12 Things To Expect From A Maine Coon Kitten
Maine Coon kittens are sweet, funny, goofy, and sometimes quite the handful!
If you are wondering what to expect from a Maine Coon kitten, as opposed to other domestic cat breeds, take a look at some of the surprising facts below.
What To Expect From A Maine Coon Kitten
Maine Coon kittens are extremely intelligent, and highly sociable felines. They love playing and getting into mischief. They crave human companionship and should not be left alone for more than 1-2 hours. Kittens need love, patience, and continued socialization with normal household noises, commotion, and other pets.
Over the last couple of decades, Maine Coons have seen a steep increase in popularity, particularly in the US who rank them as the third most popular cat breed!
Whilst kittens of all cat breeds can be a handful, new owners are often not prepared for owning a Maine Coon kitten. Is this any surprise considering their higher-than-average intelligence and never-ending playful nature?
To help potential owners get a better understanding of the breed, here are 12 things to expect from a Maine Coon kitten:
1. Slow Growth Rate
Maine Coons are known for growing pretty darn big! Their full-size ranges between 12-22 pounds, depending on age, gender, genetics, etc.
90% of their growth occurs between the ages of 9 – 12 months old, but they will not be fully developed until they reach 3-5 years old.
This breed’s iconic tufted chests, mane, and tufted paws start to develop around 9 months old and may not stop growing until they have matured at roughly 2 years.
If you are interested in keeping a Maine Coon growth chart, here’s how you do it.
2. Maine Coon Temperament
If you are looking for an even-tempered, mild-mannered, lovely young playful kitten, then Maine Coons are the right breed for you.
As with any other kitten though, be aware that right after you bring home your kitten you will likely notice they are prone to bouts of craziness and a case of the zoomies!
The level of playful antics that you witness in your Maine Coon kitten, however, is likely to be more than that of a ‘normal’ moggy kitten.
Maine Coons have a gentle nature and are warm and loving by nature. This is characteristic of the breed and displayed from a young age.
3. Trainability
Maine Coons are one of the only domestic cat breeds that can be truly trained.
There are many cat breeds that people claim are “trainable” and while this may be true they do not compare to the Maine Coon.
Maine Coons are highly intelligent and dog-like in many ways which means you will be able to ask, and receive, a lot from your Maine Coon.
If you are wondering how to train your Maine Coon there is a ton of great information in this blog post I wrote.
Training a Maine Coon kitten requires ample patience and excellent utilization of positive reinforcement, plus a consistent training schedule.
4. Playfulness
Maine Coons are very playful and need roughly 30 minutes of playtime every day to feel content.
Whilst kittens require about the same amount of playtime, the more time you spend playing with your kitten, the happier they will be both now and as an adult (source 1).
These are my favorite Maine Coon cat toys.
5. Grooming Requirements
These cats should be groomed 2-3 times per week, or more if your cat’s fur is prone to tangles. A good brushing session incorporates these cat brushes, and potentially even some nail clipping.
Owners should groom their Maine Coon kittens regularly, so their kitten grows used to being handled and brushed. Brushing is a great way to build a bond with your kitten.
6. Good With Other Pets
Maine Coons are great with other pets. They are wonderful with dogs and cats alike and even adapt well to more unusual pets that may have free roam of the house.
However, your kitten will not get on well with small rodents living in your home, e.g. mice or birds because the Maine Coon prey drive will be activated and they will instinctively decide to hunt and kill their prey.
On a different note, Maine Coons are prone to loneliness and happier if there is another cat in the house. Especially if it is another Maine Coon!
However, not all cat breeds are receptive to welcoming a Maine Coon into their home, as they may have stronger territorial traits.
These cats are not known for being hugely territorial, though existing cats might be. Therefore, we strongly recommend you introduce your Maine Coon kitten slowly and carefully into a household where other pets (particularly cats) live.
Socializing between your Maine Coon kitten and other animals is excellent for their mental well-being later in life (source 1,2).
7. Family Friendly
A Maine Coon kitten craves human companionship and you will quickly discover that they want to be where you are, watching what you are doing.
You can also expect your kitten to follow you everywhere throughout your home. Here’s why.
If you are looking for a lap cat that’s great with kids, the Maine Coon might not be the perfect choice for you as you cannot guarantee your kitten will enjoy being a lapcat.
One survey of Maine Coon owners in America concluded that roughly 33.3% of this breed were lap cats, and 33.3% were not!
The final 33.3% sat in the middle somewhere, sometimes liking to sit on their owner’s laps, and at other times preferring to sit next to them.
8. Eating Habits
Maine Coons enjoy a diet high in protein, low in carbs, with a moderate amount of healthy fats and fatty acids. You can read more about what to feed a Maine Coon kitten in this post I wrote.
It is important to track the Maine Coon kitten growth stages to ensure they are receiving the proper type and quantity of food.
Never overfeed your kitten as this cat breed is prone to obesity.
If you are wondering how to make your Maine Coon kitten grow big, read this.
9. Vaccinations And Flea Treatments
Maine Coon kittens are normally vaccinated around the 9-12 week mark. These vaccinations help protect them from the dangers of the outside world and are vitally important to keep your kitten in a healthy state.
Whether or not your Maine Coon has been vaccinated is something you need to discuss with your breeder.
10. Declawing
Teaching your kitten what is acceptable to scratch, and what is not, is a natural part of growing up for all kittens. If you are thinking of declawing your Maine Coon kitten or cat to eliminate the issue of scratched furniture, PLEASE DON’T!!
The act of declawing has been banned in many countries and states.
Declawing is not only cruel and painful for your cat but can be damaging to their mental health because a declawed Maine Coon is left in pain and feels unable to protect itself or hunt.
Instead of making your Maine Coon undergo such a serious medical procedure, owners should invest in a good-solid scratching post, or extra-large cat tree.
Train your kitten to scratch a scratching post rather than the furniture.
11. Letting Your Cat Outside
Whether a Maine Coon cat should be allowed outside to roam freely, or not, has become a highly emotive subject.
One group argues it’s cruel to stop your cat from exploring the outside world and providing them with room to roam. The other group argues these cats are a danger to other animals and local wildlife. Cats are ruthless hunters, after all.
Whether you decide your cat is an outdoor or indoor cat, keep in mind that young kittens should not roam freely because they’re not capable of looking after themselves, and might be hunted as ‘prey’ by large predators.
Criminals would love to steal your free-roaming Maine Coon kitten off the street. Even older Maine Coons command a high price tag, so always be vigilant.
As a final note, many breeder contracts (particularly in the US, and increasingly in the UK) determine whether or not the Maine Coon kitten is allowed to be an outdoor cat, or not.
Read the full argument relating to whether Maine Coon cats can go outside, in this article.
12. Lifespan
This cat breed’s lifespan is between 12-15 years, compared to up to 20 years for a ‘normal’ cat breed.
