The Maine Coon cat is known for many things. Perhaps its size is its key attribute by those that don’t have one or know it well. For us owners though, it is her personality that shines through anything else. The Maine Coon is different from other cats. Perhaps I would say this, owning them for over 25 years and perhaps it’s not fair that I do – I haven’t owned that many breeds of cat apart from the MC!
The Maine Coon has been described as the closest a cat can get to being a dog – if that makes sense? We know that dogs can get grumpy and moody sometimes but what about the Maine Coon? It’s something I’ve been asked a few times and when that happens – I write an article about it – so here goes.
Are Maine Coon cats moody? The Maine Coon is not usually a moody cat. In fact, they are one of the most level-headed, happiest breeds of cat you could own. There is a little more to it than this though so please take a look at the below to find out more.
What can make a Maine Coon moody?
If truth be told there isn’t a lot that can make the Maine Coon moody. However, the vast majority of things that can have a negative impact on the Maine Coon’s mood are related directly to you.
The Maine Coon’s life revolves around you. If you’re not there for her then there will be a direct impact on their happiness. If you own one then you may have noticed this behavior yourself.
Although it’s not advisable to leave a Maine Coon (or any cat) by itself for any long period of time, there are times when life just gets in the way. Sometimes, you just need to leave your house and you certainly can’t take them with you. I’m not talking all day, just a few hours.
When you come back, they seem…aloof. Sometimes ours will refuse to look at us when we come in as if they are totally disgusted with what we’ve just done. The only way we can get them back on-side is to pick them up and give them a cuddle, then they can’t help themselves and start purring again. From that point everything is fine but they certainly do seem a bit grumpy up until we do this!
Related to the above (and also related to you) is when they don’t get enough attention. The Maine Coon can give us so much during our lives but we need to give something back. The Maine Coon thrives on our attention and if they don’t get it (and they don’t have a sibling or friend to play with) they can get lonely – which may, in-turn, lead to anxiety and depression.
However, it has to be said and I need to be absolutely honest here (as I am with all the articles I write) – I’ve never seen this. In fact, it’s hard for me to imagine how anyone could ignore a Maine Coon but I guess it’s possible, different people have different lives.
How can I improve the Maine Coon’s mood?
Of all the questions I’ve ever been asked this has to be the easiest. Ensuring a Maine Coon doesn’t get grumpy is very simple. Simply spend time with it! The Maine Coon is a very easy cat to get along with – whether you’re a grown-up or a child (I’m a bit of both apparently), which makes it such a great and popular family cat.
Stating the obvious here but if you really want to improve your Maine Coon’s mood then play with her. There are a million toys you could get to help you with this job and I’m not about to make this a sales pitch but you could probably start with this great bundle from Amazon. As well as this, get them a great tree like this one and you will be on your way to earning a lot of points from your MC.
Alternatively, get them a friend. Maine Coon’s are particularly good not only with children but with other pets. A lot does depend on how they were socialized in those all-important first 12 weeks of their lives but generally speaking, a Maine Coon will get on well with another cat. This has the advantage of someone else being able to keep them happy if you don’t always have the time.
Is the Maine Coon more grumpy that other cats?
The Maine Coon is definitely not any more grumpy than any other breed of cat. In fact, you’d be hard pushed to find a more accommodating, friendly, tolerant, playful breed of cat on this planet. I can’t talk about other planets though as I haven’t been to any others just yet.
Actually, if you compare the Maine Coon to other breeds in almost any category it comes out on top. But I am just a little biased. Don’t get me wrong – I love all cats. In fact, I love all animals but I do have a soft spot for felines.
Whether we’re talking about their physical size, general temperament or perceived intelligence – you’re going to find the Maine Coon up there with the best. This includes a General Happiness scale, that I happen to have just made up. It’s close up there at the top – but the MC just pips the rest.
Typical Maine Coon Temperament
This is an article in itself – which is why I’ve already created one and you can see it here if you like. However, in summary, the Maine Coon is:
- Fun-loving – the Maine Coon loves to have fun and you need to be at the center of that to keep them absolutely happy.
- Intelligent – the Maine Coon will surprise you if you’ve had other cats. They interact with you in ways that others don’t.
- Dog-like – not everyone will agree, perhaps including me to some respect but they do share some small similarities with our canine friends – for instance, they may decide to play fetch with things that you throw.
- Unusual – Maine Coons do some strange things sometimes. Mine have drunk from a tap when they want water, crawled inside my jumpers when they want to sleep (whilst I’m still wearing them) and dropped mice next to my mouth whilst I slept (nice).
I could go on but I would only be telling you what you perhaps already know or what you can find within the article above!
Conclusions – are Maine Coon cats moody?
Well, I hope that’s made things perfectly clear that the Maine Coon certainly isn’t usually a moody cat. In fact, it’s far from it – one of the happiest breeds you could own. If you notice your Maine Coon being a little moody then rather than look at your Maine Coon, look at yourself. Think about what you are doing that could make your MC act in this way.