Whether you’re looking to add a Maine Coon to your home or to add a dog when you already have a Maine Coon, you need to ensure you’re not creating problems by putting the two animals together.
Fortunately for you, Maine Coons generally get along great with dogs, but it’s important to remember that they’re only half of the equation. We’ve highlighted everything you need to know below, and we’ve come up with some tips you should follow anytime you’re introducing a cat and a dog for the first time.
Do Maine Coons Get Along With Dogs?
While Maine Coons typically get along with dogs just fine because of their docile and loving nature, they’re only one part of the interaction. The half you’ll need to focus on is the dog. Dogs that are incessant and won’t leave a cat alone aren’t a good fit, even if the cat does have a docile temperament.
Moreover, dogs with strong herding instincts don’t get along great with cats as they try to chase them around the home. In short, if you have a Maine Coon, they usually won’t be the problem, but that doesn’t mean you can pair them with any dog out there!
The 6 Tips for Introducing Your Maine Coon to Dogs
Just because you shouldn’t have any issues introducing a Maine Coon to a dog doesn’t mean you want to take it for granted. With that in mind, we’ve highlighted several tips you should follow to help ensure a smooth integration between your Maine Coon and your cat.
While we understand the temptation to just try and introduce your dog to your Maine Coon right away and see how it goes, one bad interaction can be extremely challenging to overcome. Because of this, we highly recommend starting out slowly.
This means taking it one step at a time and allowing both your Maine Coon and your dog to fully adjust before moving on to the next phase!
2. Introduce Scents
Before you introduce your dog and your cat directly to each other, we recommend introducing them to each other’s scents and getting comfortable with that first. To do this, simply leave both pets in separate rooms for a set amount of time, then switch the pets.
This gives them time to explore the scent of the other animal and get comfortable with that before they meet each other for the first time.
3. Teach Basic Commands
This is something that’s much easier to teach the dog simply because they’re usually a bit more compliant. But having the ability to get a quick recall, to get them to sit, or to stop barking can go a long way for a smooth interaction.
It’ll depend on the individual dog for how long this training takes, but most dogs can master these basic commands in 2 or 3 weeks if you work at it consistently.
4. Give Them Their Own Space
When your pets start to feel a bit overwhelmed with each other, it will go a long way if they have somewhere they can get away. While it’s not always the easiest to set up, if you take the time to find the perfect locations for each pet, it can help ensure a smooth introduction.
5. Monitor Interactions
No matter how you expect the interaction to go, you need to keep a close eye on it. Not only is this for the first interaction between the two animals, but it’s for all their interactions for a while. It doesn’t take long for things to go south, so monitor the interactions so you can step in before things get to that point if you need to.
6. Stay Vigilant
It’s really easy to let down your guard when things are going well, but just because things are going well now doesn’t mean they always will. Because of this, you need to keep your guard up and stay vigilant when your Maine Coon is interacting with your dog.
It might be a bit more work, but if it stops a bad interaction from happening, it’s more than worth it.
Final Thoughts
If you already have a Maine Coon and you want to get a dog, you’re in luck. Maine Coons generally get along great with dogs, especially if you take the time to introduce them properly. But don’t take it for granted! Take your time with the introductions and ensure you get the right type of dog that won’t try to terrorize your cat and create problems for everyone.
Maine Coons generally get along great with dogs, especially if you take the time to introduce them properly. But don't take it for granted! Take your time with the introductions and ensure you get the right type of dog that won't try to terrorize your cat and create problems for everyone.
Due to their friendly and unfazed nature, Maine Coons and dogs will generally get along fine, but care should be exercised when: Introducing a new dog to the household. Bringing a Maine Coon home to a house with a dog.
Here are some basic steps for introducing a cat and a dog:
Start with very short exposure (less than a minute) and gradually prolong the duration of the sessions. Next, let them see each other at a distance, through a barrier like a strong gate or a screen door. A double barrier is recommended at first.
Family friendly – Maine Coons are super sweet. They love a good nap on a lap, but they aren't highly demanding of your time and attention. Generally speaking, Maine Coons are not flustered by dogs, strangers, children, or other animals. They're one cool, collected breed.
Cat breeds like the Siamese, the Maine Coon and the Russian Blue are very smart due to their headstrong nature, making them susceptible to training. Cats can be trained to act like dogs, teaching them how to fetch, perform tricks, and come when you call their name.
They aren't aggressive at all unless of course they feel threatened and need to defend themselves but even then, it can be relatively tame compared to other cats. This is another reason they are a popular cat for families as the children get to enjoy the cuddly fun cat without fear of getting scratched or bitten.
Don't use either animal's sanctuary area. Keep the first few sessions short and calm. Keep the dog on a leash and let the cat come and go as he wishes. Do not restrain either pet in your arms, as injury could result if either pet behaves aggressively.
Introducing a dog and cat may take a couple of weeks to a few months, depending on your individual pets. Always monitor your pets for signs of fear, anxiety, or stress, and progress at a rate they are comfortable with. A positive reinforcement-based trainer can help you introduce the pets if you're feeling overwhelmed.
As Maine Coons can be more prone to heart conditions than other breeds, so it's always best to have regular vet checkups to stay on top of any health issues. Maine Coons take a while to warm up to their new home, and can be skittish around new people.
They include hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hip dysplasia and spinal muscular atrophy. Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy is the most common form of heart disease in cats, and it has been diagnosed in Maine Coons. It causes enlargement (hypertrophy) of the heart muscle.
Generally, the Maine Coon gets on with everyone (including well behaved dogs), is calm and robust enough to deal with usual family life, and is largely tolerant with children - although as with any cat, younger children need to be taught to respect an animal who has such impressive sharp bits!
I would not expect him to sit, or lie down, though it's possible. Those, along with stay, are more easily taught to dogs. You'll want to do fun things with your Maine Coon cat - for fun, not for obedience. That is the big difference between training cats and training dogs!
As is true with many other cat breeds, Maine Coons will follow you around if they love you — they just want to be near you! And yes, the “slow blink” sign applies here, too; if they're doing this in your direction, you've earned their love.
Many Maine Coon owners enjoy walking their cat on leash, and the best time to start is when they are young. Our cats have all but forgotten about going out. Alice sometimes tries to sneak over if it's left open, but that's it. In the dead of winter, we let them on the back deck in the snow (it's covered)!
Maine Coons are excellent hunters with a strong prey drive. If they're left alone in a garden, there's a good chance that they'll hunt down and kill rodents, mice, or birds.
Territorial behaviour and aggression: Your Maine Coon may become territorial and aggressive, especially if there are other animals in your home or they haven't been introduced to other cats before.
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