Many people want to know how big do Maine coon cats get as they are the biggest breed of cats.)Cats, in general, are average size domestic animals.But the Maine coon cat has such a large size, making it hard to recognize as a cat if not for other characteristics. Maine coons are the largest of their breed in the world, both in terms of height and weight.They can grow up to an astonishing 40 in (101 cm) and have an average size of 10-16 in (25-41 cm) which is comparable to the size of the longest of other breeds of domestic cats. They are a very popular choice as pets because of their fluffy fur which adds to their already heavy bones and muscles. Such furry bodies make them look more attractive and approachable. The Maine coon cat is the native cat of the state of Maine, where they have adapted to the harsh cold climate which partially explains the huge amount of fur. The longest cats on the planet almost became extinct in 2019 but were fortunately rescued and are now out of danger from extinction. They have also been declared as a native state cat.If you enjoyed this article, why not also know or visit to know about can male cats go into heat or can cats swim here on Kidadl?How big is a Maine coon compared to a normal cat?A Maine coon cat can grow as long as 40 in (101 cm). The last longest cat who made it to the ‘Guinness Book Of World Records’ was a Maine coon, with a height of 48.5 in (123 cm). Even average-sized Maine coons are larger than average-sized normal cats.An average Maine coon cat can weigh 12-18 lb (5-8 kg) which is more than the weight of an average cat that is 10 lb (4 kg). If a Maine coon’s tail length is excluded then, it is still much bigger than other cats because most of the longest cats in the ‘Guinness Book Of World Records’ are from the Maine coon family. Without the tail, a normal cat would have a length of 15-20 in (38-50 cm) whereas a Maine coon cat would be 19-30 in (48-76 cm) long. The length of the tail of some large Maine coon cats is larger than the average size of a domestic cat.Why are Maine coon cats so big compared to normal cats?The descendants of Maine coon cats are said to have been long-haired cats that traveled with their owners who were explorers and then mated with the native short-haired cat breed of the state, Maine. This cross-breeding resulted in the creation of the new large cat breed, Maine coon.Maine coon kittens can survive through extreme weather conditions and they like to be around water which shows their clear resemblance with their predecessors. The heavy fur in their body could be for the purpose of sustaining them in cold weather which is prevalent in their native land. The long hair on their body makes them look huge in addition to the muscular build, broad chest, and legs. In contrast to their large size, these gentle giants are very social by nature. They love to be around their owners all day long and do not demand much privacy. This is why they are a good choice for a domestic cat. Their fur appears to be like a coat and is denser than that of a dog. The overall appearance of the biggest cat in the world makes it sweet and adorable as a pet and it is not at all violent which seems unlikely because of its size. But they are very friendly with children and older people. They also get upset if kept alone for too long because they love company.How big can a Maine coon cat get?Being the largest domestic cat in the world, a Maine coon cat can grow up to 40 in (101 cm) long and have a height of 14-16 in (35-41 cm).Considering their average size, it is not unusual that most of the Guinness book record-holding cats are usually from this cat breed. They weigh up to 20 lb (9 kg) and just as heavy as they are large. When compared to any other cat breed, even the average Maine coon cat makes them look dwarf. But these Maine coon cats grow very slowly. They acquire a fully grown body by the age of three to five years of age. The long hair adds to the large muscles to make them look like giants, which is why they are also called ‘gentle giants’. They are liked for their friendly nature in spite of being of such a large size. The Maine coon kitten can be said to be the size of a full grown normal cat.Average Weight Of A Maine CoonThe weight of Maine coons is in proportion to their giant height. This cat breed can weigh up to 18 lb (8 kg) on average. The heaviest Maine coon weighs 35 lb (16 kg) which is very rare and is usually considered overweight even for the longest cat breeds.Some Maine coon cats have such large tails that affect their body weight significantly. A Maine coon’s tail can be the size of a normal cat. Even with such giant anatomy, Maine coon cats are very gentle animals. Adult Maine coons may look aggressive in appearance because of their long and thick hair, tall and big body but in reality, these long-haired, biggest cats of the world are a gentle breed of cats. As pets, they are very popular because of their length, size, thick coat-like hair, paws, and also because of their social nature. That is the reason why they are very famous among breeders. Main coon kittens are desirable to most cat lovers. The giant body with a gentle nature makes it a perfectly adorable pet.In contrast to the Maine coon size, their nature is not wild or aggressive. Instead, they are socially suitable for kids and older people. They like to play and generally tend to stay around their owner throughout the day. In fact, they get upset if left alone for a long period of the day, which also affects their health and overall well-being. Unlike other cat breeds, Maine coons like to blend with others. There is no need to provide a separate private part for a Maine coon kitten which saves a lot of room if it is a small house.Male Vs Female Maine Coon SizeThe male Maine coon size is similar to that of the female Maine coon. But they differ in weight.An average female Maine coon cat weighs 8-12 lb (4-5 kg), while a masculine Maine coon weighs 12-18 lb (5-8 kg). The largest female Maine coon will be the size of an average male Maine coon. Even with a lower weight, male Maine coons and female Maine coons are still bigger than any other normal male cat breed. A normal large cat weighs up to 9 lb (4 kg) which is a lot less than an average male Maine coon. Maine coons can also have a weight of up to 35 lb (16 kg). But that is very rare and is considered overweight. Males and females of other cat breeds can never match the length or big size of the males and females in the Maine coon species. Generally female Maine coons are smaller than male Maine coons, but this is not always true. In some cases, the female cat has more weight than the male one. Full grown females with a weight of 12 lb (5 kg) can be compared to an average dog or a wild raccoon from the forest.Maine Coon Size By AgeMaine coons grow very slowly over the years. A regular cat would become an adult by the age of eight months. But a Maine coon cat may still be in the early stage of development. But once they start growing after a year, massive changes in their body take place.At the age of six months, Maine coons grow at the rate of 1-2 lb (0.5-0.9 kg) a month. At this time, intense care should be taken about their health and food. Once Maine coons becomes tall enough, they gain exactly the amount of weight expected of it. To reach the weight of 12-18 lb (5-8 kg), the length of the cat should also increase and also the length of its tail increases. The lifespan of Maine coon cats is the same as that of dogs (10-12 years), and they fully grow by the age of two to three years. The life of a cat is usually less than a dog but that is not true for this big cat. A Maine coon grows very slowly which can make the owner worried or impatient about the life of their cat. After a year, changes become visible and it finally starts growing big, thick hair that looks like a coat on its body and also has big paws, unlike other breeds. The male is about the same size as the female. They do, however, differ in terms of weight. A female Maine coon cat weighs 8-12 lb (3.6-5.4 kg) on average, whereas a male Maine coon averages 12-18 lb (5-8 kg). As a result, the biggest female Maine coon will be the same size as the typical male Maine coon. Even though female Maine coons are lighter than male Maine coons, they are still larger than any other regular masculine cat breed.Maine Coon Growth SpurtsLike any other cats and dogs, a Maine coon also has different stages of growth. Some years ago when owners were not aware of the growth spurts of different cats, many owners started overfeeding their pets out of concern at the age of two years if no significant sign of growth had been observed.This practice can cause serious health issues in the Maine coon cat. to know when your pet is healthy or is malnourished, you have to know their growth rate over the years. The length of this cat starts increasing slowly after six months and weight increases 1-2 lb (0.5-0.9 kg) every month. It starts showing signs of rapid growth after a year and a half and almost surpasses the size of a raccoon. Stewie, the Guinness book record holder as the largest cat in the world, had the same growth rate as its breed, but finally made it to the full transition creating a record. The size of Stewie and other Maine coon cats can be approximately predicted from the size of their paws. If the paws of the cat are big, then their body will grow in the same proportion. If you search about Maine coons, it will be evident that most of the Guinness book record-holding largest cats are from this breed.Here at Kidadl, we have carefully created lots of interesting family-friendly facts for everyone to enjoy! If you liked our suggestions for how big do Maine coon cats get then why not take a look at can cats have raspberries or Maine coon cat facts.
Many people want to know how big do Maine coon cats get as they are the biggest breed of cats.)
