Maine Coon Breed Information

Maine Coons are very playful and friendly. They often chat loudly with their owners and although they love to be around people, you won’t often find them curled up on your lap as they prefer to be running around on the floor rather than jumping up.

Breed-related health problems:

Owners are, understandably, upset when their cat develops a health problem linked to its breed. Often they wish they’d known what problems the breed was prone to have. The potential health problems that Maine Coons are prone to include:

• Hip dysplasia – an abnormality of the hip joints causing lameness in the hind legs which can make walking difficult.
• Patellar Luxation – a condition in which the patella (knee cap) moves out of its normal location, resulting in limping or difficulty walking on the back legs. May require surgery to correct the problem. Cats with hip dysplasia and patellar luxation are more likely to develop osteoarthritis.
• Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – a condition where the volume of blood that the heart pumps with each contraction is reduced. This can cause fainting, tiredness and other signs of heart disease.

We’d recommend discussing the medical history of your potential kitten’s parents and grandparents, and think very carefully before taking on a cat with any of the health conditions listed above evident in the family line.

Coat care:

The Maine Coon coat needs daily attention to reduce the chance of knots and tangles. If this is introduced at an early age, they will enjoy this as part of interactive play.

Estimated cost over lifetime:

These costs are based on essential items such as:

• A bed, litter and tray
• Grooming items
• Food and bowl
• Preventive treatment such as flea, worming, vaccinations and neutering
• Toys
• Cat carrier
• Pet insurance

This does not include initial purchase cost, non-essential items (such as holiday care) or potential veterinary treatment of which an excess needs to be paid before your pet may be covered by pet insurance.

Insure your Maine Coon Cat with PDSA:

1 in 3 pets need vet treatment each year and vet bills can come to hundreds of pounds. PDSA Pet Insurance can give you peace of mind when your pet is poorly, especially for breeds like Maine Coon Cats that are prone to certain conditions. PDSA Pet Insurance offers:

1. Dog and cat insurance policies from 8 weeks of age.
2. 24/7 veterinary advice online or over the phone with Petcall.
3. Manage your policy online with the PDSA Insure Hub.
4. Monthly payment at no extra cost.

By insuring your Maine Coon Cat with PDSA Pet Insurance you’ll also be helping to provide vet care to some of the UK’s neediest pets.

For more information on taking care of your cat please visit our kitten and cat section.

Rehoming from a reputable source:

Where you get a cat from can have a big effect on how healthy and happy it is for the rest of its life. Find out where our PDSA vet experts recommend you get your cat from.

Not sure if the Maine Coon is the right pet for you