of breeders who breed as a hobby and there are a lot of people who had “accidents” and sell Maine Coon cats for a way lower price. You have to be very careful when buying such a cat. The low price might be tempting, but you never know what you are going to get when buying such a Maine Coon.
A lot of people sell Maine Coon hybrids as purebred Maine Coon cats. They sell those cats for a lower (but still high) price to people who are not that experienced and can´t tell the difference between a purebred Maine Coon and a mix.
Often those kittens are not checked for the common diseases Maine Coon cats could have. Because of this, buyers often end up with a Maine Coon that gets sick quickly and very often.
If you want a Maine Coon that gets very big, is healthy and looks like a real Maine Coon, you just have to pay the full price. If you want to know why Maine Coons are so expensive, read this article.
Con: Cat Trees Will Cost More
Maine Coon cats can weigh more than 26 lbs. So it is not surprising that they need a special kind of cat tree. Most cat trees cost around $100. A very good, high quality cat tree for a Maine Coon that is able to hold two or more Maine Coons can cost over 200 bucks.
That being said, Maine Coon cats grow very slowly. So you don´t have to have one of these large cat trees right from the start. It is definitely okay if you get a normal cat tree at first and when your Maine Coon is around one to two years old, you can get one of those huge cat trees.
If you need some help with choosing the right cat tree for your Maine Coon, have a look at my Maine Coon Cat Tree Guide here!
Conclusion – Maine Coon: Pros And Cons
Don´t get me wrong, I love both of our cats, our regular house cat and our Maine Coon. However I just have to be honest here. Our Maine Coon has a way more friendly and affectionate character than our regular house cat.
Every regular house cat can be friendly and affectionate as a Maine Coon, but you just have to be lucky. While when getting a Maine Coon, you are almost guaranteed to get a very friendly and laid back cat.
The way Maine Coon cats show affection is just sweet and I am not the only person that says so. Every Maine Coon cat owner I know says that they would never ever get any other cat breed than a Maine Coon anymore. There is something special about these cats. They really seem to love you instead of just needing you to feed them. If you get a Maine Coon, you are not just a human slave.
So save some money and get you a happy and healthy Maine Coon kitten from a respected breeder or adopt one. You won´t regret it. If you want to learn more about Maine Coons, here are 17 Maine Coon facts you just have to know!
If you have any questions about Maine Coons, just leave a comment in the comment section below and I will be more than happy to help you out.
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