Maine Coon cats are large cats with fluffy coats and beautiful markings. They’re a popular cat breed because they’re outgoing, playful, and very affectionate with their human owners.
Maine Coons are also very loyal, so much so that they’re sometimes called the ‘dogs of the cat world.’ They’ll often follow their owner around, demanding attention.
Maine Coon cats make excellent pets, but there can be some differences between the genders, so before you adopt one, it’s a good idea to compare those differences and decide if you want a male or female.
Size
Many cats, particularly big cats like lions or tigers, have size differences between the genders. Although this isn’t always the case in house cats, it is the case with Maine Coons.
Maine Coons are large cats, to begin with, often reaching sizes much larger than an average domestic cat. However, male Coon cats are usually bigger than females.
A male Maine Coon cat will stand between 10 and 16 inches tall and usually weighs between 12 and 18 pounds. Female Maine Coon cats can grow to between 8 and 14 inches tall and usually weigh between 8 and 12 pounds.
Personality
Some people feel that male Maine Coon cats have larger personalities than females, but really, the way these cats express themselves is simply different.
Male Maine Coons are often known as playful goofballs. They’re very outgoing, and they are incredibly social. Female Maine Coons are a bit calmer, although they can still be very playful.
Male Maine Coons will often enjoy playing with their owners whenever the owner initiates play, while female Maine Coons prefer to choose how and when they play, and they’re happy to play on their own.
Females are also outgoing and friendly like male Maine Coons, but they often seem more aloof than their male counterparts.
Maine Coon cats are very sociable and affectionate, but they’re still cats, so they can also be independent.
Females are usually considered to be more independent than males, and they enjoy having their own time to themselves.
Males will often demand attention, and they enjoy receiving a large amount of attention throughout the day. They are sometimes even thought of as clingy.
Female Maine Coons, on the other hand, love receiving attention, but they tend to need less attention than males.
Although females can be more independent than males, both male and female Maine Coons love being with people, and they shouldn’t be left alone too often.
If you’re not at home for most of the day, keeping these cats as a pair is often the best solution.
Maine Coons can also be stubborn. Males tend to be even more stubborn than females, and they often have long memories and may even hold a grudge.
Active Times
Both male and female Maine Coon cats are very active and playful. However, male Maine Coons tend to be more active during the day, while female Maine Coons tend to be more active at night.
In the wild, big cats usually hunt at night, so it’s thought that many domestic cats retain this trait and prowl around the home at night. Male Maine Coons, however, will probably have worn themselves out from playing for most of the day, so they’ll sleep at night.
Females, on the other hand, often prefer to have a cat nap to themselves during the day, so they’re more awake at night. If a female Maine Coon is keeping you up at night, you can try to entertain her and play with her more during the day, which might make her tired enough to sleep at night.
Bonding Habits
Male and female Maine Coon cats bond with people differently. At first, female Maine Coon cats can be aloof with people outside of the family, and they may seem standoffish, while male Coon cats will often make friends with anyone who comes to the house.
However, although they’re often considered to be more social, male Maine Coons tend to bond most closely to one family member.
If you live alone or if the other people in your home have their own pets, a male Maine Coon is often a good choice, as he will most likely bond closely with you.
Female Maine Coons, on the other hand, bond well with everyone in the family. They usually won’t pick a favorite person but will instead ask for attention from everyone.
This makes a female Maine Coon a great choice as a family pet.
Space Needs
Because they’re so large and so outgoing, Maine Coon cats require a large amount of space. Maine Coons can live in an apartment, but they’ll need plenty of room to roam, and they’ll also require lots of daily play and exercise.
Males often require more space than females because they tend to be a bit more active, so females are often a better choice for smaller spaces.
Health Issues
All Maine Coon cats are prone to certain health conditions, including obesity, polycystic kidney disease, hip dysplasia, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
Obesity and polycystic kidney disease can show up in either gender, but male Maine Coons are more prone to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy.
If you have a male Maine Coon, it’s important to have him checked for this condition regularly, as catching it quickly is key to getting treatment.
Male Maine Coons are also more prone to hip dysplasia. This is because they’re usually larger than females, and the added weight puts more pressure on the hips.
Lifespan
Both male and female Maine Coon cats can live between 12 and 15 years, on average. However, with the proper care and diet, many Maine Coon cats can live even longer than 15 years.
In order to ensure your cat stays healthy, it’s important to feed them a quality diet consisting of foods that are high in protein and low in fat.
Price
In general, purebred Maine Coon kittens can cost between $1,000 and $2,000. Females are sometimes slightly more expensive. It can also cost more to spay a female cat than it costs to neuter a male cat.
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