Maine Coons

[Doubleraspberry]

Hello - we are contemplating a Maine Coon kitten. Can anyone give me lived experience on the pros and cons of the breed?

And this will be my first ever non-rescue cat. There are none to be had for a house with an existing cat and primary school-aged children. I’ve tried!

I am not a pet person and was for unsure about getting a cat. However 2 weeks ago, we got a Siberian kitten who is just adorable. He follows us around, sits on our laps, chirps. He is really patient with children

MC is £900ish a decent if they come already neutered which many breeders do as the kittens are heavy enough at a young age.

I have an older Maine Coon and also two Maine Coon kittens! They are amazing cats great personalities, I love the little chirrups! V smart as well

This little terrorist is a Maine Coon cross. He’s funny, smart, sweet, playful, opinionated and absolutely not a lap cat. Loves snuggling in next to you on the bed but won’t tolerate sitting on you for a second.

He’s extremely chatty, chirps and grows and snarfs at us constantly with a very quiet little purr when he’s content.

Aw, he's gorgeous.

How do those of you with Maine Coon crosses find them? Are they rescues? I'm a total stranger to the world of pedigree animals and would be very happy to look at crosses too.

We are on our second and I would never have another breed. So friendly and curious and follows us around and chirps and knocks things off surfaces. Not really a lap cat, but let's my daughter cuddle him. He's just so lovely. We paid a fortune for him though. About £1,300 a year ago.

Oh and our MC is fine with being groomed. We brush him every few days. Especially around the neck.

He’s more like a dog than a cat in behaviour. Follows you round from room to room. Chatty and demanding.

He’s an MC in appearance but about half the size of a full breed. We got very lucky rehoming him. He’s a really nice natured cat.

We've had four Siberians and would definitely recommend them!

If @stillmedusa is around I know she has lots of Maine Coon experience. I'd love one!

Hi! Saw my name
Yes I have/have had three Maine Coons
All totally different personalities!
MC1. Morpheus the Magnificent. THE BEST CAT EVER. 25 pounds of sheer love. He loved everyone. He slept at night with his paws round my neck, because I was 'Mummy' but he loved everyone, snuggled everyone and wasn't really a cat at all. He died 7 years ago and it still makes me tear up, writing this.
MC2 and 3 Brother and sister. Brother Oberon... a massive ginger beastie who from his first day out, liked to go in the neighbours houses!!!! Made friends with everyone. Has now basically dumped us for a neighbour's as she's home all day and feeds him from the deli!!! However he graces with hsi presence now and again, nips into all the neighbours, sleeps on their beds, helps himself to their food....!!!

Sister Ophelia... basically Maria Carey in a fur coat A noisy demanding diva, but very affectionate. She's SUCH a talker... you can hold a full conversation with her chirping at you!
They are brilliant cats, fabulous personalities.
None of mine have been indoor cats because I don't believe it is fair and an animal designed to be out at dawn and dusk should be allowed freedom(I do get them in at night if I can)
Downsides... if they don't like being groomed it's a nightmare. Ophie loves it..she is brushed every night. Obie has to be clippered every 5 months because he WILL NOT let us get to his matts and he has the thickest longest fur ever. It used to cost me £300 a time at the vets (sedated) but now we do it.. wrap him a towel and clipper a section, move towel. repeat!

I love them. They are huge, stunning, wonderful cats.
Here are my current (and past) MCs..
Morpheus
Ophelia
Oberon :)

@Doubleraspberry

Aw, he's gorgeous.

How do those of you with Maine Coon crosses find them? Are they rescues? I'm a total stranger to the world of pedigree animals and would be very happy to look at crosses too.

Mine was a rescue (unplanned litter, rehomed via a rescue centre). Paid £90 I think, but that was nearly 15 years ago, and he wasn't neutered, chipped, vaxxed or insured.

Gorgeous cats!

Right, I have emailed my first ever breeder. If any of you can recommend a breeder to get in with, please do DM me, as I’m a total novice. I’ve looked at the breed club website so far and emailed someone from there with a two year old to rehome as well as kittens.

Where abouts do you live?

We’re in Yorkshire. I found one breeder but their website announces they’ve just stopped!

I think most of the Maine Coon crosses out there are just large fluffy tabbies, optimistically branded.

I had a Maine Coon, rehomed from a friend as he terrorised their existing cat and dog. He was majestic, intelligent and charming, but was to be admired rather than loved. He wasn’t a lap cat. He died suddenly age 8 from a heart attack, which broke my heart.

A family member has a very beautiful female MC rescue. She is decidedly aloof and although she'll tolerate being stroked and scratched behind the ears etc, she quickly gets over-stimulated and can lash out. A MC lashing out is quite a bit more fierce than a smaller cat, so bear this in mind.

Maybe look at Vote Green Maine Coons on Facebook. It's pro-outdoors. Lots of breeder's will only home indoor only. Lots of breeder info and a friendly page

Thanks - have found it.

I saw one breeder quote the stat about an outdoor cat’s life span being 2-3 years. I’m pretty sure that doesn’t relate to the UK!

Chipping in with the Siberian love- I have one obviously

She is calm, intelligent, very chatty and loves to be walked on the harness. As I write this I am tuckered out from playing chase with her. Yep a middle aged woman and a 7 month kitten were actually tearing around the house giggling and meowing.

They are fantastic beasts and there are a some good breeders in the UK

@Amrapaali she is gorgeous! Shamelessly posting my own (part Siberians) now! They always choose to be within 10 feet of us, very playful and gentle. Greedy as heck though!

So lovely! I've been looking at Siberians and Norwegian Forest Cats.

I did have a pang at the cost of it all and search all cat shelters within many miles of me, but still nothing at all that can go to a home with children and an existing cat.

DD has a MC rescue cat. She is definitely more like a dog than a cat - will play "fetch" for ages, and loves water. So much so, she will jump in the bath for a water fight, splashing DD with her paws, and likes to curl up in the wash basin on hot days!
The long fur is a nuisance though. MCs have a double coat - outer long hairs, then an inner short thick fluffy coat - and they moult incessantly on every available carpet. They need a lot of brushing to keep the fur from tangling, and you will have the unpleasant duty of washing out diarrhoea from the fur round their anus. The belly fur often gets plastered in mud when they crawl under shrubbery to stalk prey.
However, they can be very affectionate- DD's cat purrs and drools and climbs all over her.

The baby of our Siberians - he's 8 months now and will I think be the biggest of all of our crew!

Awww @CaribouCarafe that tail! Those paws! Magnificent Agree about the constantly being around us. Mine is needy as heck!

@Doubleraspberry yep these breeds are expensive. I wanted two kittens but really couldn't justify another 1K. Maybe after I've saved up a bit

Go for it. You won't regret it. And personally I like Siberians and Norwegians because even adults have that kittenish, cute face. Many MC faces look like human male faces sorry!

Just a personal preference obviously! All cats are stunning gods