5 Reasons Why Your Maine Coon Is Crying

Is your Maine Coon crying a lot and you just don´t know the reason for that, or you don´t know what you can do to help your Maine Coon? Let us help you!

Why Is My Maine Coon Crying? Maine Coons cry because they’re lonely, stressed, scared or simply to demand your attention. They often cry for several different reasons beyond just wanting food. What’s more, Maine Coons will use their special cries to tell you exactly what they want and when they want it.

This article explains five important reasons why your Maine Coon is crying, what she’s trying to tell you and how you can better understand your pet’s moods and wants.

A Quick Look At A Maine Coon´s Communication

Before you read the 5 reasons, there are a couple of things you should know.

If you own a Maine Coon, you’ll know how vocal they can be; in fact, they’re a talkative cat breed who likes to trill (that’s a combination of meowing and purring) as they follow you around the house. If you want to know how vocal Maine Coons really are, read this.

Although Maine Coons are usually pretty big for their size, instead of a deep, commanding meow (that you’d expect) they have a high-pitched voice.

Often known as the ‘dogs of the cat world’ due to their friendly and sociable nature, Maine Coons are quite smart in vocalizing to communicate with human beings.

The reasons and type of crying vary among breeds as well as across individual pets. Some Maine Coons may cry a lot more than others – for example, female Maine Coons are known to cry more than their male counterparts.

At times, you may give your pet fresh water, food, toys or carry him for a cuddle and find that your Maine Coon still persists with crying. Understanding the different type of vocalizations can help you interpret what your cat is trying to say.

Here’s a closer look at the five main reasons why Maine Coons cry and what you can do to help your cat stop.

1. Your Maine Coon Wants Attention

Maine Coons may often cry for physical or emotional reasons and we need to do our homework regarding possible causes before deciding that they’re seeking attention.

What started out as attention-seeking behavior soon becomes a reinforced habit; sometimes, your little Maine Coon will simply cry all day for the fun of it especially if you’ve been giving him a cuddle every time he cries.

If the crying is accompanied by pawing and walking around your feet in figure-eight formations, your Maine Coon wants your attention. The sensible thing to do ideally is to wait for your cat to be quiet before playing with him or giving him a cuddle.

In all likelihood, being a Maine Coon, she just wants your company and nothing else – your cat just wants to bond and connect with you.

At these times, play with your cat, talk right back – even if you two don’t really understand each other. You can also consider buying your Maine Coon some large soft toys. Many times, kittens cry to snuggle against their mother. If you need some toys for your Maine Coon, we recommend getting these.

You don’t have to provide attention to your cat for hours; frequent but short bursts of attention are adequate. Maine Coons – like other cats – respond well to routine and it’s a good idea to incorporate lap time at regular times every day. (If your Maine Coon likes to sit on your lap)

While Maine Coons are known to be notoriously chatty, plaintive crying may very well indicate a need for attention from you.

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2. Your Maine Coon is Ill and Needs Medical Intervention

Excessive crying may be a sign that your Maine Coon is sick and needs your help. This form of crying is usually long, guttural and persistent.

If you’ve provided food or water or cleared the litter box and your Maine Coon still continues crying, it could strongly indicate that your cat is ill.

Maine Coons are known to be extraordinarily resilient and strong and are usually good at hiding signs of sickness. Prolonged crying is one of the first signs of illness.

Make sure you check your cat gently but thoroughly for injuries, scars or tender spots.

Keep a close watch for any deviation from normal habit and routine. Observe closely to check for a reluctance to walk or a tendency to favor one or more of its paws compared to others. Similarly, discharge from the eyes, ears or nose may merit an urgent visit to the clinic.

Maine Coons may also cry at night with increasing age or deafness. This sort of crying sounds rather sorrowful and often resembles howling. However, if the crying is accompanied with fur rolling on the back, this could be due to a condition known as ‘feline hyperesthesia’ or rippling skin disorder. If this is the case, you may need to seek veterinary intervention.

Crying accompanied by changes in appetite, behavior, activity, moods, sleeping patterns or weight could indicate sickness. Your Maine Coon could also be suffering from anxiety, hypertension or hyperthyroidism.

For example, urinary tract blockage could make your Maine Coon cry as the condition can be extremely painful to endure.

Your pet may also cry due to mental discomfort like disorientation, confusion and decreased awareness of their surroundings. Resolving your cat’s health problem and helping him feel comfortable will help stop the crying too.

3. Your Maine Coon is Stressed, Frustrated or Lonely

If your Maine Coon is a rescued cat, she may be afraid of the rain as it could trigger memories of being cold and damp – this could be the reason why she cries and ducks for cover at the sign of the first drop.

You can try playing or cuddling with her or giving her treats during storms to create positive experiences.

While Maine Coons are not as friendly and clingy as dogs by nature (but close), they are not antisocial creatures either. They enjoy company (just like the rest of us) and don’t like feeling lonely.

Your pet may cry because she is lonely, depressed or bored. If your pet clings to you all day in addition to crying, it could very well indicate that she wants company.

Also, if you notice that your pet is crying and given to excessive grooming, it could indicate loneliness.

All cats love grooming themselves but if your Maine Coon licks her fur and chews her nails excessively, give her a cuddle, play with her and spend time with her. Apart from crying, lonely cats also tend to get into a lot of mischief in the house.

They may claw up your furniture, dig things out of your cupboard or scatter mud from your planter pots. For example, your Maine Coon may exhibit long, low crying (like a baby’s crying) when she wants to be near you or maybe sit on your lap.

Cats also love touching or sleeping on things that belong to you; she may start crying if she doesn’t find your familiar slippers to sleep on.

Your Maine Coon could be crying from loneliness if she also displays these signs:

• Excessive sleeping: While most cats sleep for about 12 to 16 hours a day, any deviation from normal sleeping habits could mean she’s lonely
• Pica: This is a condition where your cat may chew and eat non-edible substances including plastic, tape, yarn, fabric, plants, human hair, and shoelaces – just about anything.
• Aggression: Your pet may be more aggressive and ‘acting out’ his loneliness and frustration by crying. Pay special attention to body language; lonely cats may not only cry but also take a swipe at your feet or claw you as you pass by. Here are 5 things you should know about Maine Coons and aggression.
• Change in vocalization pattern: A depressed Maine Coon may cry – or purr – more or less than normal.
  

  A Companion Is The Best Way To Avoid Loneliness And Depression In Your Maine Coon

4. Your Maine Coon is Scared

Your Maine Coon may be crying due to sheer fright. Cats are particularly scared of loud noises and your cat may be scared of thunderstorms or fireworks.

If crying is accompanied by hiding, trembling or withdrawal, your Maine Coon may be showing signs of extreme fear. For example, they often take cover under blankets or couches before a storm.

Cats often display heightened sensitivity to atmospheric pressure and can sense a storm beforehand.

Just like other cats, Maine Coons get frightened with strange, sudden and loud noises as well as new voices. Some cats may run for cover as soon as a stranger enters the room; others may cry at the sight or sound of dogs or even other cats.

By carefully observing your cat, it’s important to know what the fear trigger is.

Scared Maine Coons emit a low-pitched, yowling cry and this is often accompanied by one or more of the following body language signs:

• Ears pulled back
• Fur standing on end
• Tail tucked in.

If you have adopted a rescued Maine Coon, she may cry and exhibit other fear symptoms if she experiences a familiar situation that is traumatic to her.

For example, they may cry if you try to crate the cat; this is because she may be reminded of stressful experiences of being locked in a crate box.

Your pet may also cry due to separation anxiety – especially if she has a history of abandonment. Once you identify the underlying cause, you can alleviate their fears and phobias with behavioral conditioning.

5. Your Maine Coon Wants Her Food

If you’ve delayed or changed your cat’s eating schedule, she will cry out loud and let you know about it. Maine Coons – like dogs – like a structured routine and they often cry when they’re hungry. What’s more, she may continue to cry until you feed her.

If you store your cat’s special treats in a specific place, she may cry and run over to the spot and wait to be fed.

Although cats are not as motivated by food as dogs, they do enjoy their mealtimes and resent it if they’re not fed on time – or fed adequately. Mealtime crying is distinct from other types of meowing in that it’s often more insistent.

In fact, at times, your Maine Coon may continue to cry even while eating and may quickly eat her food whole without taking the time to chew.

This is especially true if your pet was a stray or part of a large litter where she often had to fight for a larger portion. Also, make sure you’re feeding him the right number of calories and correct portions so he feels satiated.

• In general, Maine Coons need about 400 calories per day (depends on weight and activity); out of these, limit additional treats to no more than 10% of their overall intake.
• To calm down your cat’s mealtime crying, offer her food when she has quietened down. Talk softly but firmly and wait until she stops crying.
• Then make eye contact, feed her out of her spoon while mouthing encouraging words such as ‘good girl’ or ‘yes’.
• Avoid starting to feed your cat while she cries as this will tend to reinforce the behavior pattern.
• When you calm down your cat, start forming desirable behaviors for about 30 seconds and gradually extend it for longer times.
• If your Maine Coon is excessively vocal, consider playing with her for a few minutes to let out the extra energy before settling her down to the meal.

When you teach your cat that calm and quiet behavior will get her what she desires, she will automatically learn to reduce her crying.

Crying Is Different from Meowing

Unlike the happy, expectant and chirpy sound of a meow, a cry is more like yowling and is longer and more drawn out. Yowling is more in line with cat-to-cat communication and often indicates a desire to mate or a dislike to other cats in the vicinity.

Similarly, in a multi-cat household, your Maine Coon may cry because another cat encroaches onto her space. A hollow-sounding, abbreviated yowl indicates that the Maine Coon is searching for a mate.

When crying sounds like yowling, it usually means that your Maine Coon is either physically or emotionally disturbed.

Pet owners swear that Maine Coons communicate clearly through a series of sounds including crying, growling, and trilling. These sounds often indicate a desire to play, get your attention and communicate hunger pangs and much more.