If you are keen to own a large cat, start your search by looking at the Maine Coon cat breed. As the largest domesticated cat breed in the world, the Maine Coon size certainly won’t disappoint!
But what is the average weight of a Maine Coon cat, I hear you ask?
The average weight of a Maine Coon cat varies from 8-25 lbs. Larger Maine Coons tend to be males, with a weight ranging from 15-25 lbs (6.8 – 11.3 kg). The average female Maine Coon weighs between 8-12 lbs (3.6-5.4 kg). A Maine Coon cat’s weight is dependent upon their gender, genetics, and whether they are a purebred Maine Coon, or have a mixed lineage.
The Maine Coons friendly, loving and docile nature also makes them ideal pets to own (especially for beginners).
Therefore, if you are new to this particular cat breed, keep reading to find out what is the average weight of a Maine Coon cat, and what factors impact how large a Maine Coon grows.
Read on if you are keen to discover the average weight range of a Maine Coon cat.
Average Maine Coon Weight
There seems to be a lot of debate across the internet in regards to what is the average weight of a Maine Coon cat.
This can be somewhat confusing for individuals less familiar with the breed.
So, to simplify the answer, I have created the table below which shows the average Maine Coon weight, for male and female Maine Coons:
| Male | Female |
|---|---|
| 15 – 25 lbs | 8 – 12 lbs |
| 6.8 – 11.3 kgs | 3.6 – 5.4 kgs |
Of A Maine Coon Cat?
If you look at the table above, you can see that the average weight of a Maine Coon cat varies.
In general, the male Maine Coon will be far larger than their female counterparts.
However, if you are planning on buying a female Maine Coon because you think they will grow smaller in size, don’t forget that an average figure is only a number expressing the central or typical value set of data.
What this means, is that there will be ample Maine Coons that fall below or above the average female Maine Coon weight range.
Don’t believe websites that report the male Maine Coon average weight to be between 13 – 18 lbs (5.9 – 8.2 kg).
Although these ranges are roughly within the actual weight range, you are far more likely to find a fit and healthy male Maine coon weighing between 15-25 lbs!
Ultimately, the Maine Coon cat’s slow growth rate means that you will not discover your Maine Coons full adult weight until their reach between 3-5 years of age.
As an example, here is a picture of our full-grown 8-year-old Maine Coon cat. We call him ‘Pippin’, a.k.a. ‘Pipsteroo’ and ‘Pippikins’!
Check out Pippin’s Youtube channel where he displays his many characteristics, quirky personality, and talents.
He weighs approximately 20 lbs, so a big boy, but definitely not the biggest Maine Coon that I have met!
I used to think our cat was big until I came across these Maine Coon cats on the internet. These cats might be gentle giants, but they are also the biggest cats in the WORLD!!
How Much Do Maine Coon Kittens Weigh?
I often get asked by my readers how heavy their Maine Coon kitten should be.
The simple answer is that every cat is different so there is really no right or wrong answer to this question.
Instead, owners should ensure that their kitten is fed a high protein diet, a grain-free diet.
Only foods specifically formulated with the Maine Coon kitten dietary requirements in mind should be eaten.
Failure to feed a Maine Coon kitten the correct diet may result in a kitten that is smaller in weight and size.
The table below details the approximate Maine Coon kitten weights in kgs and lbs, for their first year (source 1).
Don’t forget that Maine Coons continue to grow after their 1st birthday, and do not reach their full physical maturity until between 3-5 years of age.
| Maine Coon Age | Male Kitten | Female Kitten |
|---|---|---|
| Newborn | 90 – 170 g (0.19 – 0.37 lb) | 90 – 150 g (0.19 – 0.33 lb) |
| 1 Week | 190 – 290 g (0.41 – 0.63 lb) | 160 to 260 g (0.35 – 0.57 lb) |
| 2 Weeks | 290 – 430 g (0.63 – 0.94 lb) | 280 – 410 g (0.61 – 0.90 lb) |
| 3 Weeks | 430 – 600 g (0.94 – 1.32 lb) | 410 – 550 g (0.90 – 1.21 lb) |
| 1 Month | 620 – 820 g (1.36 – 1.80 lb) | 550 – 740 g (1.21 – 1.63 lb) |
| 2 Months | 1.1 – 1.6 kg (2.42 – 3.52 lb) | 1 – 1.4 kg (2.20 – 3.08 lb) |
| 3 Months | 1.7 – 2.4 kg (3.74 – 5.29 lb) | 1.5 – 2.3 kg (3.30 – 5.07 lb) |
| 4 Months | 2.9 – 3.8 kg (6.39 – 8.37 lb) | 2.5 – 3.5 kg (5.51 – 7.71 lb) |
| 5 Months | 3.3 – 5.5 kg (7.27 – 12.1 lb) | 2.7 – 4.2 kg (5.95 – 9.25 lb) |
| 6 Months | 3.4 – 6 kg (7.49 – 13.22 lb) | 3.1 – 4.3 kg (6.83 – 9.47 lb) |
| 7 Months | 4.1 – 6.5 kg (9.03 – 14.33 lb) | 3.3 – 4.6 kg (7.27 – 10.14 lb) |
| 8 Months | 4.4 – 6.9 kg (9.7 – 15.22 lb) | 3.7 – 5 kg (8.15 – 11.02 lb) |
| 9 Months | 5 – 7 kg (12.56 – 15.43 lb) | 4.1 – 5.2 kg (9.03 – 11.46 lb) |
| 10 Months | 5.1 – 7.8 kg (11.24 – 17.19 lb) | 4 – 5.5 kg (8.81 – 12.12 lb) |
| 11 Months | 5.5 – 8 kg (12.12 – 17.63 lb) | 4.3 – 6 kg (9.47 – 13.22 lb) |
| 12 Months | 5.8 – 9 kg (12.78 – 19.84 lb) | 4.5 – 6.5 kg (9.92 – 14.33 lb) |
Please note that the weights in the table above are average figures.
Therefore, do not start panicking if your kitten does not follow the average kitten’s weight exactly.
As long as they are increasing in weight, month by month, there shouldn’t be an issue.
However, a Maine Coon kitten increasingly falling behind these average weight figures should be assessed by a veterinary professional, to check for an underlying health issue.
In general, a healthy Maine Coon kitten will put on roughly 1 pound a month (0.45 kg) between the ages of 3 – 7 months of ages.
This figure may fluctuate from month to month, depending upon when the kitten’s growth spurts take place.
Therefore, don’t be surprised if your kitten’s weight gain isn’t a smooth line upwards on your Maine Coon weight chart.
Instead, be prepared to see a leveling out of weight across some months, followed by a spike upwards in weight during other months.
For example, a Maine Coon kitten may only put on 0.5 lbs (0.23 kg) during one month, but then increase by 2.5 lbs (1.13 kgs) across the next month!
How To Make A Maine Coon Grow Big
There is no way of making your Maine Coon cat grow into a very large cat.
Put simply, they either will or won’t! However, if this is something that you are interested in then maximize your chances of success by taking note of the following points:
- Kittens parent size
- Gender
- Genetics
- Mixed or Purebred
Keep reading to find out why these factors matter …
a. Kittens Parent Size
When buying a Maine Coon kitten make sure that you take a good look at the kitten’s parents.
Although this plan is far from foolproof, there is a chance that should the kitten’s parents be of extra-large proportions, then the kitten you are viewing might also grow into a larger Maine Coon cat.
b. Gender
Although some female Maine Coons will grow large, in general, the male Maine Coon tends to have a higher average weight than their female counterpart.
c. Genetics
A Maine Coons size depends upon the genetics that they inherit.
Without genetic testing, there is no clear way to determine or guess whether the kitten you purchase will grow into a heavier Maine Coon, or not.
d. Mixed or Purebred
When you purchase a Maine Coon kitten you can choose between a purebred, or a mixed breed Maine Coon.
Purebred cats are almost always more expensive and have a higher chance of displaying the characteristics linked to the Maine Coon breed i.e:
- Large physical frame
- Friendly nature
- Lynx-like tips
By comparison, a mixed breed Maine Coon might only present a few of those traits.
Individuals buying a mixed breed Maine Coon might be disappointed to learn that their cat will not definitely grow into the large cat they had hoped for.
This is simply because their genetics have been mixed with a different cat breed. Ultimately, it will depend upon which cat breeds genetics are dominant within the kitten.
To put this concept into perspective, I created the following image which compares the average size and weight of a normal cat, versus a Maine Coon.
As you can see, if the normal cat weight genetics are predominant in your mixed Maine Coon kitten, then they may only reach 4-5kg in weight, rather than 11.3 kg:
Biggest Maine Coon
Not all Maine Coon cats conform to the average Maine Coon weight.
A great example of this is a cat named ‘Stewie’, who was listed in the 2010 Guinness World Records for being the longest Maine Coon cat in history.
Whilst his staggering 48.5 inches in length doesn’t automatically mean that he weighed more than an average male Maine Coon, it does make it considerably more likely.
However, in the case of Stewie, he weighed a monstrous 33lbs (15kg). I don’t know about you, but in my opinion this Maine Coon has literally smashed the average Maine Coon weight range!
You might be interested to learn more about Stewie’s diet at this point.
However, there really isn’t much to tell since his owners report that no special diet was followed at all.
In reality, the cat just grew heavier and heavier as the years went by.
Since this record was set other owners have entered their large Maine Coon cats for the title of ‘longest cat of its breed’.
To date, none have been successful. However, this helps to prove that the Maine Coon cat can definitely weigh in at far more than the average 25 lbs!
Conclusion
As you can see, when answering the question: ‘what is the average weight of a Maine Coon cat’, there are a variety of factors to consider.
In particular, the kitten’s parents, gender, genetics, and pedigree status all play a part in the ultimate size of your adorable Maine Coon cat.
Ultimately, it doesn’t matter whether your cat grows into an extremely large cat, or only reaches the minimum average Maine Coon weight.
This is because once you have experienced this friendly cat breed, you will not be able to imagine life without your furry feline friend.