I have read much about the Maine Coon and the info has been invaluable. However, not much has been said about the disposition of the breed. Having asked the question, I can't wait for all the acolades.

Regards, David

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2001

Answers

Intelligent, affectionate, playful, beautiful, and a great foot- or lap-warmer on a cold night. What more could you want from a cat?

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2001

i by no means want to sound negative (mc's are my absolute favorite!), but not all mc's i've met are the most friendly animals. someone i know has owned several, and there seems to be little consistency in their personalities. she currently has a three year old that usually runs from me when i try to pet him. however, when i house-sat for her, he could be extremely affectionate (even to the point of annoying, esp. when i was sleeping!) on *his* terms! but she also owns a 7-month old right now that is the sweetest thing ever and never tries to get away when you pick him up (very sociable and always wants attention). i could be wrong, but i think it has a lot to do with how much interaction they have with people when they're kittens. for instance, this particular friendly one she has now just happened to be the breeder's daughter's "favorite", so she kept him with her in the house all the time. i would also be interested to hear any more thoughts on this topic...

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2001

I have two neutered Maine Coon males, Jack who is 10 months and Bogey who is 13 months. Their personalities are very different, but they are both very lovable. They have picked out different ones of us in our house to be more affectionate with. Bogey will cuddle and purr with my 13 year old son almost on command. But when he is ready to play in his 7 foot tall treehouse he has to be king of the roost. Jack is also very affectionate, but moreso to me. He seems to find security when he's with me and loves to jump on me when I'm on the computer and start purring. He can be happily sitting with my husband, but when I come into the room he makes a beeline to me.I think it's very usual that each cat picks out their favorite person. Of course, they just love anyone who's sitting on the toilet! Both cats take some time adjusting to strangers in the house. Jack especially would not want to go to my cousin when he came to visit over the holidays. By the end of the visit he was jumping on him and purring too. I don't worry about this cautiousness or find it a fault in any cat. Some cats will warm up to strangers at a different rate, while others will love any warm body immediately. Jack is also somewhat submissive to the older one. What is important to me is that they both are always wonderful and close to all of our immediate family and have never done anything mean. Both my MC's were bred by a wonderful breeder who never caged her cats and always raised the kittens in her master bedroom, even sleeping with them. They were always being held or played with. I just consider them to be two individuals exhbiting normal cat behavior. Although I would like new people to see how wonderful and affectionate they are the moment they walk in the door, it's OK if they don't. Just like my own children - they love me best! Just make sure when you get a MC that you buy from a reputable breeder. Don't just look at how many champions were produced. What is more important is to see the parents and how the breeder treats the kittens. It is preferable that they have lots of human contact from birth. I personally wouldn't buy from anyone who cages their cats, except maybe for the birthing. There is a breeder near me who has tons of cages in a made over garage and produces many nice looking kittens. However, whenever I've seen her cats at a show, which is very infrequent, they are always mean. I traveled a couple hundred miles to get my cats, and it was worth it. Good luck, and please get a Maine Coon.

-- Anonymous, January 03, 2001

I have only had one Maine Coon, so I can only speak for him. My Quincy is the sweetest cat I've ever seen. He follows me everywhere I go. He is quite vocal (mewing and chirping) and I know some Maine Coons are not. He loves to cuddle. Having said all this, he is the most mischevious cat that I have ever seen. He is almost untrainable. He gets on my counters and tables, tries to steal our food, claws the furniture, gets in the trash, has stolen a steak from the fridge, etc. I've tried to train him, but he is not bothered by loud noises or squirt bottles like my other cats. It will be interesting to see what other's say about their Maine Coons!

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2001

I have had many different cats over the years, but I finally got my first Maine Coon almost 5 months ago, she is almost 9 months old now. I must say she is absolutely the most wonderful cat I have ever owned, even though some days she makes me want to pull my hair out. From the moment I put her down when I brought her home she acted as though she had been there for years and like she was the queen of the house. The first night she crawled up the bottom of the bed under the covers and crept up to lay on my arm, under the covers mind you, and that is where she still goes every night. I found out very quickly that nothing is off limits in her mind, no matter what I do to discourage her, and no matter how many toys, posts, etc that are meant just for her. She loves water and happily gets into the bath tub, tries her best to catch the toilet lid up, and loves curling up in a sink, thus the typical squirt bottle to scold doesn't work with her. She doesn't scratch my wood furniture, but she tries to tear carpet to bits and loves stretching and scratching doorways. She thinks that whatever I eat is meant for her to eat, so food must always be kept out of her sight and away from her nose. She will do anything for attention and affection, including laying down and rolling over and over like a dog, and will run around with her nose on the ground sniffing with her tail in the air. If you are doing work, she will lay down on your papers, if you are on the toilet she wants to be in your lap, if you are on the computer she will try to lay on the keyboard, I could go on and on...With my close friends she is very loving and friendly, but if we are around family or friends whom I really don't like she will not give them the time of day. Sometimes late in the evening her temperment will change and she will fly around the house being extremely vocal and I just stay out of her way, you would think she is a wild animal, but turn on the tv and she is set for the evening like most humans. She has been the best addition to my life and I wish you the best!

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2001

Right on!!! You described a Maine Coon cat completely!!! Full of gumption and mighty!! They are almost human!! :)

-- Anonymous, January 05, 2001

The humans answers are a pretty good cross section of all what being an MC is about. By the way I am Ziggy, a silver tabby MC male, neutered (but I don't want to talk about that!!) I am 1 year and three quarters, and yup have I got things around here sorted. Plenty food, cuddles, on my grounds of course, usually I just say Hi when I come in tail up, and boy don't I look good! A little chirp here and there, and settle down in a favourite secluded place. Later I'll check out those cupboards again, man they are so interesting, weird stuff inside and the smells!! Maybe there will be time to practise on the climbing skills? That bookcase is really high, but no problemo to this MC. I'll give it another go, try not to break anything this time though, that resigned look about the boss's face was sad to see, but he as usual forgave me. I say boss, well between you and me, he is a bit of a pushover. Sure, I know I live with them, but it's not like he owns me right? But we've all get to get along, so I let him think he's boss. But boy, you should see him in the morning, 6am, well, the birds are up, so he should be as well! I can plant my full weight on his chest and just the right time, when he's breathing out, and the colour of his face is a picture!! I give him 5 minutes, then when he's in the bathroom I'll just saunter through, he never locks the door, and make him jump and he'll mumble something about no privacy. But listen buddy it's breakfast time, and that bowl looks kinda of empty. It wouldn't be so bad if it wasn't for that darned little tabby. Oh sure, the boss said she looks sort of lost, she would sneak in at night and pinch my food would you believe it!! But he took pity on her, said it was ok she might have been turned out or something, huh little madam, she looks pretty good to me, I reckon she lives nearby and comes and goes as she pleases. Still if I see her, yeah I'll give her a good talking too, I can really shout when I want to, well, hiss anyway, maybe I'll give her a few right jabs again, nothing much though, I'll keep my claws in, I mean she is only little, and well, I guess she's not too bad, but I can't let her think I like her, no way, then there would be trouble, she's bad enough right now sleeping on the beds and all. Ok nearly time for playtime, the kids will be in from school, I think I'll go and meet them at the end of the lane. They are so cool, they jump and run and play and all sorts, not like the boss, he's older I think, not as energetic as he once was, or so he told me! I know, I'll get that bell thingy and the wool ball, the one on the stick. That is brilliant, I can jump and roll over it and all sorts of stuff, I got it from Santa, lucky cat dont you think. I sit amongst the pampas grass in the garden and ambush people as they come into the house as well, I like to take my stuff up there and hide it, the boss calls them toys!! But I prefer to call them stuff, toys are beneath a repectable MC dont you know! I've got a collection of grey mice up there right now, I wanted to take my stick and bell with the wooly thing up there, but I got caught cos the stick got stuck going out the flap. Still, I'll try again sometime. Anyway I've gotta go and get the boys from school, they think I'm really neat, none of the other cats are like me around here, the boss says I'm one in a million, mind you I'm not sure if that's a compliment or not, but he loves me, and well, I kinda love him, but don't you tell him so, or my street credibility will take a dive.

Bye bye for now, love from Ziggy. (got anything interesting in your cupboards by any chance?? )

-- Anonymous, January 09, 2001

I love all cats - never met one I didn't like - but the Maine Coon, personality-wise, is the most loveable and personable by FAR. Mine is a ittle bit of a wise guy (if a cat can be said to have a sense of humor, mine does), but he is always in tune to me and my moods.

-- Anonymous, January 10, 2001

My MC doesn't have papers, but he looks and acts MC as any. He is 13 years old now, but I got him as a kitten. He is the smartest cat I've ever seen, which can make him mischievious. As a kitten, he loved to play fetch and jump. He would bring me his toys (often my necklaces) in his mouth whenever he wanted to play. When my alarm went off in the morning, he would get in my face. Not being a morning person, I would roll over. He immediately went to the other side and got in my face! He could be verbal, but just to actually communicate. He always asked for his food verbally, and we carried on long conversations. He would lie down and stare at me, and we would just blink at each other. He has always been very good with turn-taking skills. He got outside one night, and I was frantic. I could not find him. In the middle of the night, I heard him crying - not by the door where he went out, but at my bedroom window! He is very possessive of me, but has now adapted to my husband and our daughters. He tolerates the dog, but does not really like the new kitten. He rules the house, and does get jealous. We had some inappropriate messes when we introduced a new baby or a new animal to the house. He got over it with lots of attention. I have had other cats, but this is by far my favorite cat ever. He is loyal and loving and playful and smart.

-- Anonymous, January 14, 2001

My husband and I have had several cats over the past 19 years, but our MC (we've had her since 11/00) is by far the smartest, most payful, most loving (I could just go on and on)wonderful cat ever. My husband recently said he'd like to 15 more just like her! Anyone interested in a breed that gives pleasure 24/7 should look into getting a MC.

-- Anonymous, February 19, 2001