11 Annoying Things Maine Coons Do

As charming as these cats are, their intelligence and curiosity can make them a bit of a handful for inexperienced owners.

Even though Maine Coons are capable of being annoying or mischievous though, patience and training will almost always solve any issues you might have experienced.

11 Things Maine Coons Do

Maine Coons are intelligent cats with a lot of energy. As a result, they can become destructive if they are not given enough exercise or stimulation. Untrained Maine Coons may destroy carpets or furniture through scratching, clawing, or spraying. Thankfully, most destructive behaviors can be remedied through proper playtime and training.

While Maine Coons are constantly praised for their intelligence, affectionate nature, and family-oriented personalities, even these cats have their flaws!

Most of these behavioral issues can be solved with plenty of patience, and even the most annoying Maine Coon is well worth the trouble.

1. Begging For Food

Maine Coons are large cats needing lots of protein and calories to fuel their active lifestyles and muscular bodies. However, if given the opportunity many Maine Coon cats will overeat.

While these cats are more prone to begging for food than other cat breeds, this behavior often starts in kittenhood. For instance, giving young cats treats or food every time they beg reinforces this unwanted behavior.

Owners should set up a firm feeding schedule so your Maine Coon will know better than to beg for food.

2. They Are Super Expensive

It’s not the fault of Maine Coons themselves that they are so expensive, but their huge purchase cost is still an annoyance!

Many people fall in love with the personality of this breed, yet realize it’s a no-go once they hear about the extortionate purchase costs!

Buying a kitten from a reputable breeder can cost anywhere from $1,000 to even $3,000, which makes owning a Maine Coon cat a big financial decision.

The next issue is that once you have one Maine Coon, you almost certainly want to buy more!

Thankfully, the most expensive Maine Coons have a hefty price tag due to their potential as show cats. Therefore, if you simply want a normal non-show-quality Maine Coon, you’ll likely pay $1,000 to $2,000.

3. Spraying Or Refusing To Use The Litter Box

When you first take home a Maine Coon kitten, you will likely be overjoyed by its adorable appearance and playful, cuddly nature. However, you may soon find out that your cat has a habit of avoiding the litter box!

Teaching a young kitten to use the litter box can take a while. Therefore, it’s a good idea to keep your kitten confined to one room in the beginning, with plenty of absorbent pads on the floor to help with the mess.

It is also a good idea to try out a few different kinds of litter so you can find one that your Maine Coon likes e.g. wood pellets.

Additionally, cats that have not been spayed or neutered might spray throughout the house to mark their new territory.

Taking time to teach your cat to use the litter box, or getting your cat fixed can have a huge impact on their litter habits.

4. Scratching

Maine Coons can also destroy carpets and furniture by scratching.

Scratching is an important behavior found in all cats; not only does it help remove the dead outer sheath of their claws as they grow, but it is also a way for them to mark their territory.

Cat paws have scent glands, so when your cat scratches, it is their way of claiming the territory as their own.

To cut down on scratching behavior, provide cat scratchers throughout the house. Get a good mix of vertical and horizontal scratchers made out of different materials such as:

• Sisal Rope
• Carpet
• Cardboard

One common mistake Maine Coon owners make is buying just one kind of cat scratcher. This is a problem since cats prefer to have different textures and shapes to scratch.

Scratching is not the only destructive behavior Maine Coons can participate in.

5. Destructive Behavior

While scratching is a common behavior among all cat breeds, Maine Coons are more prone to general destruction than other cats.

They also might:

• Chew on furniture
• Upend your paperwork
• Turn your pillows into toys

However, potentially destructive behavior is not a good reason why you shouldn’t get a Maine Coon, because this behavior is easy to fix.

Maine Coons are highly intelligent, active cats with a high prey drive. Simply batting around a toy mouse for a few minutes is not enough to satisfy their eager minds. Instead, they need large, durable toys that they can chase, kick, and bite.

It is a good idea to get some motorized floor toys that mimic real animals so your Maine Coon can experience the thrill of the hunt. You should also get some feather toys for them to chase while you play with them.

These cats need at least thirty minutes of playtime every day, or else they can become bored and frustrated.

If your Maine Coon is engaging in destructive behavior, then it is a sign you need to provide more interesting toys, as well as play with them more.

6. Nighttime Zoomies

Cats are crepuscular, which means they are most active at dusk and dawn. Unfortunately, this means they are most likely to start playing as you are trying to sleep!

Maine Coons that do not get enough playtime might get the “zoomies” around these hours, where they can be found tearing through the whole house, running around like crazy.

Zoomies are an easy way for cats to get rid of their pent-up energy, but they can also be quite bothersome to their owners.

If your Maine Coon is prone to the zoomies, try giving it some more playtime and exercise.

You might even consider training your Maine Coon to walk on a leash and harness so you can take your cat outside for more exercise and enrichment.

7. Playing With Water

One of the most unique and charming characteristics of Maine Coon cats is their love of water. Whilst most cats hate water, this breed loves water and often plays around in it! Unfortunately, this can also come with some drawbacks.

Some Maine Coons are clever enough to learn to turn on faucets so they can play with water! Believe it or not, this is just one example of the weird things Maine Coons do with water.

Many Maine Coons also have a habit of playing with their water dishes, and might even drop toys or random objects in their water.

So consider being proactive by setting up opportunities for your cat to play with water without being messy. For example, you could fill a bath with a couple of inches of lukewarm water, and throw a floating cat toy in it. Your Maine Coon will love this!

8. Climbing In Annoying Places

Some cat breeds, such as Persians or Ragdolls, prefer to hang out on the floor, but this certainly is not the case for Maine Coons. Maine Coons adore climbing, and it is an essential way to keep their minds and bodies active and enriched.

If they do not have cat trees to climb they might climb to inconvenient or dangerous places. All Maine Coons should have at least one extra-large cat tree.

Should your Maine Coon climbs in an undesirable spot, simply place your Maine Coon in a spot that you would like them to climb instead. This is a gentle way to discourage unwanted behavior and redirect them to positive behaviors.

It’s also a good idea to install cat shelves so your feline friend can run and climb around. You can even turn these shelves into a mini agility course for some extra enrichment! Just make sure they are designed to take the Maine Coon weight!

9. Separation Anxiety

When you first get a kitten, you will probably be tempted to spend as much time as possible with them, so you can form a strong bond. However, giving a kitten too much attention at a young age leads to behavioral problems.

For example, your kitten might become distressed when you change your routine.

It is nearly impossible to say no to your Maine Coon as a kitten, and many owners develop bad habits such as allowing their Maine Coon to follow them into the bathroom.

On the flip side, if you do not spend enough time with your Maine Coon, it can develop separation anxiety, as well. To prevent separation anxiety, set aside time for independent play.

Cats that suffer from separation anxiety may meow and show signs of distress when their owners leave, and may also follow you from room to room.

While many Maine Coons do like to follow their owners around, cats with separation anxiety will become distressed and demanding if they find themselves separated from their owners.

Simply leaving the room and shutting the door while you work in your office, leaving your Maine Coon to entertain itself, is a great place to start.

Set aside time every day so your Maine Coon learns that it is okay to spend some time alone.

10. Begging For Attention

Most Maine Coons are laid back and prefer to follow their owners around from a distance, hanging out in the same room without being obtrusive.

However, these cats can become annoying if they constantly ask for attention.

A demanding Maine Coon may beg for attention while you are cooking, working, or even sleeping. You should teach your Maine Coon early on when it is and is not appropriate to beg for attention.

If your Maine Coon is constantly asking you for attention, it could also be a sign that you are not spending enough time with your cat.

Maine Coons are social creatures, and they can become lonely and depressed if they are left alone for too long. Thus, if you spend most of your time out of the house, this breed might not be the right one for you.

If you already have a Maine Coon though, and your cat appears lonely, consider bringing home another companion for them. These cats are patient and social, and famous for getting along well with other cats and even dogs.

11. Cuddling You

Most owners would argue nothing is annoying about a Maine Coon cuddling you! However, these charming cats can become so cuddly that it might make it difficult for you to leave the couch.

There’s nothing more agonizing than wanting to get up, but not being able to because your adorable cat is blissfully snoozing on your lap.

Even worse is when your cat is comfortably snuggling against you, but their large paws are poking right into your ribs or stomach!

Of course, cuddling is not a behavioral problem that needs to be addressed!

Most Maine Coons enjoy cuddling to some extent, but they are not so cuddly that they constantly demand to be held.