How Many Maine Coons Are There In The World?
Maine Coons are so rare and in such high demand that a lot of people want to know how many Maine Coons are there in the world? Unfortunately, coming up with a satisfying answer is pretty difficult!
There’s no way to know for sure how many Maine Coon cats there are. There are 600 million – 1 billion cats in the world, less than 5% of which are purebred, meaning there are fewer than 30 million Maine Coons. While breeding associations like the CFA do keep track of all registered Maine Coons, they have not released any numbers to the public.
Maine Coons might be hard to come by in the wild, but they are one of the most popular cat breeds in the world!
Their popularity has increased drastically in the last few years, meaning the Maine Coon population is likely increasing.
How Many Maine Coons Are There In The World?
The Maine Coon is a majestic cat breed with long, thick fur that developed naturally in the snowy state of Maine.
Despite their wild origins, the Maine Coon is considered one of the friendliest, most sociable cat breeds.
So, how many Maine Coon cats are there in the world?
Unfortunately, it is impossible to truly know how many Maine Coons there are.
We know that 600 million – 1 billion cats are in the world today, but only about 30 million are purebred.
The CFA recognizes 45 different cat breeds, so at the very least there are about 600,000 Maine Coons in the world, but that number is probably much higher.
While official cat fancier organizations like TICA and CFA do keep registries of all the Maine Coons their breeders have adopted out, they have not released these numbers to the public.
Thanks to the CFA’s yearly top breeds list, though, we do know that the Maine Coon is the second most popular cat breed in America as of 2022! (source 1,2).
Are Maine Coons Rare?
While Maine Coons are much rarer than feral, or non-pedigree cats, they are also one of the most popular cat breeds in the world.
There are about 30 million purebred cats in the world, but since there are dozens of different cat breeds, it is impossible to say just how many of them are Maine Coons.
Finding a Maine Coon through a breeder can be a long and difficult process, but they are one of the most common cat breeds due to their popularity.
Take a look at this Maine Coon cat breeder list, if you live in the United States, to find your perfect Maine Coon cat.
Are Maine Coons Endangered?
Since there are hundreds of catteries in the world that focus solely on Maine Coons, this breed is not considered endangered at all.
Instead, Maine Coons are the second most popular cat breed in America, and their popularity only seems to be rising!
Even though the Maine Coon is so popular today, though, one of the most interesting Maine Coon facts is that this was not always the case.
After World Wars I and II, the Maine Coon was on the brink of extinction.
Many cat fanciers did not have the time or resources to continue breeding during the war, which endangered many cat breeds.
What damaged the Maine Coon’s popularity the most, though, was the arrival of the Persian cat breed.
If you are interested in comparing the Persian vs Maine Coon cat breed, take a look at this article!
Persian cats were first developed in 1875, and in 1906 the Cat Fanciers’ Association registered them as one of the first official cat breeds.
These long-haired, docile cats became incredibly fashionable and popular, and by the 1950s they had nearly replaced Maine Coons entirely.
Dedicated Maine Coon breeders refused to let this breed go extinct, though.
In 1985, the Maine Coon became the official state cat of Maine, where this breed first originated.
The breed’s popularity soared after this monumental change.
Now, the rise of social media has only increased the Maine Coon’s popularity, as owners of this breed can show off the Maine Coon’s size and loving personality to millions across the Internet in a mere instant (source 1,2).
Maine Coon Origin
The Maine Coon has mysterious origins, and we do not actually know exactly how they came to be.
What we do know, though, is that they first originated in the 1800s in the American state of Maine.
There are many varying theories about the Maine Coon’s first arrival to America.
Some cat fanatics believe Maine Coons are the descendants of Viking cats or even the cats of Marie Antoinette!
While such wild fantasies are improbable, some kind of longhaired cat was likely brought to America by ship, either intentionally or unintentionally.
These cats then began mating with local feral cats.
Over time, they developed unique characteristics to help them survive in such cold, snowy conditions.
They developed wide paws, often with extra toes to help them walk on the snow without falling through. Reveal more facts about the polydactyl Maine Coon cat, here.
Their fur became thick and triple-layered to keep out snow and water.
Then, local farmers and sailors took an interest in these strange cats.
Their large paws and unique intelligence made them much better at hunting mice and rats than other cats.
Farmers and sailors began to keep Maine Coons as pets, and soon they soared in popularity for their hunting abilities as well as their loving nature.
Maine Coon Lifespan
As beautiful as they are, many cat breeds suffer from shortened lifespans.
This is because a lot of the genetic mutations that result in unique coloration, patterns, or proportions are so rare that breeders can only preserve them through inbreeding.
While inbreeding does help retain rare features, it also makes offspring more likely to inherit dangerous genetic conditions.
Since the Maine Coon first originated naturally, it is one of the healthiest cat breeds in the world!
Still, there are some genetic conditions they can be prone to, such as these most commonly inherited conditions:
Thankfully, responsible Maine Coon breeders perform genetic testing on all parents before allowing them to breed, thus reducing the chances of any inherited conditions.
As a result, the Maine Coon is a hardy, long-lived breed. The average Maine Coon cat can be expected to live between 12 and 15 years!
Maine Coon Size
When researching Maine Coon breed information, most people are excited to learn about this cat’s size.
Maine Coons are the largest domesticated cat breed in the entire world!
The average male Maine Coon weighs between 15 and 25 pounds, while female Maine Coons weigh between 8 and 12 pounds on average.
They typically stand at a height between 10 and 16 inches, and the average Maine Coon length is between 19 and 32 inches, not including tail length.
But, just how big can a Maine Coon cat grow? Click on the link to find out!
How Many Breeds Of Maine Coon Are There?
All domestic cats have the same genus and species, Felis sylvestris.
The Maine Coon is just one breed, but there are two different “styles” of Maine Coon that can be found.
The classic American style of Maine Coon has an overall “softer” look than the European style.
European Maine Coons have powerful muzzles and very serious expressions, while American Maine Coons have softer muzzles and bigger eyes.
Overall, European Maine Coons look more like wild cats, while American Maine Coons look closer to regular domestic cats.
Read more about these two Maine Coon types.
Maine Coon Price
Maine Coons may be significantly more common than rarer cat breeds like the Singapura or Chartreux, but they are still much rarer than the average domestic cat.
Maine Coon breeders spend a lot of time and money caring for all of their breeding cats and kittens, so this breed is, unfortunately, still quite expensive.
Most Maine Coons cost between $1,000 and $2,500, although they can easily exceed this price range if they have rarer colors and patterns such as gold, silver, or smoke.
Read about the smoke Maine Coon cat, here.
Maine Coon Behavior
Even though Maine Coons largely rose to popularity due to their enormous size, they are becoming even more popular for their unique temperament.
Maine Coon cats are incredibly loyal and loving pets that are gentle and patient towards children and other animals.
They crave affection and social interaction, and they often follow their owners around the house.
Even though they love spending time with their owners, they are not known to be clingy. They rarely get underfoot, and they prefer to watch from a distance if you are busy.
While they can be chatty, Maine Coons have a quiet chirp or trill rather than a traditional meow.
Maine Coons are also highly intelligent, which makes them very easy to train.
They are known for having a dog-like personality, and they can even learn tricks, such as how to play fetch, or how to walk on a leash!
While they can be a bit mischievous due to their playful nature, if they receive enough enrichment and playtime, they are usually well-behaved.
Where Do Owners Buy Maine Coon Cats?
The safest place to purchase a Maine Coon kitten is from a registered Maine Coon cat breeder, yet the Maine Coon price often leads cat lovers to buy their cats elsewhere.
Katrina Stewardson, the Director of Maine Coon Central, conducted unique research on 150 Maine Coon cat lovers, on Maine Coon Central’s YouTube channel, in October 2023.
She asked a poll of 150 voters where they got their Maine Coon cat from.
The survey revealed:
- 33% of owners purchased their Maine Coon from a Registered Maine Coon cat breeder
- 8% of voters bought a cat from a Non-Registered Maine Coon cat breeder.
A staggering 23% of viewers voted that they found their Maine Coon at a shelter! So, do not give up hope of finding a ‘cheap’ Maine Coon!
Below are the results of Maine Coon Central’s users’ vote:
Conclusion
The Maine Coon may not be a rare breed, but if you are wondering how many Maine Coons are there in the world, that can be quite difficult to answer.
Since there are about 600 million – 1 billion cats in the world, only 5% of which are purebred, that puts the number of purebred cats at around 30 million.
Considering there are 45 registered cat breeds through the CFA, that means that there are likely at least 600,000 Maine Coons in the world, though this number is likely much higher.
Useful Maine Coon Cat Information
If you’ve loved reading our article, take a look at the following really useful Maine Coon cat breed information.
This is the best Maine Coon cat gear, for your precious gentle giant:
