How Much Space Does A Maine Coon Need?
If you are thinking about bringing home a Maine Coon of your own you are likely wondering how much space does a Maine Coon need, and do you have room to accommodate one of these extra-large cats?
Maine Coons are larger than other house cats so have unique space needs that we will explain later on in this article.
Maine Coons need a minimum area of 20 square feet of space, but ideally more so they can exercise and play. They need their own safe space to retreat to. They live happily in medium-sized apartments provided owners regularly play with their cats and exercise them via walks outside. Give them a range of cat toys and an extra-large cat tower.
Asking how much space a Maine Coon cat needs, is an incredibly important question that all potential owners must ask themselves, before bringing a Maine Coon into their life.
To ensure you are prepared, read on to get a full picture of the Maine Coons space needs and requirements.
How Much Space Does A Maine Coon Need?
Maine Coons are huge and loving gentle giants that are keen to love and be loved by their human family.
The male of the species is usually larger than the female Maine Coon, though it is still possible to encounter larger than average female Maine Coon cats.
Maine Coon Size
If we take a closer look at the Maine Coon size, we immediately discover that Maine Coon cats are the largest domesticated cat breed in the world.
Generally speaking, these big cats will range between 10-16 inches in height, and once full-sized they will weigh 8-25 lbs.
The average Maine Coon will grow in length to between 19-40 inches long.
Male Maine Coon cats are not thought to grow longer than female Maine Coon cats.
Since these cats are physically larger than the average cat breed, it is logical to assume, therefore, that they need a larger amount of space to live in.
This is especially true if the Maine Coon cat does not have access to an outdoor space where it can roam.
Maine Coon Personality
If we take a look at the Maine Coon cat personality, it is immediately clear that these felines are incredibly playful.
This large cat’s playful nature potentially means an owner will need more space for their Maine Coon cat to play within the home if kept as an indoor cat only.
Cat ‘zoomies’ will also require adequate space!
Territory
This long, broad, and muscular cat breed also loves to stretch its long legs by exploring its home and patrolling its territory.
A Maine Coon cat will consider its territory to be your home and any of your gardens it has access.
Are Maine Coons Indoor Cats?
A large number of owners elect to keep their Maine Coon inside at all times due to a myriad of reasons such as:
- Environmental Dangers
- Crime and Theft
- Poison
- Predators
Many owners (particularly those in the United States) will “cat-proof” their gardens, or purchase catios so that their Maine Coon cats can roam safely outside.
Here are some more reasons why Maine Coon cats should be kept indoors.
Space Requirements
Given all of the factors listed above, how much space does a Maine Coon need?
There is no hard and fast rule with exact square footage but you should consider that an average/small-sized apartment will not be satisfactory on its own.
Ideally, your Maine Coon cat needs a minimum area of 20 square feet that they can run, exercise, explore and play in.
If confined within a small apartment, with limited access to the outside world, a Maine Coon is likely to become quite problematic and extremely unhappy.
Individuals keen to own a Maine Coon, yet living in an apartment will therefore need to be willing to take their cat out for walks, regularly.
Maine Coon space requirements vary from cat to cat but as a rule, they are generally much happier in a medium to a large house with plenty of room to explore.
Maine Coon Accessories
Maine Coons can be quite particular about their wants and needs.
Before owning a Maine Coon, make sure your home has enough space to house a selection of cat accessories, i.e:
- Extra-large cat tree
- Scratching posts
- Multiple Maine Coon cat toys, like these
Be realistic about the space you can make available to a Maine Coon, since this breeds paraphernalia quickly fills up a small home, thus limiting the space a Maine Coon has to roam.
Maine Coon Cat Tips
Before giving up on your dream of living with a Maine Coon cat, however, read on to discover some simple methods of creating extra space within your home.
1. Use Room Height
Installing a cat tree, or cat walkway within your home allows you to use height and depth to create more room for your Maine Coon cat to climb and explore.
2. Cat Toys
Buy a variety of games for your Maine Coon to play with, to help negate their need for ample space.
This is effective as the cat toys will offer your feline mentally stimulating activities to play with.
Fun and games can also tire a cat out and reduce their desire to explore.
3. Walking On A Leash
If you live in a smaller home or apartment, consider taking your Maine Coon cat out for a walk!
Whilst this isn’t the norm in the UK just yet, many owners in the United States are well-versed in walking their cats in the outside world due to the external dangers a free-roaming cat can face.
Spending time outdoors with your Maine Coon regularly will help to prevent your cat from feeling depressed.
4. Quality Time
Spending more time with your Maine Coon cat, at home, will make them feel happier.
Best Maine Coon Cat Tree Options
One of the best ways to reclaim wasted height space within your home is to buy a cat tree.
Maine Coon cat trees are an excellent purchase because this cat breed loves to climb and hide in trees.
Many decades ago the Maine Coon cat breed adapted to live in the wilderness. They became competent at climbing trees when trying to catch birds or hide from predators.
Your Maine Coon will, even if they have never been outside, therefore feel an instinctual need to climb things.
Let’s face it, it is better your Maine Coon climbs a cat tree than your furniture!
Here are three cool Maine Coon cat trees that you might be interested in:
1. Hey Brother Multi Level Cat Tree
We love this particular cat tree for the following reasons:
- Sturdy design with anti-topple features to stop your Maine Coon from tumbling down.
- Heavy enough to support cats jumping on and off of.
- Various perches are suitable for more than one Maine Coon.
2. Feandrea Cat Tree
Here are some reasons why this cat tower is great:
- Multi-tiered cat tree provides room for multiple cats.
- 2 Hidey holes for a cat to play in.
- Heavy enough to allow jumping on and off.
- Scratching posts as support beams.
3. Cat Tree For Large Cats
This cat tree is awesome, because:
- Designed specifically with the Maine Coon cat breed’s size and weight in mind.
- Strong / Heavy-Duty Platform
- Support beam covered with scratch post material.
- Excellent value for money.
- Relatively compact, compared to a huge cat tower
Are Maine Coons Indoor Or Outdoor Cats?
There are a lot of good arguments both for and against Maine Coons being indoor or outdoor cats.
However, it is important to keep in mind that this subject can often become quite heated amongst Maine Coon owners.
Ultimately, it is up to each Maine Coon cat owner whether or not they think a Maine Coon should be an outdoor or indoor cat.
Read on to see the objective facts supporting each side of the argument. Hopefully, by having all the facts, you will be able to make an informed decision.
Indoor Cats
Many people argue that Maine Coons should be indoor cats because they put themselves, and other animals, at risk when they are allowed to roam freely outside.
This viewpoint is not technically wrong since cats kill billions of small animals a year, especially wild birds, and if allowed to roam freely can be devastating to local ecosystems.
Additionally, Maine Coons are at risk of:
- Being hit by cars
- Chased by predators
- Stolen by vile criminals who are aware of how valuable Maine Coons are
- Accidentally ingesting poisonous mice or rats, etc.
Maine Coons are ultimately safer indoors than outdoors, and live longer lives when kept safely within the home.
Outdoor Cats
Owners that allow their cats to roam freely state that it is cruel to keep a Maine Coon cat indoors, with no access to the outside world.
They argue that the Maine Coon cat breed evolved to be proficient outdoor hunters, as a result of having spent many years living in the wilderness of Maine, in the United States.
The Maine Coon cat breed is therefore used to living outdoors and should be allowed to roam freely, as they see fit.
Campaigners on this side of the argument also state that keeping a Maine Coon cat indoors goes against their instincts.
How Big Does The Average Maine Coon Get?
If you are wondering how big does the average Maine Coon get, keep in mind that the Maine Coon cat breed has an average weight range of 8 – 25 lbs.
Whilst the female of the species tends to be smaller than the male Maine Coon, it is entirely possible to own a large Maine Coon cat that is bigger than a small Maine Coon male!
Owners across the world are eager to find out if they will own the biggest Maine Coon cat, ever!
So, how can I tell how big my Maine Coon will get? Read on to find out!
1. Male Vs Female Maine Coon
The first factor you have to consider is gender.
Generally speaking, a male Maine Coon will grow bigger than a female Maine Coon cat.
To put this into perspective, the male Maine Coon can grow almost twice as big as a female Maine Coon cat!
A male Maine Coon might reach as tall as 16 inches tall, and between 19-40 inches long while a female is more likely to grow to roughly 10 inches tall and 19-40 inches long.
The male Maine Coon is also likely to be twice as heavy as a female since many female Maine Coons weigh between 8-12 pounds while males are closer to 15-25 lbs.
2. Cats Parents
Ask the Maine Coon cat breeder to show you the kitten’s parents, or at least one of them.
This will give you a good idea as to how your Maine Coon kitten’s size, temperament, and coloring will look as they mature.
It is always advised to meet one, or preferably both, of the parents when you adopt your Maine Coon.
Paws
Additionally, you may also find that you can get a good idea about how big a Maine Coon kitten may grow by looking at the size of their paws.
The bigger the paws, the bigger the cat (in theory!).
9-10 Month Size
The majority of a Maine Coons growth is done by the time the kitten reaches 9-10 months old.
At 9-10 months old, measure your Maine Coon kitten and compare their size, at this age, with that of the expected sizing for a Maine Coon kitten.
If your kitten is roughly 5-7% bigger than a normal 9-10 month-old Maine Coon kitten, it is possible that it may also grow to be 5-7% bigger than a fully grown Maine Coon cat!
This theory is not absolute, therefore owners will ultimately need to wait for their Maine Coon to reach 5 years old before they can 100% establish their Maine Coons full-size dimensions.
What we do know, however, is that after 9-10 months old, Maine Coon kittens tend to only gain a few more pounds over the next 4-5 years. They do not get much taller or longer.
Does A Maine Coon Need More Space Than Humans?
One of my readers once asked me this, and I decided to share the answer with you since it is an excellent question, with a surprising answer!
The truth is that humans require far less room to be “comfortable” and “happy” than a Maine Coon does.
This is due to a few reasons:
- People can come and go as they please. Maine Coons cannot.
- Humans do not need to stretch their legs in the same way that Maine Coon cats do.
The majority of humans do not feel the desire to patrol their property boundaries constantly and explore their territory as Maine Coon cats do.
If you live in a small apartment, it is recommended that you adopt a cat breed that is less demanding in terms of space, rather than a Maine Coon cat.
Maine Coons require more space, naturally as they are larger, but also because they are not as far removed from their wild ancestors as many other domestic cat breeds are.
How Much Exercise Does A Maine Coon Need?
Maine Coons need about 30 minutes of playtime a day, but this can be broken up into small bursts if you are short on time.
Play time needs to constitute running around, chasing a ball or attacking a feather duster, etc.
Some Maine Coon cats can be lazier than other cat breeds. Therefore, to keep your cat mentally stimulation you may need to encourage your less-than-enthusiastic Maine Coon to play.
It is your job as their owner and carer to make sure they are exercising and do not become overweight.
There are several good ways to make sure your Maine Coon is getting 30 minutes of exercise a day, that doesn’t require a lot of space in your home, including:
Laser Pointer
A laser pointer is excellent for ensuring your Maine Coon is getting enough exercise.
It is easy for you, too, as you can contribute to the game whilst sitting on the couch!
Chasing A Ball
Chasing a ball is always a winner with Maine Coons.
They are not exactly the best at bringing the ball back to you, though, if you didn’t teach them this Maine Coon trick whilst they were still kittens.
Going For A Walk
Your Maine Coon will love going on a walk with you!
While wearing a harness, of course, it is incredibly safe for your Maine Coon cat to freely explore the world in ways that they might not have, otherwise.
String Toys
String toys never seem to get boring for cats and the Maine Coon is no different in this regard.
String toys help emulate the process of catching prey which can provide mental stimulation as well as physical.
How Much Do Maine Coon Cats Cost?
Maine Coon cats are very expensive if you plan on purchasing a Maine Coon kitten from a registered Maine Coon cat breed.
Their initial purchase cost plays a big part in the reason why many people do not like the idea of them being outdoor cats.
The table below shows a breakdown of how much Maine Coons might cost, based on their age and history:
Maine Coon | Average Cost ($) |
---|---|
Purebred Maine Coon Kitten | 1,000 – 2,500 |
Adult Maine Coon | 400 – 1,500 |
Shelter Maine Coon | 250 – 500 |
Ex-Breeding Maine Coon | 750 – 1,000 |
It is not the Maine Coon cat’s fault that they’re expensive.
However, their high purchase fee and lovable friendly nature make them prime targets for unscrupulous members of society looking to steal them, and then sell on.
How Long Can A Maine Coon Be Left Alone?
Maine Coons are incredibly social beings and they do not like being left on their own.
However, it isn’t exactly plausible for you to adopt a Maine Coon and then never be apart from them, even for a moment.
So, how long can Maine Coon cats be left alone?
The general rule of thumb is that an adult Maine Coon can be left alone for roughly 6-8 hours at most.
Others say 10 hours, but that is only possible if your Maine Coon has tons of toys, loads of room to explore in your home, and another pet to keep them company.
Best Cats For Apartments
Maine Coons are not well suited to living in apartments, since apartments tend to be smaller and offer them less space to roam, plus no garden to play in.
If you live in an apartment and would love to own a Maine Coon, you will need to commit to walking your Maine Coon cat outside, daily to ensure they have access to a larger world.
You will also need to keep in mind that Maine Coon cat toys and extra-large cat trees also take up a lot of space!
However, just because a Maine Coon isn’t necessarily the right fit for you and your apartment, does not mean that all cats are out of the picture.
So which cats are well suited to apartment living?
Here’s a list of cat breeds suited to living in an apartment:
- American Shorthair
- British Shorthair
- Ragdoll
- Russian Blue
- Scottish Fold
- Persian
- Sphynx
Conclusion
So in answer to the question of how much space does a Maine Coon need, you will find that they need a decent amount of room to explore and roam around.
If space is an issue for you, there are some things you can do to improve your Maine Coons well being regardless of the size of your home, which may help your Maine Coon feel more comfortable.
For example, why not spend more time with your Maine Coon cat, playing games?
You can also provide them with a large cat tree and a variety of cat toys that can help keep them mentally stimulated.
Related Questions
Maine Coon Poop Size
Maine Coon poops should be about 4-6 inches in length, about twice a day. Though there are no firm rules about the frequency or size of their movements that you should concern yourself with. So long as they are going often and it seems healthy.
What Do Maine Coon Cats Eat?
Maine Coons should eat a variety of foods but primarily protein. Maine Coons are obligate carnivores meaning their diet should consist of about 70% protein. Maine Coons do best on a diet that emulates their natural diet.