What are Maine Coon Cats Like?

[Meemur]

I have mostly raised tabbies, Siamese, and "domestic long hairs" that were mixes.

I might be inheriting a young, female Maine coon cat.

Is there anything I should know?

I'm just starting my research. I know they get large.

Added: yes, I will spay her ASAP. No, I will not declaw her. I don't believe in that.

[Summerthyme]

From everything I've read and heard... more like dogs than cats in many ways. I believe Leska (Cascadians, at TB2k) has a couple. You might want to PM her...

I sure wish you were closer. Some cretin dumped a neutered male pure black NICE cat here at the farm. He's been living in the machine shed, terrified of the other cats and the farm in general, but obviously missing people. He's got true "Mitten" paws... not the big round "extra toes" paws, but what actually looks like a "mitten thumb" on both front feed. Coal black and glossy, but not a baby... he's got that "dew flap" on his belly that older neutered males get.

Today I got him to come to me, despite Red trying to herd him and chase him away from her pups (I had them on the lawn for the first time... really funny). He's not in bad shape, but has obviously lost quite a bit of weight from whatever he used to be carrying. DAMN, I hate people who dump animals... we've already got too many cats and really can't afford to to feed those we have (at least not as much as THEY think they need- although they're all slick, shiny and fit)

Except for the large size (and hence, more food), I think Maine Coons are really NEAT cats.

Summerthyme

[packyderms_wife]

I have mostly raised tabbies, Siamese, and "domestic long hairs" that were mixes.

I might be inheriting a young, female Maine coon cat.

Is there anything I should know?

I'm just starting my research. I know they get large.

Added: yes, I will spay her ASAP. No, I will not declaw her. I don't believe in that.

They LOVE LOVE LOVE water! They are very smart and can figure out how to turn a faucet on to get their drink of fresh water. They are very protective of their families, and will attack dogs if they think the dog is being a threat. Lets see what else??? I've had one full maine coon cat, he lived to be 13ish years old, and we now have a Norweigen Forest Cat/Maine Coon cross who swims in the toilet when he's feeling water deprived.

If your newest edition is a pure bred make sure it has been tested for eye herpes which MC's are prone to having, this is a breeder problem.

If she's a purebred find out if the breeder was breeding for size, some will get upwards of 25-40 pounds and NOT be fat! Some breeders are breeding for the smaller size now, some are breeding for the coat.

[LittleFish]

My daughter has two. Coco and Rokko, female and male respectively, both fixed, and always in the house. She's never talked about any particular concerns or special treatment, and I'm sure she would if there were because she tells me every little thing about the dogs and the kids . They are bigger than most cats but so soft and gentle, at least these two are. Very calm cats. In a house with five kids and at one time five dogs (now down to three of those), these cats never lose their cool. They know when to go to high places and stay for a while where no one can bother them. If I were to ever decide to pay for a cat, this is the breed I would want. Beautiful eyes. I just adore them and so does she.

[Meemur]

I will email Leska. Thanks!

I really need a female cat, if at all possible. There's the potential spraying issue because there's a fixed tom at the BOL and I cat sit for an elderly tom periodically, else I'd drive out and pick up that male kitty, along with a short visit to Pgh. I'll keep my ears open for a good indoor home for him.

Packy, I don't know much about her background at this point or whether she's going to end up here for sure, but I'll drive down to TN and get her if I have to. There's a long soap opera that I'll spare everyone, but I've known her present owner for about 10 years. It's not a Craigslist sort of deal. The kitty is about 4 months old and is fine. It's her owner that's having some major problems.

Yes, I'm reading that they're smart. I have experience with stubborn Siamese cats. I didn't know that about water. I thought the Turkish Van cats were the only ones who might do that.

Anyway, thanks! I'm encouraged . . . if this rehoming doesn't work out, I may look for a Maine Coon kitty. I've been looking for a Siamese mix, which hasn't worked out.

Added: calm around 5 kids? Oh, my! Thanks, LittleFish!

It never gets quite that wild around here, but that's good to know.

[packyderms_wife]

I will email Leska. Thanks!

I really need a female cat, if at all possible. There's the potential spraying issue because there's a fixed tom at the BOL and I cat sit for an elderly tom periodically, else I'd drive out and pick up that male kitty, along with a short visit to Pgh. I'll keep my ears open for a good indoor home for him.

Packy, I don't know much about her background at this point or whether she's going to end up here for sure, but I'll drive down to TN and get her if I have to. There's a long soap opera that I'll spare everyone, but I've known her present owner for about 10 years. It's not a Craigslist sort of deal. The kitty is about 4 months old and is fine. It's her owner that's having some major problems.

Yes, I'm reading that they're smart. I have experience with stubborn Siamese cats. I didn't know that about water. I thought the Turkish Van cats were the only ones who might do that.

Anyway, thanks! I'm encouraged . . . if this rehoming doesn't work out, I may look for a Maine Coon kitty. I've been looking for a Siamese mix, which hasn't worked out.

Added: calm around 5 kids? Oh, my! Thanks, LittleFish!

It never gets quite that wild around here, but that's good to know.

My first MC was very calm, and funny, he outwitted a few dogs, and humans, in his time, caught him laughing about it too! They are incredibly smart and easily trained to do all sorts of thing.

K-

[duchess47]

I've been owned by four Maine Coons over the years. One male and three females. They are wonderful, loving cats.

[Faroe]

I owned a beautiful, silvery MC in my early twenties. Purchased from a breeder. The first thing she did in my home as a tiny kitten was to jump from the floor to the TOP of the kitchen fridge. She never made a pest of herself, though. Lovely, sweet disposition.

[Meemur]

And I know you talk to your cats, Duchess, so that speaks well of their ability to respond.

I'm probably being a tad on the picky side, but I really need a cat that's intelligent and somewhat outgoing. I don't have herds of wild children or constant drama in my life, but there are occasional large, elderly dogs (who mostly nap) and their strange owners who visit, plus there are little gray mice that need policing/killing, not to mention I'm lost without an editing buddy. I have an extra chair in my home office, next to my desk under the window, with a purr pad on it. That's the official cat chair. I've got a stuffed lamb sitting there now so it doesn't look so empty. . .

Added: that's a big jump, Faroe. My tabby could do that when he was young. He was the last cat who hung out up there.

[duchess47]

Meemur, they know when you need comforting. They know when you need a laugh, they understand so much it's eerie. My male would walk up and down my back if I laid on the floor (all 25lbs of him) when my back would be killing me.

When children show up all of them over the years would disappear - under the bed, to the guest room or to the top of the cupboards. With dogs, they either ignored them, or chased them. Dogs don't chase Maine Coons, they won't stand for it.

If they want attention, they won't take no for an answer. They love sleeping on the bed, usually under the covers. They are remarkably healthy generally. Only one of the four needed brushing, her hair would mat. I would take her to the groomer every six months for bathing and clipping. She loved that.