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What is the average weight of a Maine Coon cat?

We reveal the official breeding standard weight for Maine Coon cats and compare this to the actual average weight of this popular breed.

One of the first questions many prospective Maine Coon purchasers ask breeders is how big will a Maine Coon kitten be when it is full-grown.

Breeders can only estimate Maine Coon’s adult size because all cats develop differently. We investigate if there is actually a weight range all Maine Coons fall neatly within to answer the popular question, “What is the average weight of a Maine Coon cat?

Maine Coon weight

The International Cat Association specifies adult Maine Coon females are typically 12 to 15 pounds, and adult males usually around 18 to 22 pounds. However, owners have reported Maine Coons a lot smaller and a lot larger.

In reality, the average weight range of a Maine Coon cat is 8 to 25 lbs. Males tend to be larger, weighing anything from 10 to 25 lbs whereas females usually range from 8 to 18 lbs. It’s fair to say the average weight of a Maine Coon is difficult to state accurately because this breed’s size can vary immensely.

Three Maine Coon cats

A Maine Coon’s weight depends on so many variables such as the size of its parents, its age, how much it eats, and the amount of exercise it gets.

Occasionally, Maine Coons exceed 25 lbs and some of these are overweight cats. It is important that a Maine Coon is kept at a healthy weight for its height and length.

In this article, you will find out how to tell if a Maine Coon is the correct weight for its overall size and how to keep it that way.

How much do Maine Coon Kittens Weigh?

At birth, Maine Coon kitten weight is similar to any other kitten. It may look a little larger than average because of its fluffy fur.

By three months, a kitten can weigh anything from 2 to 8 pounds and it will keep gaining weight in fits and starts until it matures at about 4 years of age.

The most important thing is to feed a Maine Coon kitten a balanced, healthy diet that contains all the nutrients it needs. 

There really is no way of knowing how much a kitten will weigh as an adult. You will just have to wait and see.

Average Weight of a Maine Coon Cat: New kitten

How much does a Maine Coon cat weigh?

Although people talk about the Maine Coon weight being as much as 30 pounds, these claims are often exaggerated and are mostly unsubstantiated.

It is rare for a Maine Coon to exceed a weight of 18 pounds and those that do are in danger of becoming overweight or even obese.

If you allow a cat of any breed to become too heavy, you are setting it up to suffer from a whole raft of health issues including joint problems, diabetes, and heart disease.

Maine Coons can vary in height and length and there should be some correlation between these measurements and their weight.

So the weight of a Maine Coon should be compared to its skeletal size. Obviously the taller and longer it is the more it may weigh.

A good tip to get an idea of whether an adult Maine Coon is overweight is to stand directly above it when it is standing and look down at the area between its lower ribs and hips.

Can you see a definite dip in at the waist? Yes? Good, your cat is probably a healthy size.

Or is it wider there than at its rib cage (and I don’t mean just because of its fur)? If so, then a weight loss and exercise plan might be in order.

Average Weight of a Maine Coon Cat: Cat in snow

Female Maine Coons

Fully-grown females typically:

  • Weigh 8 to 12 pounds.
  • Measure 40 inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.
  • Measure 10 to 14 inches from the shoulders to the ground when standing.

As an example, if a female stands 10 inches tall and weighs 12 pounds, there is a good chance she is overweight, especially if she is a lot shorter in length than 40 inches.

Equally, if she is 14 inches tall and weighs only 8 pounds she may well be underweight. If in doubt, consult a vet for expert advice.

Average Weight of a Maine Coon Cat: cat with long tail

Male Maine Coons

Fully-grown males typically:

  • Weigh 11 to 18 pounds.
  • Measure 40 inches from the tip of the nose to the tip of the tail.
  • Measure 10 to 16 inches from the shoulders to the ground when standing.

As an example, if a male stands 8 inches tall and weighs 18 pounds, there is a good chance he is obese, especially if he is a lot shorter in length than 40 inches.

At a shoulder height of 10 inches and a weight of 16 or 17 pounds, he is likely to be overweight. But, at 16 inches tall and 11 pounds he is probably rather underweight. Again, if in doubt, consult a vet for expert advice.

Average Weight of a Maine Coon Cat. Cat on ledge

Record Holding Maine Coons

Stewie, a grey tabby Maine Coon from the USA, known as Stewie, was declared the world’s longest domestic cat on August 28th 2010 at 48.5 inches. Sadly he passed away in 2013.

The record is currently held by Ludo, a male Maine Coon from England. On October 6th 2015, he was measured by the Guinness World Records at 46.5 inches in length and his owner said at the time he weighed 34 pounds – and at this point, he was just 3 years old!

What Can Affect a Maine Coon’s Size?

A Maine Coon’s size is measured in three ways: height, length, and weight. All three of these measurements can be affected by genetics and gender.

Your cat’s weight can also be affected how much it eats and how much exercise it partakes in – and both of these things can be controlled by you. 

Diet

A Maine Coon needs a healthy, balanced diet and there is a wide variety of cat food on the market to choose from.

Make sure you select a good quality brand with the correct balance of protein, vitamins, and minerals and always follow the manufacturer’s recommended portion guidelines.

Try a mix of wet and dry food and always ensure you put down plenty of fresh water every day.

You may choose to make your own cat food, which is fine as long as you follow a recipe that provides your cat with all of its dietary requirements.  Some people like the idea of feeding their cats raw food.

I suggest anyone fully researches the subject before going down this route and ensure the meat chosen is clean, healthy meat from a trusted source, free from bacteria and parasites, and that the necessary vitamins and minerals are added.

Don’t feed Maine Coons food leftovers from your plate, particularly those covered in sauce and gravy or containing sugar. Everything your Maine Coon eats should be nutritious.

They certainly shouldn’t have ice cream or other dairy products. If you go down this route, you may well end up with an overweight cat on your hands.

Exercise

Maine Coons can be quite active at times and need plenty of opportunities to expend their energy. If you allow yours outside it will get all the exercise it needs hunting, climbing, scratching and exploring.

If your Maine Coon is an indoor cat it is really important to supply it with plenty to do to keep it fit and healthy.

Give it access to a staircase if possible. Buy it a lovely, tall climbing tree with perches and platforms to leap to and from.

Provide it with something to scratch so it can shed dead layers from its claws and flex its muscles. Whether your cat stays in or goes out, provide it with a nice array of toys, and encourage it to play every day.

Average Weight of a Maine Coon Cat. Cat in a hammock

Genetics

A Maine Coon is genetically programmed to develop a mix of characteristics passed on from its parents. You can’t control these in any way and the size of its parents won’t necessarily have any bearing on its final size.

So looking at your kitten’s parents may give an indication of the size it could grow to but there is no guarantee that there will be any correlation. You’ll just have to wait and see. 

For example, I have two brothers – now aged 14 – from the same litter: one weighs 11 pounds (Harry) and the other (Charlie) is 13 pounds.

Average Weight of a Maine Coon Cat. Cats on wall
Harry and Charlie

How To Get Your Maine Coon to Exercise More

The best way to control a Maine Coon’s weight is to make sure it gets plenty of exercise. Here’s how you can do this:

Allow it outside if it’s safe to do so

Outdoor cats are naturally slimmer than indoor cats and can also eat a bit more. 

Invest in an indoor climbing tree

Whether your Maine coon is an indoor or an outdoor cat it will love an indoor tree to climb and leap around on. The taller the better as far as your cat’s concerned as all cat’s love to occupy the high ground. And if it has somewhere to scratch – even better.

Buy a laser pointer

A Maine Coon will tear around after that little red dot for hours. You will get fed up way before it does. Allow it to catch the dot now and then to satisfy your cat’s hunting instincts.

Try fishing-rod toys

Cats love to play with toys on the end of a piece of string such as the GoCat Da Bird. Of course, you don’t have to wait for one of these to arrive in the post.

They are quite easy to make using a cane and a piece of string. Attach feathers, a little toy – anything you think might interest your cat. Allow your cat to stalk it and then whip it away so your cat gives chase.

Maine Coon weight: Conclusion

If you own a Maine Coon your priority should be ensuring it is a healthy cat, not a heavy cat. This is achieved by managing its diet, making sure it has plenty of exercise and lavishing it with plenty of love and attention.

Make a note of the pounds against inches quoted above and see how your cat measures up. If you think it might be obese, be a good owner, and help it to lose weight. 

Now you know the average weight of a Maine Coon, find out how big Maine Coons can get.

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