How long is the lifespan of a maine coon cat?
The “textbook answer” is that the average Maine Coon lifespan is 12-15 years. Naturally, we all want our beloved Coonies to live as long as possible. It's not uncommon for a Coonie to be posted in our Photo Galleries who is 15, 18 or even 20+ years old!
The Maine Coon Cat and the Norwegian Forest Cat are both hardy, but they have key differences. The average life span is 12.5 to 15 years.
Common Health Issues
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.
Burmese. The official record of the oldest living cat holder is a 35-year-old Burmese cat. Of course, most Burmese cats don't live that long. The average lifespan of Burmese cats is 18 to 25 years and that is certainly much longer than most cats.
She lived to be a staggering 27 years old! While this is an impressive record, it's not the oldest cat who ever lived. The Guinness Book of World grants that honor to a Maine Coon named Creme Puff. She was born in 1967 and died in 2005, surviving to the ripe old age of 38.
Your job is to train them to stay safe. Most Maine Coon kittens will calm down after around 6 months, but you should be careful that they don't come to any harm in the interim.
What is the life expectancy of a Maine Coon cat? According to vets and feline experts, most gentle giants live about 13–15 years. Many Maine Coon cat parents question the validity of this data since their Maine Coons live past 20 years of age.
A Maine Coon's bone structure is also heavier than that of most cats. Genetics play a role in the Maine Coon's size and the cat's northern heritage may also be a factor.
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.
What are Maine Coons weaknesses?
Often they wish they'd known what problems the breed was prone to have. The potential health problems that Maine Coons are prone to include: Hip dysplasia – an abnormality of the hip joints causing lameness in the hind legs which can make walking difficult.
One of the major Maine Coon characteristics is that they're a very intelligent breed. The breed is known for being able to figure out puzzles, knowing how to open doors, playing fetch, and getting into trouble. Vocalization is another common trait of the breed, and some can be very loud.
PROS | CONS |
---|---|
Not a shedder | Plenty of grooming required |
Very affectionate | Needy |
Family friendly | Expensive to buy/maintain |
Healthy | Needs expensive food |
Research published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery in 2015 found that, similar to many animals, including humans, female cats live longer than males on average. The UK study found that female cats had an average life expectancy of 15 years compared to a still impressive 13 years for male cats.
- Snuggle Up for Quality Time. You can show your cat love by simply spending time with them. ...
- Set Aside Time to Play. ...
- Provide a Safe Perch. ...
- Give Them a Place to Scratch. ...
- Spoil Them With Treats and Training. ...
- Go Wild With Catnip. ...
- Focus on Grooming. ...
- Learn Their Language.
- Exotic Shorthair. 8-11 years.
- Burmilla. 7-12 years.
- Maine Coon. 9-13 years.
- Scottish Fold. 12-14 years.
- Himalayan. 9-15 years.
- Sphynx. 9-15 years.
- Ragdoll. 9-15 years.
- Devon Rex. 9-15 years.
Genetic testing suggests the Maine Coon is a descendant of both the Norwegian Forest cat and a mysterious extinct domestic breed, so it's likely the Vikings are responsible. As for how Maine Coons got their names, one theory involves Captain Charles Coon, a British sea captain who kept long-haired cats aboard his ship.
The breed was popular in cat shows in the late 19th century, but its existence became threatened when long-haired breeds from overseas were introduced in the early 20th century. The Maine Coon has since made a comeback, in 2020 becoming the third most popular pedigree cat breed in the world.
Decide beforehand how much you are willing to spend on your Maine Coon and which color coat you may be interested in before speaking with a responsible breeder. Purebred Maine Coon kittens will cost anywhere between $1,000 – $2,000. The high price makes choosing the right breeder essential.
Typical Maine Coon traits
While they're generally an active and energetic breed, Maine Coons still like to sleep a lot, and you'll find them napping for up to 16 hours a day. They're usually active at dawn and dusk.
Do you let Maine Coon cats out?
Are Maine Coons good house cats? Due to the Maine Coons fairly laid back personality, they can be kept as either indoor or outdoor cats. Many Maine Coon owners prefer to keep them indoors however, as they are a very coveted breed and they have been known to get stolen when left to go outside alone.
Maine Coon cats are cats much like others. They learn during kittenhood to cuddle for safety and warmth. Indeed your cat's personality and temperament is largely formed during kittenhood (but we can add life experiences as a factor as the animal grows up), so a cat's likelihood to cuddle forms then.
Maine Coon's love water
Maine Coon's are strong swimmers and enjoy playing with water, often seen licking from leaking taps and patting their water bowl. It certainly makes bath time easy!
Pet Helpful lists several reasons why your cat is inappropriately peeing outside of their litter box including UTIs, kidney infections or stones, bacterial infections, diabetes, old age, and pain. Your cat could have a urinary tract infection (UTI), which is very common.
Breed | Weight (pounds) | Length (inches) |
---|---|---|
Maine Coon | 10 - 25 | 19 - 32 |
Average Cat | 8 - 11 | 18 |
Turkish Angora | 7 - 10 | 14 - 16 |
Norwegian Forest Cat | 9 - 20 | 12 - 18 |
References
- https://spotpetins.com/blog/cat-tips/how-much-does-a-maine-coon-cost
- https://www.dutch.com/blogs/cats/maine-coon
- https://a-z-animals.com/blog/cats-with-the-shortest-lifespan/
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- https://www.quora.com/Why-are-Maine-Coon-cats-so-big-compared-to-other-cats
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- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Maine_Coon
- https://www.untamedcatfood.com/blogs/cat-breeds/maine-coon
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- https://www.cats.org.uk/cats-blog/should-i-get-a-male-or-female-cat
- https://www.dailypaws.com/cats-kittens/cat-breeds/maine-coon
- https://scrumbles.co.uk/blogs/guides/do-you-have-room-for-a-maine-coon
- https://www.pdsa.org.uk/pet-help-and-advice/looking-after-your-pet/kittens-cats/maine-coon
- https://www.woofpurnayvet.com.au/7-giant-facts-about-maine-coon-cats
- https://www.cattownoakland.org/cat-town-blog/2020/01/maine-coon