The Maine Coon is the largest domestic breed in the world, equally popular in all states among cat lovers.
It’s widely recognized by its large size, strong build, and thick fur. Are these characteristics awesome? Yes, of course they are! But, are they the main reason why Maine Coon fascinates so many people? Not exactly.
An even better thing about this breed is its temperament. The Maine Coon is known as gentle and affectionate, and even resembles a dog with ist behavior and attitude.
Let’s learn more about Maine Coon temperament and personality and all traits that make this cat impossible to resist.
1. Sociability
Maine Coons are highly sociable. You shouldn’t expect this cat to seek alone time too often. Most probably, you’ll see her following you all around.
This sociable nature makes Maine Coons great companions for people of all ages, including children. Furthermore, these cats might live nicely with other pets, too, especially when they’re introduced to them from an early age.
Maine Coons thrive on attention and interaction, therefore, they will enjoy living with a family that has plenty of time to spend on playing with her.
This breed is so sociable that it might get on well with even strangers! This means your cat won’t mind you having guests over often.
2. Intelligence
This large cat is also highly intelligent, which is a trait that any cat owner who would like to teach his furry companion some tricks, will enjoy.
This is one of the reasons why a Maine Coon resembles a dog, since cats are usually unwilling to learn commands, or pleasing their owners.
Of course, it’s not an easy task to teach a cat something – not even an intelligent cat like the Maine Coon! You’ll need to use positive reinforcement here.
According to the Humane Society of Huron Valley, this means rewarding a certain behavior – if you want to see your cat repeating it. The main motivation for most cats is food, so, prepare some tasty treats for your Maine Coon!
Teaching your Maine Coon some tricks and commands isn’t just about showing off in front of your guests about your super intelligent cat.
This is also essential for your cat’s mental stimulation, since smart felines like Maine Coons require different tasks, activities, and challenges to remain happy and healthy.
You can see one beautiful Maine Coon performing some tricks in the video below.
3. Affectionateness
This is a trait that Maine Coons are probably best known for.
This cat is simply crazy over her owners! Still, this doesn't mean that a Maine Coon is a lap cat. Most probably, she won’t appreciate you trying to hold you.
Instead, she’ll show her affection towards you in different ways, such as spending most of her time being close to you, headbutting you, following you around, or sleeping on your pillow.
Furthermore, your Maine Coon is likely to want to be involved in every activity you engage in. Some may even go so far as to mimic your behavior!
4. Loyalty
These large cats are known to be extremely loyal.
Many of them will get especially attached to a single person. This will usually be the person who brings them food and spends most of the time with them.
If a Maine Coon chooses you as her person, you can expect her to follow you around and eagerly wait for you at the front door to come back home.
This isn’t a typical clingy cat, but, if you’re looking to find a cat with a strong loyalty trait, the Maine Coon is one of the best choices possible.
5. High Activity Levels
Despite their large size, Maine Coons don't belong to the group of lazy cats. Quite the opposite, actually. They’re very active and need different physical exercises to be satisfied.
Therefore, together with mental enrichment, your Maine Coon will also need to get physical stimulation on a daily basis.
Regular movement will help your Maine Coon work off all the extra energy she has. WebMD suggests how it’s important that you play with your cat for around 10 to 15 minutes at a time.
For your cat not to get bored, you should often introduce new toys. What your Maine Coon is likely to enjoy most is toys that allow her to use her claws and teeth, as they are natural hunters!
Of course, your Maine Coon will love tall cat trees and wide scratching posts as well.
There is also a chance you’ll teach your cat how to walk on a leash, so you might enjoy sharing activities such as hiking with her!
6. Patience
Another awesome thing about Maine Coons is their patience.
This means they’re very tolerant and can easily adapt to almost any living situation. This also means that a Maine Coon is a great cat to have around children.
Furthermore, a Maine Coon isn’t likely to be overly demanding, and won’t always try to get things her own way.
What Are Some Downsides Of Maine Coons?
Considering the previously mentioned traits, it seems hard to imagine that a Maine Coon even has any downsides!
Well, nothing is perfect, not even this furry beauty. Living with a Maine Coon can have some challenges, and you should be aware of them to determine whether you want to share your living space with this large cat.
For example, this cat’s size and activity levels will require her to have a lot of space. This might not suit people living in smaller apartments.
If a Maine Coon doesn’t have enough space, or lacks physical and mental stimulation, it might maifest behavioral problems.
Also, this cat is so loving, friendly, and social that it will need to have some interaction with their humans all the time.
While this is a wonderful trait, it can be demanding for individuals who spend a lot of time away from home.
Moreover, these larger cats can easily become bored, so you should always be prepared to come up with new and engaging activities for them.
Conclusion
What can we conclude about the Maine Coon temperament?
In many ways, this cat is a perfect family companion. It’s gentle, loving, friendly, and tends to get along with children, pets, and even strangers!
It’s also very intelligent and active, which means you’ll get an opportunity to teach this large cat some fun tricks and commands.
SInce nothing is perfect in this world, there are some potential bad sides of Maine Coon’s temperament that future owners should be aware of.
For example, this cat needs to have interaction with humans all the time. Also, it requires a lot of mental and physical enrichment, and, without the proper amount of both of these, it might get bored and show some destructive behavior.
If having a Maine Coon will suit your lifestyle, I’m sure there isn’t a better choice for an incredibly loyal and loving family companion!
