the maine coon, reviewed

The Maine Coon is the friendliest giant in the cat world. It is enormous, gloriously shaggy, and devoted enough to trail you from room to room like a very large, very furry shadow. It scores well on my card, and it earns every point. Here is the honest review of one of the most beloved breeds there is.

what is a maine coon

The Maine Coon is a natural breed, meaning it developed on its own rather than being engineered by breeders, in the cold north-east of the United States, where its size, dense coat, and hardy build were shaped by hard winters. It is one of the oldest native breeds in North America and the official state cat of Maine, wrapped in enough folklore, including a charming and biologically impossible tale about raccoons, to fill a small book. What matters is the animal it produced: big, robust, weatherproof, and remarkably good-natured.

the gentle giant

Size is the first thing anyone notices, and it is not exaggerated. Maine Coons are among the largest domestic cats, with big males reaching weights that genuinely surprise people, long bodies, substantial bone, and a slow march to full size that takes years rather than months. This is a cat you can feel the heft of when it settles on your lap, which it will, without asking. Yet for all the bulk, the defining trait is gentleness. The Maine Coon carries its size with an easy, unbothered calm, which is exactly why the gentle giant label has stuck.

the coat and the look

Then there is the fur, and it is magnificent, which my card reflects with a fluffiness score few breeds will touch. The coat is long, thick, and shaggy rather than silky, built to shed water and hold warmth, with a lion-like ruff around the neck, a gloriously bushy tail, and tufts sprouting from the ears and between the toes. The overall effect is a cat that looks like it belongs in a forest, ruling it. Brown tabby is the classic colouring, but the breed comes in a wide range. It is, frankly, a hard cat not to stare at, and it knows it.

temperament: the dog of cats

Here is where the Maine Coon wins hearts and loses a little on my gremlin score, which is not a criticism so much as a description. This is a sociable, people-oriented cat, affectionate without being clingy, playful well into adulthood, and famously dog-like: many will follow you room to room, greet you at the door, learn to play fetch, and even take an interest in water. They tend to be excellent with children, other cats, and dogs, and they communicate in a distinctive chirping, trilling voice rather than a demanding yowl. In short, the Maine Coon is easy company, which is high praise from a cat who prefers his own. It scores low on gremlin factor because chaos is simply not its style, and if you want a serene, friendly giant rather than a feral little agent of mayhem, that is the point.

care and health, the honest part

No review is complete without the drawbacks, and the Maine Coon has real ones. That spectacular coat needs proper, regular grooming, several times a week, to prevent mats and tangles, so a Maine Coon is a commitment of time as well as space, and it is not a low-maintenance cat. The size means a big appetite and, in some homes, a need for sturdier furniture and larger everything.

More importantly, like many pedigree breeds the Maine Coon carries some inherited health risks worth knowing. It is predisposed to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a heart condition, as well as hip dysplasia and a genetic condition affecting the spinal muscles, among others. Responsible breeders screen their cats for these, which is exactly why buying from a reputable, health-testing breeder, or adopting and keeping up with vet care, matters so much with this breed. A healthy, well-bred Maine Coon is a wonderful cat. A carelessly bred one can inherit trouble.

is a maine coon right for you

If you want a large, affectionate, sociable cat that will genuinely engage with your household, gets on with children and other pets, and does not mind a bit of dog-like devotion, the Maine Coon is close to ideal, and forgiving enough to suit first-time owners. What you must bring in return is the grooming time its coat demands, the space its size prefers, and the commitment to proper veterinary care given its health profile. Meet those, and you get one of the most rewarding cats going.

the chairman's verdict

Eighty-eight out of a hundred, and grudgingly earned. The Maine Coon loses a few points only for being so agreeable that it lacks the edge of menace I personally admire, but it makes up the ground on sheer fluff, presence, and the rare feline talent for being genuinely pleasant to live with. A magnificent animal, and one of the few large cats I would allow to share my territory, briefly, under supervision. High marks. Do the grooming.

Related reading from my desk: more breeds in the cat breeds guide, plus why does my cat like boxes for the big-cat, big-box problem.

Scores are the Chairman's opinion, offered in good fun. For real advice on a Maine Coon's health, grooming, or whether the breed suits you, speak to a reputable breeder, a rescue, or your vet. I am a cat with opinions, not a veterinarian.