Maine Coon Care Guide
Everything we tell our own kitten families about living with a Maine Coon: what to buy before pickup day, how to handle the first two weeks, grooming, health conditions to know about, and what changes as they grow.
Before your kitten comes home
None of this is expensive, and having it ready means pickup day is about the kitten rather than a trip to the pet shop.
The first two weeks at home
Keep the first fortnight boring on purpose. Everything else can wait.
Start in one room
Give your kitten food, water, a litter box and somewhere to hide. One room is not unkind, it is less overwhelming. Open up the rest of the house gradually over a few days as they get confident.
Do not change food right away
A new home is already a big change, and switching diet at the same time is the fastest route to an upset stomach. If you want to change food later, do it slowly over a week or two.
Book a check-up
See your own vet in the first week so they can confirm everything looks right and plan the rest of the vaccination schedule.
Grooming a Maine Coon
The coat is long but it does not mat as easily as a Persian coat. For most cats a brush two or three times a week is enough.
Start grooming early, while they are small and think it is a game. A cat who was never brushed as a kitten and now weighs 17 pounds is a different proposition.
Keep nails clipped. Check ears. Brush teeth if your cat will allow it, and start young.
Feeding, weight and lifespan
They grow slowly
Maine Coons keep filling out until they are three to five years old. That means they look lanky for a long time, which is normal.
Feed the cat in front of you
Rather than the size you expect them to become. Keep an eye on body condition rather than the number on the scale.
12 to 15 years
With good care that is the usual range. Keep up annual vet visits, watch weight, and watch for changes in breathing or energy as they get older.
Health conditions to know about
Maine Coons are generally sturdy cats, but the breed has a few inherited conditions worth understanding before you buy from anyone.
Before you buy from any Maine Coon breeder, including us, ask what the parents were tested for and ask to see the results.
This is the most useful question you can ask, and a breeder who avoids it has answered it. You can see what we test our own cats for.
Everyday life with a Maine Coon
- Social without being demandingMost want to be near you rather than on you, and many will meet you at the door.
- They chirp and trillMore than they meow. It is one of the first things new owners notice.
- Good with the householdUsually patient with children, and they get along with dogs that are calm around cats.
- They get boredGive them daily play, something to climb and something to shred that is not your sofa. A bored Maine Coon invents a hobby and you may not like it.
Questions we are happy to answer
If something here does not cover your situation, ask us. We answer questions from our kitten families for the life of the cat, and we are glad to answer yours before you have even chosen one.