Do you love the look of the Maine Coon cat, but are not too sure whether this fabulously majestic-looking breed of cat is a good fit for your family, or not? If so, you are not alone!
People often ask me are Maine Coon cats friendly? Keep reading to find out my thoughts!
Maine Coon cats are incredibly friendly and loving. They are often referred to as ‘gentle giants, or ‘the dog of the cat world’. Like a dog, you can expect your Maine Coon companion to be by your side, most of the time. This breed loves company, and is incredibly loyal, with a tendency to be overly affectionate to its owners!
In my experience, many people do not know what to expect when they see our large Maine Coon cat. They literally seem stunned that he is the size of a small dog!
What Is The Temperament Of A Maine Coon Cat?
All cats have their own unique personalities, however, Maine Coons generally exhibit these 11 Maine Coon Personality Traits :
- Laid Back
- Enjoy Human Company
- Friendly nature
- Loyal
- Obedient
- Good With Young Children
- Independent
- Intelligent
- Love To Cuddle
- Playful
- Grooming their owners
1. Laid Back
These large muscular cats have a very easy-going temperament.
They are laid back, and generally not phased by loud noises, or constant activity going on around them.
In fact, Maine Coons often seem drawn towards the noise of the home, always wanting to be very much an included member of a family.
2. Enjoy Human Company
Maine Coons make great companions and are very ‘dog-like’ in their nature.
They love spending their time with their owners, and are extremely inquisitive and friendly towards visitors invited into the home.
3. Friendly Nature
Are Maine Coon Cats Friendly? … The simple answer is, YES!
The Maine Coon is ranked No.5 in the ‘Friendliest Cat Breed’ category (source 1).
This particular breed of cat loves to be affectionate and is particularly loving to its owners.
It will also happily groom any visitor introduced into its territory (i.e. the home), without a second thought.
If a Maine Coon does not feel it has had enough attention or affection in one day, it will often attack its owners with love, grooming, and kisses.
This can come across as sudden bursts of unstoppable affection, where the cat is determined to show its unconditional love to its owner.
4. Loyal
Maine Coons are extremely loyal, showing daily love and affection to those they consider to be their ‘family’.
They make great companions and quickly learn which family member will give them the attention they long for.
This breed of cat is not known for being a lap cat.
However, do not let this put you off because each cat has their own unique personality traits, so you may just find that there is nothing more they would rather do than sit on their human and cuddle!
Their overly affectionate nature makes them great family pets because, despite their independent nature, they still actively seek out love and attention from their owners.
5. Obedient
Unlike the average cat, most Maine Coons are trainable like a dog! Consequently, they can often be seen to display signs of obedience when their owner speaks in a different tone of voice.
This breed is extremely smart, and can be trained to follow the same basic rules that you would expect a dog to understand, such as ‘down’, ‘no’, or fetch’.
The latter command will be the harder of the commands to teach though.
Maine Coons are intelligent, so expect your cat to come when called.
6. Good With Young Children
The Maine Coon breed tends to have an extremely laid-back nature, making them ideal cats to have around young children.
Often referred to as a ‘gentle giant’, they seem unphased by the loud noises that young children make, nor the constant buzz of activity taking place within the home.
Their gentle and affectionate nature makes them ideal cats to have around children.
This is because they love receiving attention from their family, and are particularly tolerant of younger children learning to stroke and pet them.
Are Maine Coon cats friendly, and great to be around kids? Yes, without a doubt, provided you raise the Maine Coon within your family from being a kitten.
Take a look at the video below, of our 7-year-old Maine Coon (Pippin), with our daughter Aimee (aged 5). Pippin is literally showing his love of Aimee, by grooming her with his rough tongue!
Please Note
Despite the Maine Coon temperament with young ones being very loving and gentle, I would be particularly careful if you have young children, and are choosing to rehome an older Maine Coon.
As with all breeds of cats, if you do not know the full history of the cat, then it is possible that the Maine Coon will not be used to children and loud noises.
A dramatic change in the cat’s environment may cause the cat distress, potentially resulting in unexpected aggressive behavior towards a child.
7. Independent
Despite loving human affection, and attention, the Maine Coon is also quite an independent cat. They love the outdoors and are known for being great hunters in the wild.
This breed of cat loves a cuddle, but will not become overly clingy, as they also like their own space from time to time.
The decision as to whether the breed should be allowed outside or not is a hotly debated subject however and will depend on whether the owner lives in the countryside or a built-up city environment.
Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal opinion and preference.
8. Intelligent
Despite being one of the messiest-eating cat breeds in the world, the Maine Coon is actually quite intelligent.
They can be taught basic commands, like a dog, and known when they have been naughty and gotten themselves into mischief!
You can also teach your Maine Coon tricks e.g. if I ask my Maine Coon for a kiss, he rubs both his scent glands up against my cheeks!
9. Love To Cuddle
Maine Coons are an extremely friendly breed of cat.
They love showing their unconditional love and affection to their owners, and enjoy having a cuddle with their family.
10. Playful
Maine Coon kittens are extremely playful.
They love to explore their territory, and can often be found getting up to all sorts of mischief.
As they grow older, Maine Coons still love to play games with their family but are far calmer in their mannerisms.
Though, before you think the mischief has ended, be aware that older Maine Coons are still prone to what we like to call, their “crazy half-hour”.
Crazy antics will happen from time to where when an adult Maine Coon reverts to kitten-like behavior.
11. Grooming Their Owners
Maine Coons love to groom their owners. They are an extremely affectionate breed, and this act of grooming is their way of showing that you are their family and that they love you.
If you start stroking a Maine Coon cat, even for just a minute, the Maine Coon finds it almost impossible to not return the favor.
In fact, they have such a kind and caring nature that they often become determined to groom you back!
Unlike the average cat, Maine Coons love being brushed over and over with a soft brush.
Are Maine Coon Cats Aggressive
Maine Coons are the largest domesticated cat breed (apart from the Ragdoll) and are actually known for their gentle behavioral traits.
They are not aggressive cats but are instead considered to be a friendlier cat breed.
Despite being so big, these gentle giants do not naturally show signs of aggression.
This particular cat breed is also very laid back, and not known for making hissing sounds.
However, if your Maine Coon does feel annoyed, they will make their viewpoint known to you via a few short chirps, or twills, uttered to you as they move away from something they dislike!
For example, if you accidentally stand on the end of their tail, because they have swished that big bushy tail under your feet as you are walking by, you will get a short chirp of disgust from your Maine Coon!
Conclusion
When answering the question, are Maine Coon cats friendly, I have mainly focused on the key Maine Coon personality traits, and what living with a Maine Coon cat is like.
As you can see, the Maine Coon makes for an ideal family pet because it has a very friendly, laid-back nature. This is particularly true when they are around the younger children of the family.
The Maine Coons ‘ dog-like pack mentality means that they are automatically more gentle with the young children within ‘their pack’.
If you have the time and love to give to a Maine Coon, I would definitely recommend selecting this particular breed of cat to be part of your family.
This breed is a happy compromise between owning a cat and owning a dog.
Their independent nature makes them very ‘cat-like’, whilst their ability to follow simple commands and come to you when called, makes them very ‘dog-like.
Maine Coons are massively friendly gentle beasts and have so much love to give, that you would never be disappointed in your choice.
