What Do Maine Coon Cats Hunt? Prey & Hunting Instincts

Maine Coon cats can hunt mice, rats, voles, birds, young rabbits, insects, and other small animals, but their desire to hunt varies enormously from one cat to another.

I’ve seen both extremes after more than 14 years of Maine Coon ownership. Our first Maine Coon, Pippin, was a hunter through and through. It made absolutely no difference that he had plenty of good food available at home. He hunted rabbits, rats, and mice, chased birds, and regularly brought evidence of his nighttime activities back to the house.

Sometimes we’d find a dead animal outside. Other mornings we’d open the utility-room door and discover something much worse: wet internal remains from whatever he’d caught during the night. It was revolting, and frequently made us gag!

By comparison, our current Maine Coons, Mika and Bali, have shown almost no interest in hunting mammals or birds. Their main targets are moths, butterflies, and the occasional spider. Mika even has the bizarre habit of punching and stamping spiders into the floor before simply walking away. He never eats them. Before Mika, I had never encountered a cat that appeared to punch its prey!

Their completely different behavior has convinced me that there isn’t one typical “Maine Coon hunting personality”.

What Do Maine Coons Hunt Most Often?

There isn’t a large scientific study showing that pedigree Maine Coons hunt a uniquely different range of animals from other domestic cats. So I wouldn’t claim that Maine Coons specifically catch 40% mice, 20% birds, or any other breed-specific figure when that data simply doesn’t exist.

What we do have is extensive research into domestic cats generally. A large study involving more than 5,000 pet cats recorded over 36,000 prey animals and found that mammals accounted for around 68% of catches brought home, birds around 21%, and reptiles a smaller proportion. That makes small mammals the most likely prey for an outdoor cat.

For a Maine Coon, potential prey includes:

• Mice and voles
• Rats
• Young rabbits
• Birds
• Moths and butterflies
• Spiders and other small invertebrates
• Occasionally other small animals available locally.

Individual personality, opportunity, and environment probably matter far more than breed alone.

Mice, Voles And Other Small Rodents

Small rodents are classic feline prey. They are small enough for a cat to overpower relatively easily, move in ways that trigger a cat’s chase response, and are widely available in many environments.

Maine Coons also have a long historical reputation as mousers. The Cat Fanciers’ Association’s history of the Maine Coon describes the breed’s ancestors as practical working cats valued for their rodent-catching ability. Pippin certainly lived up to that reputation. Mice were regular targets, even though there was never any nutritional reason for him to catch them.

If you’re interested in the difference between what they hunt and how capable they are at hunting, I’ve covered that separately in my guide explaining whether Maine Coons are good hunters.

Larger Prey: Rats And Rabbits

Some confident cats will attempt considerably larger prey.

Pippin caught rats as well as mice. Rats can defend themselves and are potentially dangerous prey, so I wouldn’t assume every Maine Coon will hunt them simply because Maine Coons are large cats. Pippin was unusually confident outdoors.

Mika and Bali couldn’t be more different. Despite living in an environment where small mammals exist, neither brother has shown any real inclination to go looking for rats or mice.

Pippin And The Baby Rabbit

Pippin also hunted rabbits. One particular incident remains impossible to forget. We came into the kitchen and discovered a terrified baby rabbit backed into a corner. Pippin had presumably brought it indoors alive. We then had to rescue it.

Unfortunately, the rabbit had no way of knowing that the humans trying to catch it were actually attempting to help, so getting it safely out of the kitchen became quite a struggle. Eventually we managed to release it outside.

That experience also illustrates an important point about feline hunting: catching an animal doesn’t necessarily mean immediately killing and eating it. Cats may catch, carry, release, play with, or abandon prey.

Birds

Birds are another common target for domestic cats. Research into cat predation consistently finds birds forming a substantial minority of recorded catches, although mammals tend to dominate overall. Their fluttering, hopping, and sudden movements are extremely effective at triggering predatory behavior. And this is where even Mika and Bali reveal that the hunting instinct is still present.

When Birds Hit Our Windows

Our house is effectively a bit of a fishbowl, with many floor-to-ceiling windows. Unfortunately, birds occasionally mistake the glass for open space and fly into it. The moment we hear the distinctive thud against the glass, it becomes a race against time. All three cats would immediately react! We make sure the external doors remain closed and prevent the cats from reaching the bird while it sits outside recovering from the shock.

Pippin was the biggest concern because of his hunting history, but Mika and Bali react too. It’s fascinating because these are two cats that ordinarily couldn’t care less about hunting wildlife. A stunned or fluttering bird outside can still instantly activate something very different.

If a bird has actually been caught by a cat, rather than simply hitting a window, professional wildlife advice is sensible because apparently minor cat bites and scratches can cause serious infection.

Moths, Butterflies And Spiders

This is where Mika and Bali become enthusiastic hunters. Both are particularly partial to moth hunting at dusk. They stalk them, chase them, and pounce on them, and quite often they’ll eat the moth afterward. Not always, though. Sometimes capturing it seems to be the entire point.

Butterflies that accidentally enter the house receive similar attention. The butterfly will be desperately fluttering around, apparently failing to realize it only needs to fly back through the open door, while two enormous Maine Coons decide that an exciting new game has arrived. If they catch one, they may eat it. But again, it often feels much more like instinctive play than obtaining food.

Mika The Spider Puncher

Then there’s Mika’s approach to spiders. He doesn’t really stalk them. He punches them! He sees one, walks over, hits or stamps it into the floor, and then simply walks off. He never eats it. 😂

After years of owning cats, I’d seen stalking, chasing, batting, and pouncing. Mika was the first cat I’d ever seen apparently decide that the correct hunting technique was simply to punch the spider and leave. As funny as it looks, it demonstrates something important. The instinct to detect movement, chase, or strike isn’t necessarily the same thing as wanting to eat the animal afterward.

Why Do Well-Fed Maine Coons Still Hunt?

Because cats don’t hunt solely because they’re hungry. This is probably the biggest misconception about feline hunting. Pippin had plenty of food. He wasn’t going out because we had failed to feed him. He hunted because Pippin loved hunting.

Cats Protection similarly explains that feeding a cat doesn’t necessarily remove the motivation to hunt because predatory behavior is instinctive rather than simply a response to hunger. This helps explain why owners sometimes become confused when their cat kills something immediately after eating dinner.

The sequence of watch → stalk → chase → pounce → catch can be rewarding in itself. Pippin showed the extreme end of that behavior. Mika and Bali demonstrate the opposite. They have similar opportunities to hunt, yet have never developed anything remotely like his enthusiasm for catching mammals. For the brothers, that predatory sequence mostly appears when an insect starts flying around the house.

Why Did Pippin Bring Dead Animals Home?

We always referred to the animals Pippin left near the house as his “gifts”. He was the only one of our three Maine Coons who regularly did it. Most of the time, he’d leave his catch outside. Occasionally, however, he decided the utility-room floor was a better location. Opening that door first thing in the morning therefore became something of a gamble.

The popular idea is that cats bring prey home because they’re generously feeding their humans. That’s probably giving us too much credit.

Cats Protection’s explanation of why cats bring home mice and other prey points instead to the security of the home environment. The cat catches prey elsewhere and then returns to a familiar, safe area where it can handle or consume it without competing with another predator. That explanation makes considerably more sense for Pippin.

Unfortunately, sometimes what he brought home wasn’t even a recognizable animal. We’d occasionally find what appeared to be guts or other internal remains on the patio or in the utility room. Those discoveries were particularly disgusting.

Cats don’t always eat an entire animal, so remnants of prey may simply be abandoned once the cat has finished with the parts it wants. Perfectly normal cat behavior. Still horrible at 7 a.m!

Are Maine Coons Better Hunters Than Other Cats?

Maine Coons certainly have characteristics that could help them hunt effectively.

They are:

• Muscular
• Powerful
• Agile despite their size
• Intelligent
• Patient
• Equipped with excellent feline hearing and vision.

Their historical reputation as working mousers is also well documented. However, I haven’t found convincing research showing that Maine Coons consistently hunt more successfully or more frequently than other domestic cats. So I wouldn’t make that claim.

Our own cats demonstrate why:

• Pippin: rabbits, rats, mice, and birds.
• Mika: moths, butterflies, and spider punching.
• Bali: predominantly moths and butterflies.

Same breed. Completely different behavior.

Do Indoor Maine Coons Still Hunt?

Yes, but the “prey” may simply be toys, insects, or moving objects.

Indoor cats still perform the same basic predatory behaviors:

• Watching
• Stalking
• Chasing
• Pouncing
• Grabbing.

That’s one reason interactive play is so valuable. Rather than trying to eliminate those natural behaviors, owners can redirect them toward safe targets. Wand toys, moving toys, balls, and food puzzles can all give an indoor Maine Coon opportunities to stalk and capture something.

My guide to keeping a Maine Coon entertained contains more enrichment ideas, while my article on whether Maine Coons make good indoor cats covers the wider indoor-versus-outdoor considerations.

How Can You Reduce A Maine Coon’s Hunting?

You probably can’t completely remove the underlying instinct, but you can reduce the number of opportunities a cat has to kill wildlife.

One particularly interesting study published in Current Biology tested practical interventions with free-roaming pet cats. Providing 5-10 minutes of daily object play reduced the number of animals cats brought home by around 25%. That makes sense. Interactive play gives the cat somewhere else to perform part of the hunting sequence.

Useful measures include:

• Giving your cat daily interactive hunting-style play;
• Limiting unsupervised outdoor access, particularly around dawn and dusk;
• Providing a secure catio or enclosed garden;
• Keeping bird feeders away from places where cats can hide and ambush birds;
• Supervising outdoor time where practical.

What is appropriate will depend heavily on the individual cat. Pippin clearly required far more wildlife management than Mika or Bali.

Can Hunting Be Dangerous For A Maine Coon?

Yes. Natural behavior isn’t necessarily harmless behavior.

Cats that hunt can be exposed to:

• Parasites: Cats can acquire worms and other parasites from eating prey.
• Injury: Rats and other animals can bite or scratch back.
• Poisons: A cat may potentially encounter rodents exposed to rodenticides.
• Disease: Wildlife can carry infectious organisms.

If your Maine Coon regularly catches or eats prey, discuss appropriate parasite prevention and other risks with your veterinarian.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do Maine Coons Hunt Mice And Rats?

Some do. Small rodents are common prey for domestic cats, and Maine Coons historically had a reputation as effective mousers. Pippin regularly caught mice and also hunted rats. Mika and Bali have never shown comparable interest.

Do Maine Coons Hunt Rabbits?

They can, particularly smaller or younger rabbits. Pippin hunted rabbits and once brought a live baby rabbit into our kitchen, which we eventually managed to release.

Why Does My Maine Coon Hunt When It Has Plenty Of Food?

Because hunting is not motivated purely by hunger. Predatory behavior is instinctive, so a well-fed cat can still be highly motivated to watch, stalk, chase, and catch prey. Pippin was a perfect example.

Do All Maine Coons Have A Strong Prey Drive?

No. Pippin was an exceptionally enthusiastic hunter, whereas Mika and Bali have shown almost no interest in hunting mammals. Their main targets are insects. Breed can influence behavior, but individual personality matters enormously.

Final Thoughts

So, what do Maine Coon cats hunt? Potentially mice, rats, voles, rabbits, birds, moths, butterflies, and other small animals, depending on the cat and what lives in its environment.

But the biggest thing I’ve learned from owning three Maine Coons is that there is no single Maine Coon hunting personality. Pippin was a hunter through and through. Feeding him properly didn’t stop it. Rabbits, rats, mice, and birds were all potential targets, and the less glamorous part of living with him involved occasionally discovering dead animals, or their revolting internal remains, outside the house or on the utility-room floor.

He was also the only one of our cats who routinely brought his catches home. Mika and Bali couldn’t be more different. They largely ignore wildlife outdoors. Give them a moth at dusk, a confused butterfly trapped indoors or, in Mika’s case, a spider in need of a good punching, and their predatory instincts suddenly appear. For them, hunting seems much more like the irresistible game of chase and capture than finding something to eat.

Yet all three cats immediately react when a bird hits one of our windows. That is perhaps the clearest reminder that a cat doesn’t have to become a serious hunter like Pippin for the underlying instinct to remain.

You can feed the cat, give it a sofa, a water fountain and a warm bed, and it may never become a prolific hunter. But the instinct to watch, chase, and pounce can still appear the moment something small starts moving.