Maine Coons HUNT These Animals If Given A Chance
Historically, Maine Coons were kept on ships, or farms to keep the mice and rat population at bay.
Whilst these large cats are known to be great mousers they do not pose any considerable threat to humans.
Do Maine Coons Like To Hunt?
Maine Coon cats are natural-born hunters, particularly good mousers, renowned for their hunting abilities, large size, and above-average intelligence. They love to hunt and will go hunting even when they are well-fed. If they cannot get outside to hunt, they will stalk their toys to satisfy their hunting urges.
Maine Coon cats have strong hunting instincts and generally enjoy hunting. Originally bred as farm cats to catch vermin, they still retain these instincts.
While not all Maine Coons will actively hunt outside, many are fascinated by moving objects like toys, insects, or small animals.
Their natural hunting skills include:
- Stalking
- Pouncing
- Chasing
Even indoor Maine Coons often enjoy “hunting” games with their owners, such as interactive toys or laser pointers, mimicking the behaviors they would use to catch prey.
However, their hunting drive can vary depending on the individual cat and whether they are exposed to outdoor activities or if they’re indoor-only.
Maine Coons may show more interest in hunting if they have access to environments with small prey like birds, rodents, or insects, but many will simply be content with toys that mimic real prey movements.
While domesticated Maine Coons do not need to hunt for food anymore, they have never lost their hunting instincts. As such, it’s not uncommon to find domesticated Maine Coons stalking prey outside, more for fun than a desire for food.
What Do They Hunt?
Maine Coon cats are natural hunters and have a strong instinct to chase and catch small animals. In the wild or when allowed outdoors, they typically hunt:
- Rodents – Mice, rats, and other small rodents are common prey.
- Birds – Stalk and capture birds, especially those within reach, like sparrows or other small species.
- Insects – Often seen chasing bugs, such as flies, moths, and even spiders.
- Fish – Some Maine Coons, especially those around water, may show interest in catching fish.
- Reptiles – In some cases, they may hunt small reptiles like lizards.
While they can catch live prey, many Maine Coons also enjoy playing with toys that mimic the movements of these creatures, which satisfies their hunting instincts indoors.
Factors Making Them Great Hunters
Here are some other attributes that make Maine Coon cats excellent at pursuing and capturing prey, even when hunting large prey:
Above Average Intelligence
One of the key personality traits that augment Maine Coon hunting ability is their above-average intelligence.
With above-average intelligence, these felines can easily learn hunting skills and even have a strong urge to pursue prey.
Large Stature And Ability To Withstand Harsh Climates
Weighing between 8 and 25 pounds, a Maine Coon cat is large enough to catch and hold onto its prey.
Their weight translates to more impact when they pounce on prey, which is important in any hunting game.
These cats can also run faster than most animals they choose to prey on.
Energetic
Maine Coons are very energetic and, with a high level of intelligence, they can use their energy to attack prey skillfully.
Exceptional Hearing
With their large ears, these cats have a fine-tuned sense of hearing.
They can hear pitches at a much higher frequency, making it possible for them to know the exact location of prey.
Click here if you wish to discover more fun facts about the Maine Coons ears.
Big Feet And Sharp Claws
Relative to the size of the prey they hunt, Maine Coons have large and lethal feet.
Their claws are also sharp enough to tear prey when killing.
Powerful Bite
Maine Coon cats usually kill their prey by biting through the neck.
With their large, muscular stature, it is obvious that they have a powerful bite, which makes it easy to kill prey.
Great Sense Of Smell
Cats have about 200 million smell receptors in their nose, which makes it easy to sniff out the presence of a mouse and other prey.
Night Vision
Besides their impressive vision during the day, cats are gifted with a reflective layer behind each retina which gives them great vision even at night.
This makes it easy to hunt and stalk prey at night.
What Did They Eat In The Wild?
Maine Coon cats are obligate carnivores. They survived in the wilderness for many years and did not need human beings to keep them alive.
In the wilderness, they relied on their instinctive and impressive hunting skills to capture and eat live prey.
These large cats fed on the following animals, in the wild:
- Rodents
- Small mammals
- Insects
- Small reptiles
- Small birds
Despite having a sweet and gentle temperament, Maine Coon are great hunters and could eat a lot of small game raw (source 1).
How To Stop Cat Hunting
Below are a few tips to stop your cat hunting:
1. Redirect Instincts By Increasing Play
One of the most effective and proven methods of gradually reducing the hunting capabilities of a cat is by encouraging plenty of playtime because play enhances mental stimulation and helps your cat satisfy its hunting needs.
You can use moving toys (such as these) so that the cat will keep following the toy and trying to grab it.
2. Dress Them In A Collar With A Bell
Many people use a break-away collar to stop their cats from hunting. Always prioritize the safety of your cat by ensuring that the collar bell can easily be released if your cat gets caught on something.
3. Provide Enough Food
Some cats go hunting because of hunger; therefore, feeding them a well-balanced diet that is enough to satisfy their hunger reduces their hunting desires.
You may also opt to give your Maine Coon small quantities of food at close intervals so they have less time away from the food spot and gradually stop going out to hunt.
4. Lock Them Inside
Small mammals, reptiles, and birds are usually active in the morning and evening.
Occasionally, after bad weather or spells, these creatures come out in large numbers to search for food. At this time, you can lock up your cat so they don’t coincidentally meet those little prey, thus reducing the successful hunts.
