Maine Coons vs normal cats — what are the differences? Maine Coons are a special cat breed, but how do they compare to other felines?
The experience owning and living with a majestic Maine Coon vs a normal cat can be broken down into a few sections. Let’s waste no time and get into what those points are compared to a regular cat.
Maine Coons vs Normal Cat Size
Let’s get the obvious out of the way — the size of a Maine Coon is probably the most noticeable thing about the breed versus a normal house cat.
They are dramatically big compared to a typical house cat! Like every body part is thicker, fuller, covered with more and thicker fur! Nature is wonderful, really.
(And it’s probably a factor that drew you to it. It’s okay, we all want miniature tigers walking around our house. I know I did.)
Weight and Height
A normal house cat averages less than 10 pounds and probably won’t reach 10 inches in height. That’s less than a ruler on the ground!
The average Maine Coon weighs 18 pounds and reaches 10–16 inches tall. Yeah, they start where other cats end and are double the weight!
And it’s the average, meaning a significant portion will be larger. About 25 pounds is the high end!
Compared to a normal cat, the overall impression when you look at the Maine Coon is massive.
The Gentle Giant
But for all that size, a Maine Coon is never fearsome, never intimidating. It doesn’t even cross their mind to use it to their advantage.
Your plus sized buddy is a real “Gentle Giant,” with a distinct “meow” so high pitched and tiny you wonder if you heard it correct.
Compared that to a normal house cat’s solid, strong “meow.”
The contrast is wonderful and is the icing on the cake that is a Maine Coon’s size compared to regular cats.
If you want the chance of the largest Maine Coon, select a male kitten as they grow up to be larger than female on average.
(Of course, each cat is an individual, so this is not guaranteed!)
Personality of the Maine Coon vs Regular Cats
The personality is the best thing about a Maine Coon vs a regular cat, if I am being honest.
Despite the cat’s size attracting all the attention initially, what really gets you to stay is their wonderful and companionable personality!
Commonly agreed upon descriptions of the Maine Coon temperament includes traits like people-oriented, friendly, engaging, calm, and outgoing.
Last note before we get into it — I am speaking in generalities. Maine Coons, like all cats, are individual living creatures with distinct personalities.
If you want to read more on Maine Coon personality and personality types, check out my full posts on them!
The Famous Maine Coon Temperament
These are wonderfully chill, relaxed, and non-neurotic cats.
Maine Coons make great family pets for their adaptability with babies, kids, other pets and so on.
Purebreed Maine Coons are show cats, you know. And used to being poked, prodded, and handled by strangers.
Even if you don’t show your animal, this temperament is still very apparent! Patient, docile, and gentle are a few words that come to mind.
Now versus a regular normal cat — scaredy 🐈’s that bolt at the first sign of anything, and are always ready with a paw or bite if handled wrong.
How Are Maine Coon Cats Different?
Maine Coons are different because of their awesome sociability. They like people. No… more like, they love people and have to be around people.
They follow owners around the house, and settle down by them. They investigate anything the owner is up to and doing.
Some of their favorite past times include such unorthodox activities:
- supervising your work to ensure quality
- watching you on the toilet or attempting to join you in the shower
- chilling in the sink
- playing fetch
Highly trainable and a real clever breed of cat, they are real bros and homegirls that join their human and really contribute to the relationship!
They don’t just like their owners, they like most other humans as well!
A typical Maine Coon is found in a crowded living room, holding court with their audience and photobombing Instagram posts!
Or working that magnetic personality at a second job in senior living facilities, mental health institutions, or hospitals as therapy cats.
Are Maine Coon Cats Hard to Take Care Of?
If the above sounds the Maine Coon cat is high maintenance, no worries!
A purebred pedigreed Maine Coon from a proper breeder is non-neurotic and free of issues like separation or anxiety versus a normal cat.
This is because all good breeders and catteries put the goodwill of their kittens first, with socialization and exposure to normal life a part of their formative early years.
Compared to a regular cat you adopt from a shelter with no papers and mysterious past, Maine Coons are less likely to be high maintenance.
Are Maine Coon Cats Good House Cats?
So, while the Maine Coon loves to hang out with their human all day, if you need to go to work or leave for the day, they are fine as a house cat.
Don’t let those melancholy long looks out the window fool you, your Maine Coon is happy as a clam indoors — as long as their owner provides:
- Exercise
- Space to call their own, like a cat tree
- Intellectual Stimulation
- A connection to the outside
- Love and caring!
But let’s say you see the hashtag #adventurecat all over social media, with owners taking their cats walking …
Making you wonder if it’s alright to keep your little killer indoors.
Actually, most of those cats (including lots of Maine Coons) are mostly indoor cats, able to only wander outside on a leash and harness.
And of course, it is social media, so everyone see’s the results (cats outside walking) and not the work…
What work? I mean the long, sometimes difficult training leash and harness training. It’s not natural for a cat anymore, even one as wild-looking at the Maine Coon!
Physical Features of Maine Coons Compared to Regular Cats
The Maine Coon breed of cat has so many extraordinary physical features compared to regular cats. They’re just winning accolades effortlessly!
Their Color
Maine Coons come in more than 75 different color and pattern combos, but none that are specific to the breed.
Meaning colors like orange, black, or silver with tabby patterns are common. All the typical colors and patterns a cat can be, the Maine Coon can be as well.
Coat
A Maine Coon’s long haired coat is a defining characteristic of the breed compared to a regular cat’s.
Their fur is super fine, like silk, and is actually 2 layers: the coat, and the undercoat. The coats are waterproof and built for playing around in the snow!
And despite appearances, grooming isn’t difficult with the right tools and brushes.
The fur is naturally longer around the neck and chest area (the ruff, or mane), on the shanks and ribs, belly, and behind their legs.
Regular cats definitely do not have this permanent winter coat.
Ears
From the top… a Maine Coon’s ears are wide, large, and pointed with lynx tips and tufts of fur in the ear. Basically built in earmuffs!
Eyes
A Maine Coon’s eyes vs a normal cat’s is very distinct. Their eyes are big and beautiful and range from amber to gold to green, and everything in between. My silver Maine Coon has bright expressive eyes.
Whiskers
Next up are the whiskers, the longest of any domestic cat breed! Besides looking cool, they are basically antennae helping these big cats navigate in the dark or tight areas.
Last thing here is the actual shape of the head. This is a giveaway in seeing if your large cat is a Maine Coon or another breed (like a Norwegian Forest Cat or just mixed)
The face is pretty wide with a square muzzle, solid chin, and high cheekbones. Regular cats tend to have a triangular face shape, in comparison.
Fur Tufts
These are extra long patches of fur in various places on a Maine Coon’s body deemed necessary by Mother Nature.
They can be found sprouting from the ears and from plus sized paws and feet. As mentioned above, they act as earmuffs and snowshoes for a life in the cold.
Tail
That luxurious tail is another huge differentiator between Maine Coons and regular cats. Super fluffy and long, it can be used as a scarf or blanket.
Most of the time, that tail is flipped up while walking around the house. It’s like a flag, really. Waving back and forth majestically in the air.
A regular cat’s tail in comparison kind of looks like a thin noodle now.
What’s really cool is that these plus-sized features of Maine Coons make them attractive to manly men.
Price of Maine Coon vs Normal Cats
No need to sugar coat it, the price of a Maine Coon vs normal cats is many multiples more.
A domestic shorthair cat is a friend you can adopt today for small fee of $50 — $100 from a humane society or shelter. You can even look on Facebook and Craigslist.
Versus looking for a Maine Coon cat for sale, which includes:
- Finding a good CFA accredited breeder in your local area, online or at cat shows
- Vetting them and maybe even visiting the cattery
- Checking if they have any active litters
- Placing your name on a waitlist for future litters
Then paying between $800 — $2000 for a Maine Coon kitten. The price can even be higher if the kitten is considered “show-quality” versus “pet quality.”
See my full post on choosing a breeder for much more details.
Adopting Adult Maine Coons
As you speak to breeders, you may find out they have adult Maine Coons ready to be adopted.
Breeders do this to give retired breeding cats a chance to be pets in their later years, and to switch up the breeding pool in their operation.
Or something happened and they just ended up with an additional adult.
Whatever the case, know that the price of adult Maine Coons is often much less than a kitten. If you want to go this route, you are an angel and deserve the sweetest Maine Coon!
Maine Coon vs Norwegian Forest Cat
Of course, the Maine Coon is not the only large, fluffy, long haired cat with a thick tail. The Norwegian Forest Cat or Norkst Skoggcat is similar cat breed.
They are quite similar physically, except for their head shapes — a Maine Coon has a wide and square face, while a Norwegian Forest Cat has a longer muzzle. Its eyes and nose form a triangle.
Some believe the “Wegie” is an ancestor to the Maine Coon. They come from Norway and Scandinavia, and probably hung out with the Vikings as they sailed to the New World.
Landing in America, they bred with local long haired cats and over time the Maine Coon breed developed.
Maine Coon vs Bobcat
Is the Maine Coon related to the bobcat? The uneven shaggy cat of a Maine Coon looks quite wild. In conjunction with their dramatic size and head shape, it begs the comparison.
But no, Maine Coons are 100% domestic house cat, while the bobcat is a wild lynx. No relation besides being in the cat family.
In terms of size, Maine Coons can actually be bigger than small bobcats. Male Maine Coons are 18–25 pounds, with females coming in at 10–16 pounds. Bobcats weigh about 15–40 pounds.
So if you take your Maine Coon outside walking, take care because people do mistake them for bobcats!
What Makes Maine Coon Cats Special?
Almost everything about the experience is unique with Maine Coon vs normal cats!
From first impressions regarding their size and weight, all the way to the personality and cost of a Maine Coon kitten…
These things all just seem bigger, versus a regular cat — literally and figuratively.
I hope this was informative and helped you appreciate the key differences in Maine Coons vs normal cats.
For more in-depth Maine Coon coverage, visit Maine Coon Hawaii’s guides!
About the Author
Gary Hu with Mainecoonhawaii.com is helping cat parents with common questions and issues. Advice and stories come from real experience as an owner, and provide actionable information on what to do if your cat is dealing with something.
