Maine Coon Size
A Maine Coons size is dependent upon the cat’s genetics, diet, and health. Female Maine Coons are usually smaller than males.
The average male Maine Coon weighs between 18-22 lbs, whereas a full-size female Maine Coons will weigh 12-15 lbs.
Adult Maine Coons have long bodies that range between 19-40 inches in length, and 8 – 16 inches in height.
How Big Will My Maine Coon Get?
Maine Coons are one of the oldest natural cat breeds in the United States, thought to have originated in the state of Maine. Weighing up to 22 lbs in weight and a body length of 40 inches, this cat breed quickly became famous for its massive size!
Unlike normal cat breeds, the Maine Coon grows very slowly, not reaching full-size adult proportions until 3-5 years of age.
Despite their slow growth rate, these big-boned, muscular cats still reach a Maine Coon cat size that dwarfs a regular house cat! Look at the infographic below to see why!
According to TICA, an adult purebred Maine Coon male has a healthy weight range of 18 – 22 lbs.
By comparison, the fully grown female Maine Coon cat size is slightly smaller, between 12 – 15 lbs.
Maine Coon Size
The table below compares the average Maine Coon size of an adult male and female from this cat breed and indicates how big a full-grown Maine Coon grows.
| Average Maine Coon Size | Male | Female |
| Length (inches) | 19-40 | 19-40 |
| Height (inches) | 10-16 | 8-14 |
| Weight (lbs) | 18-22 | 12-15 |
As you can see both male and female Maine Coons range between 19 – 40 inches in length. Their gender size differences only become apparent when comparing their height and weight.
According to TICA, the average Maine Coon weight range of a healthy full-grown male is 18-22 lbs, whereas a female Maine Coon’s weight sits around 12-15lbs.
A slight size difference is also apparent between the genders when we consider the Maine Coon height. However, there is a notable cross-over in adult cat heights.
Despite their impressive size a female Maine Coon will grow to between 8-14 inches, whereas the male Maine Coon height is 10-16 inches.
Whilst these figures can vary substantially, a cat’s adult weight varies depending upon the following factors:
Longest Maine Coon Cat
A Maine Coon cat named Stewie is listed in the 2010 Guinness Book Of Records after winning the title of ‘Longest Domestic Cat In The World’ and ‘Longest Cat Of His Breed’.
A cat’s length is calculated by measuring from the tip of the cat’s nose to the tip of its tail.
Stewie reached 48.5 inches (123.19 cm) long and is officially the biggest Maine Coon cat on record. According to the records, his tail alone measured a gigantic 16 inches!
Stewie also weighed a massive 33 lbs (15 kg)!
According to his owners, no special diet was followed, and no unusual breeding methods were taken to influence the size of his growth. He just didn’t stop growing!
Here are some more Giant Maine Coon cats!
Why Do Maine Coons Grow So Big?
There is no single conclusive reason why Maine Coon cats tend to grow bigger than the average house cat, and this is partly a result of their mysterious heritage.
Known as the dog of the cat world, these majestic felines’ large size is likely the result of the following factors:
- Genetics
- Evolution
- Selective Breeding
- Health
- Diet
- Slow Growth Rate
1. Genetics
A Maine Coon cat’s genetics help explain why the Maine Coon size is far larger than regular cats.
If the tales of a long-haired cat having mated with a Norwegian Forest Cat are true, then the Maine Coon is a direct descendant of the Norwegian Forest Cat breed!
Since Norwegian Forest Cats are one of the largest breeds of domestic cats, this means their offspring would also be genetically predisposed to growing bigger than a normal cat.
2. Evolution
Early generations of the Maine Coon cat breed survived in the wildness and cold winters of Maine in the United States, without any human intervention.
Natural selection would have ensured that only the fittest, and strongest Maine Coons were able to survive living in the state’s cold climate.
The hardy healthy Maine Coon cat breed that we know today would have been forced to physically evolve in the following ways, to survive:
- Wider Paws
- Fluffy tufts on their ears
- Tufts of fur on their paws
- Thicker fur
- Bushy Tails
They would also have had to become adept at hunting live prey.
The stronger and more evolved Maine Coons would have bred and passed their more resilient genetics and DNA onto their kittens.
3. Selective Breeding
Although the Maine Coon is one of the oldest natural American cat breeds, this does not mean they’ve not been selectively bred at some point.
Breeders will have selected the most desirable traits from their Maine Coons, and actively bred certain features in or out of the gene pool.
4. Health
Natural breeding led to a more hardy cat breed where the gene pool was not diluted by the health issues of other cat breeds.
This is an important factor in why Maine Coon cats grow bigger than normal cats since healthy strong cats can grow bigger.
The health problems Maine Coons face today are as follows:
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Hip Dysplasia
- Polycystic Kidney Disease
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
5. Diet
Maine Coons are obligate carnivores, so require high levels of protein in their diet.
Consuming lots of protein helps the Maine Coon cat’s muscular body frame develop, and gives Maine Coons the energy they need to hunt and play.
A malnourished Maine Coon will not develop to its full Maine Coon size potential. These cats are often labeled the runt of the cat litter.
If you suspect your Maine Coon is too skinny, This Might Be Their Issue.
6. Slow Growth Rate
Although a Maine Coon kitten will usually be slightly larger than a normal kitten size, they will ultimately physically grow at a far slower pace than the average house cat.
This is because Maine Coon growth stages are far slower than normal cats, despite the fact they grow rapidly for the first 10 months of their lives!
After 10 months of age, a Maine Coons growth spurt stages slow down and your Maine Coon will grow slowly until they reach full-size between 3-5 years of age.
The slow rate of growth of this cat breed is a key reason why they grow so big since it enables the cat’s skeleton and muscles to grow bigger and stronger than normal cats.
Maine Coon Size Myths
This popular breed is one of the oldest natural breeds in North America and is much-loved for its mysterious heritage. It is even the official State Cat Of Maine!
Many cat specialists think the Maine Coon cat’s origins hold clues as to why this breed of cat is so large. So, here are three folktales that will help you to decide:
1. Domestic Cat and Raccoon
For many years folk have claimed that Maine Coon cats originate from the mating between a raccoon, and a semi-wild domestic cat.
This myth was widespread and popular but is now deemed biologically impossible by scientists.
The folktale originally gained momentum due to the many physical similarities between Maine Coons and raccoons, e.g.:
- Brown tabby coloring
- Great hunting skills
- Love of water
- Bushy Tail
2. Marie Antoinette
The second myth relates to Marie Antoinette, the former Queen of France.
History tells of her desperate attempt to flee France during the French Revolution with her six Turkish Angora cats, on a ship headed to the United States led by Captain Samuel Clough.
Despite the captain’s help, she did not make it safely to the United States and was executed in 1793. Her cats, however, arrived safely in Wiscasset, Maine.
It is thought that these six long-haired cats bred with the short-haired domestic cats resident in Maine, resulting in the Maine Coon cat breed.
This myth would explain where the Maine Coon got its thick fur from, but not why they grow to be so large, since Turkish Angora cats are smaller than Maine Coons.
3. Ship Cats
Historically, cats were often kept on ships to help control the mice population.
The most likely myth, therefore, is that these overseas long-haired ship cats were Angora types, or Norwegian Forest Cats, and mated with pre-existing short-haired domestic cats.
Male Vs Female Growth
Male Maine Coons tend to grow larger than their female counterparts, ranging between 18-22 lbs in weight, compared to a female Maine Coon’s 12-15 lbs.
Despite their weight difference, both male and female Maine Coons grow to between 19-40 inches.
There is a level of crossover between the average Maine Coon size of males and females, therefore it is possible for a female Maine Coon to be bigger than a male.
Maine Coon kittens typically experience rapid growth during their first year of life.
They can double or triple their birth weight within the first few weeks and continue to grow steadily until they reach their full adult size.
During adolescence, Maine Coon cats experience several growth spurts. These typically occur around:
- 4-6 months
- 8-10 months
- 12-18 months
Each growth spurt phase may last for several weeks to a few months, during which the cat’s body grows rapidly in height and size.
Maine Coon cats typically reach their full height by the age of 3 to 5 years old. However, individual cats may vary, and some may continue to grow slightly beyond this age.
