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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Tell me about your maine coons

43 replies

FthisS · 08/05/2020 10:11

I'm enquiring about a kitten at the moment. I have never had a maine coon before but I do have two very silly ragdolls and I've read that maine coons are similar and live well with other animals. Pictures also please Smile

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Purplecatshopaholic · 08/05/2020 10:15

Purplecat3 is half Maine coon. Total diva! She’s 8 but still a big kitten and very people centric and an attention seeker! Love her to bits

Tell me about your maine coons
Original poster
FthisS · 08/05/2020 10:20

That is one fluffy belly!Grin

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rubydoobydoo · 08/05/2020 10:20

This is Star - she's a bit stupid but is friendly and funny, and gets on with every single one of our other cats, even the grumpy ones! We wouldn't have her any other way!

Tell me about your maine coons
rubydoobydoo · 08/05/2020 10:20

Oops not sure if the pic posted- let me try again (you'll probably get it twice now!)

rubydoobydoo · 08/05/2020 10:26

Take 3 with a couple more!

Tell me about your maine coons
Tell me about your maine coons
Tell me about your maine coons
TigerDroveAgain · 08/05/2020 10:30

This is Bruce. He’s ridiculous, spends most of his time in this position expecting tummy tickles. He’s adorable, very affectionate but quite shy of strangers.

Tell me about your maine coons
Original poster
FthisS · 08/05/2020 10:31

Oh my goodness she is very beautiful. These are my two ragdolls

Tell me about your maine coons
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Original poster
FthisS · 08/05/2020 10:33

Are they happy being house cats? Ragdolls are strictly house cats but my older one walks on the lead

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rubydoobydoo · 08/05/2020 10:42

Ours are house cats and are fine with it!

rubydoobydoo · 08/05/2020 10:46

@TigerDroveAgain I've noticed Maine Coons are upside down a lot! We went to the Supreme Cat Show the last couple of years and there was a whole row of them airing their belly fluff, not giving a shit Grin

DontGoIntoTheLongGrass · 08/05/2020 10:47

Don't know if sister is on MN but here's her 4 year old boy. He's a big kitten too and a little shit Grin he's had quite a few health issues though. He's her third Maine coon and all three had problems ranging from dental to leukemia.

Tell me about your maine coons
Toddlerteaplease · 08/05/2020 11:14

My local cat cafe has one. He's not a domestic cat, he's a lion! He's very friendly I think.

TigerDroveAgain · 08/05/2020 12:07

We’ve had four over the last 25 years: none have been house cats but the distance they wander ranges from not very far at all to a mile or so - we do live pretty rurally so it’s all fields etc. Some breeders ask that they are kept as house cats which seems a shame to me

lardass88 · 08/05/2020 22:30

This is my boy Flynn. He's 6. Initially was a house cat but he begged to go outside and ever since comes and goes as he pleases. He's my second Maine coon and I just love them. Such funny characters

Tell me about your maine coons
SprogletsMum · 08/05/2020 22:32

I have always wanted a Maine coon they are so beautiful. Please post more pictures!

FourPlasticRings · 08/05/2020 22:33

Poor eyesight- only let them out if you live rurally with little traffic. Mine was thick as two short planks, very uninterested in people, hated other cats and absolutely tore the house apart trying to get outside as a kitten until we gave in and let her go. She was miserable indoors though, so I'd let her out again, even though she ultimately met her end due to a car on a nearby road. Sad

GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal · 08/05/2020 22:39

Casper was a rescue, but we - and the vet - think he's at least half MC.

He's a little shit. Demands affection, then attacks you when he receives it. My DD says he's a "big fluffy ball of bites and scratches."

I'm told that's not typical of the breed though! Hmm

Tell me about your maine coons
bringincrazyback · 08/05/2020 23:33

We have three Maine Coons, used to have four, and they are awesome cats to have around. Beautiful and mostly great temperaments as well, one of ours is quite a nervous cat and can be quite claw-y and temperamental as a result, but they're mostly placid cats in my experience.

The only thing I would say is they are prone to a few health issues, which you may already be aware of. There's some tendency towards hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, especially in males, and we sadly lost one of our male MCs to this. Some MCs also develop hip problems. That said, I wouldn't want to put you off - they are fabulous cats, and a pleasure and privilege to own. DH and I love ours to bits.

IHaveBrilloHair · 09/05/2020 03:52

My Maine Coon cross, Zazzles.
I lost him ti cancer last summer and miss him every day.
He was a gorgeous cat, just like a teddy came to life, so soft and a giant fluffy hug baby, he demanded to be picked up and carried around, and Dd used to do it too!

I have three lovely girl mogs still, but one day Ill definitely get a Maine Coona herd of them

Tell me about your maine coons
ElizabethMainwaring · 09/05/2020 04:05

I have a Maine coon, Rosie. She's seven. My aunt is one of the top breeders in the UK. She's a judge at shows too.
Rosie isn't a typical MC. She is very, very outdoorsy. She wasn't very affectionate until recently. She is incredibly gentle. Never catches anything.
I love her to bits, but I'm not sure if I would have another one due to their coat. She doesn't like to be groomed and she has to go to be professionally groomed. Cat groomers are like hen's teeth. She had a lion cut a couple of years ago. She looked ridiculous but you could tell she was happy. It was when we had that awful hot summer.

Original poster
FthisS · 09/05/2020 08:02

Thank you everyone. Going outside isn't an option not because of roads because we live rural but my next door neighbour is crazy and has a reputation for stealing people's cats. She once actually phoned the police when she spotted my ragdoll kitten in the window claiming it was hers Confused.

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IPityThePontipines · 09/05/2020 08:05

They are such gorgeous cats. Do they moult a lot?

Caramel78 · 09/05/2020 08:10

I had one for 12 years who died last year. He was incredible! Everyone was amazed when they saw him. He did have a few annoying habits (incredibly clingy and would follow me everywhere around the house and even have to come to the toilet with me haha. He also pestered me CONSTANTLY for Dreamies). His fluff was a nightmare as he was white and it would get all over my clothes and furniture so I had to use a sticky roller multiple times a day. He was also prone to urine infections and the vet said it was common in the large breeds.
Other than that he was the best pet I’ve ever had and so intelligent for a cat. He loved playing fetch and was very affectionate and cuddly. Such a loud purr too.
Oh and he was a house cat for the first 5 years I had him and he was completely fine with it although did used to stare out the window a lot which would make me feel guilty. He seemed happy though as I had a lot of toys for him and gave him loads of attention. You’ll need an XL litter tray for when your one gets fully grown. I had the biggest tray I could find and he would still sometimes miss and poop on the floor beside it

Caramel78 · 09/05/2020 08:11

@IPityThePontipines they malt a huge amount but they are so beautiful so it’s worth it. Sticky rollers are a godsend!

FourPlasticRings · 09/05/2020 08:11

Tbh I probably wouldn't get another cat at all in that situation, OP- not fair to the cat. Mine didn't moult per se but she matted terribly so you did have to keep on top of the grooming, to the extent of cutting out lumps if you missed a few days. She hated it- my sister had to do it because she didn't mind the cat treating her arm like a scratching/biting post during.