Maine Coon Males vs Females

What Are The Differences?

by Carrie Profenno: Author, lifelong Mainer & veteran Maine Coon owner

Let's talk about Maine Coon male vs female differences. What kind of behavior do boy or girl kitties exhibit, and how do they get along?

Maine Coon Male vs Female Q & A's:

Male Coonie Behavior Toward Kittens:

I have a 9 1/2 month old male kitten. I want her to have company.

I know someone who's giving away a 6 year old MC boy. What I need to know is how adult males act toward kittens...

By: Allie Winter (Sidney, OH)

Reply:
Hi Allie,

We got our two Coonies at the same time, so I can only refer to generalizations.

In general, male Maine Coon cats are about as laid-back and easy-going as can be. I would think he would have loads of patience. This is one of the sweetest, gentlest cat breeds.

But, and this is a big but, you are bringing him into your home, a whole new environment with all new people. He won't have bonded with you yet. He'll wonder why his whole world has changed.

(That's a different scenario than already having an adult boy & bringing home a kitten.)

So, with that said, you want a friend for your little one. After the introductory period, I can think of no better friend than a six-year-old Maine Coon boy.

I would say go for it, and make sure to follow the recommendations in our page on bringing home a new kitten.

Also, you should clip both their claws to avoid any injuries before they become friends.

Good luck with your new family member! All The Best, ~Carrie

PS- If you have experienced a similar situation, please share your experience with Allie!

Comments:

My thoughts
By: Kim Sweet

I have a 6 month old Coonie and a 5 month old mix along with 2 other cats right now. Makani is the most laid back guy.

Even though he is twice the size of Ivan (the younger mix) he seems to take it easy on him playing and such.

Once they got to know each other and realized we loved them all the same it was not an issue.

The biggest thing is to make the new guy feel welcome AND make sure the kitties or whatever other critters you have in the home feel loved and wanted as much, if not a little more, for a while - till they all chill out and feel comfortable.

That is my two cents... GOOD LUCK :)

Also to add..
By: Kim Sweet

We had a 4 yr old girl mix when we got Ivan at 9 weeks of age. We then adopted Makani when he was 5 months old, so Ivan was 4 months. Both these guys have profiles on here if you're interested in reading a bit more of the story.

Just take it slow, maybe give the new family member a place to feel safe, like a spare room or your room that you can keep the door closed for a day or two with a separate litter box so it can get used to the place then introduce the other critters (cat) slowly... that seems to work for us.

It can all depend on the cats personality too.. Can you make a deal with the person that has the MC now that if it doesn't work out they will take him back ?? Like I mentioned GOOD LUCK...

Girl and Boy Coon Cats
By: Kc Harloff

Age has no bearing to a cat. They will most likely bond. Remember to treat your first kitty as #1 in your life.

Maine Coon Male vs Female Differences:

I am about to adopt a MC kitten and I get conflicting reports about the characteristics of these wonderful animals. Can you help?

I have heard that male Maine Coons:

• are more friendly, playful, interactive and sociable whereas girl MC's are more likely to be aloof

• are likely to spray (as much as other breeds) - even if they are neutered at the appropriate age.

• are more likely to bond with one person whereas a girl is more likely to be a family cat.

Warm regards as a future member of the MCCN Community!

James Johannesburg, South Africa

Reply:
Hi James! Welcome to our community. I think you will like it here!

Well, as for male vs female Maine Coons, those are some interesting observations.

I would say those main differences are not wrong, but they are very broad generalizations.

A cat lover shouldn't expect their new family member to fall into either of those categories.

There is not a huge difference between the genders when it comes to Maine Coon personality traits.

Any contrast is quite subtle, and depends on the individual feline. They can have a range of different personalities, like people!

Yes, the boys tend toward being goofy, laid-back, fluffy and interactive. But the girls are so, so sweet! Female Maine Coon Cats can also be goofy, playful and extremely lovable.

To be honest, the biggest difference between the genders is size. One thing you can count on with these fluffy felines is their affectionate nature. They have a well-deserved reputation for being the dogs of the cat world.

Comments:

Boys vs. Girls
By: Dean

I pretty much agree with everything that has been said. We have a boy and a girl and they generally behave as expected.

He is more of a leader, at least as long as he doesn't do anything she disagrees with. In our case, he is MUCH bigger than she is (about twice as big!).

She is slightly more aloof but at the same time she surprises us sometimes with how much of a lap cat she can be. All in all, they are incredibly wonderful, loving, curious, intelligent companions and affectionate cats.

To Carrie
By: James

Thank you so very much for your information - what you have told me is hugely interesting.

The kitten I am adopting is a registered purebred MC - and I can hardly wait to see him when he gets here and joins my family. I will post some pictures. Warm regards from South Africa! James

Oscar
By: Frances

My Coonie boy was neutered at 5.5 months, but shortly before this he learned to use the door flap (I also have 3 moggies). Since the day he ventured out, rain or shine I've never seen him toilet indoors.

I know a lot of cat owners say they should be indoor only but he loves being outside.

Every night he comes home to watch tv and eat Royal Canin MC.

He mainly sits on us if we are having a lay in, or are laying on the sofa. I think there is more room on a whole body, than a lap!

All felines other than breeders should be neutered before reaching sexual maturity. As a member of the cats protection in the UK, I know there are far too many unwanted kittens, and irresponsible owners.

Back to the subject, my MC is a boy, but I have 2 girls and 2 boys in total and not 1 of them has the same traits. They are the best 4 pets in the world! (=^-^=)

Boy Coons
by: Sharon

I have three pedigreed male ME Coons so can't speak about girls.

One thing I will share is that we got our boys at intervals (they are 13, 10 and 4 now). Our two oldest were neutered at 6 months and the youngest at 9 months.

None have ever sprayed. We did have integration issues with the third but no spraying. All three are clowns - happy, silly boys now.

What kind of plumbing?
By: Helen

Each and every feline, boy or girl, is their own purr-son.

If you can get the opportunity to play with a litter of kittens, one will choose you, not the other way round. That's the one for you.

They have individual personalities and I've not found the "plumbing" to make a big difference. Go with your heart.

---

Maine Coon Male vs Female:

We are planning to adopt a Coonie kitten and don't know whether to choose a boy or girl. We have one adult female.

Reply:
Hi, Over the years, my family has added a cat here or there. I haven't noticed a difference between a girl kitten or a boy kitten joining the family.

I suppose the kitten's adjustment depends on the current cat. To her, a kitten is a kitten.

A girl Maine Coon kitten will be very much the same as a boy. Over time, you may notice some variations.

There will be size differences, of course. As the largest domestic cats, Maine Coon males average 13-18 pounds (and can be much larger) while their female counterparts usually weigh 9-12 pounds.

Also, girls may tend to act a bit more "mature," but overall I think you'll be pleased either way! And maybe, just maybe a girl might be less inclined to pester your adult cat, but it could be the other way too!

All The Best With Your New Addition! ~Carrie

Comments:

Maine Coon Boys
I had a Coonie. He was adorable and very friendly. Full size boys grow to be about 4 pounds (1.9 kilo) larger and longer than females.

Boys seem more laid back!!

Hi there, I have always had female cats and about seven years ago I adopted a new kitten thinking it was yet another girl.

Well it didn't take me long to figure out that I had a boy on my hands, but I had already grown to love him and went with it.

Turns out he was part MC, and honestly the best pet I ever had. I do think it was partially because of his Coonie heritage but I also found that male Coon cats are much easier going and not as uptight.

I recently lost my beloved boy. Since then I have acquired a purebred Maine Coon male.

He is actually MUCH MUCH different than the other lad but being a boy he is again... a lot more laid back.

I still love my big old female, mind you but as a personal preference I lean more towards boys now. The only thing for sure... is that he must be altered.

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Will A Male Cat Defend Itself Against A Female?

He is very needy...

By: Tom in Syracuse, NY

Reply:
Hi Tom, If he's needy as in sweet and loving and not aggressive that's great! Are you wondering if he's "tough enough" to defend himself against a female kitty in the house?

His "needy" behavior with you should have no effect on his relationship with the other feline. They will work that out on their own.

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