Should I Get a Male or Female Maine Coon?

Should I get a male or female Maine Coon? If you’re asking yourself this question, then this article will help you make a more informed decision.

Maine Coons are great cats to add to your family, but you should research them a bit first to help you decide on a male or female Maine Coon. While some of the Maine Coon characteristics are the same for both genders, there are certainly some distinct differences to boot. 

When you’re searching for a cat, this is of the main criteria you will be looking for. It’s essential to figure it out as soon as you can so that your search is successful. It’s important to note that there is no right or wrong answer. Your decision should be based on your personal preference. You should also consider the type of lifestyle you have and where the Maine Coon will be living.

It’s good to know the differences between male and female Maine Coons because that will give you a nice starting point. Every cat is going to be unique though, so these generalizations will not be true of every cat that you encounter. The cat’s actual personality may depend on a number of factors, such as their upbringing or parent characteristics. Try to get to know the cat before bringing the new kitten into your home to ensure the best choice possible. Talk to the Maine Coon breeder about the personality of the kitten.  They should be able to describe the individual personalities of each kitten and help you make a good choice.

Let’s take a look at the differences between male and female Maine Coons so that you can make an informed decision and get the best cat for you!

Male vs. Female in Size

In general, male Maine Coons are much larger than females when fully grown. Maine Coons are large cats anyway, with males ranging anywhere from 15 to 25 pounds.

The females weigh between 10 and 15 pounds when they’re fully grown. This isn’t a huge difference, but it is worth noting. If having a smaller cat is important, you should try to adopt a female Maine Coon. Sometimes, female Maine Coons are recommended for smaller spaces.

With most cat breeds, the males are larger than the females. This is typically only a couple of pounds difference, but the Maine Coon males being bigger, in this case, is pretty consistent. Of course, there are always a few exceptions. For example, a diet or a health condition can cause variations in weight.

Due to female cats being smaller, they are usually nimbler. The males won’t be able to jump or move as much as females because of their extra weight and longer length. You may find your female Maine Coon up on the kitchen counter or hiding in a secret spot. Anyone who has owned a cat knows how active and wild cats can be in general. Just expect a little more activity from the girls!

Male cats also usually have longer tails and longer bodies when compared to females. 

Temperament 

One of the main reasons that people select one gender over the other is due to the temperament of the Maine Coon. This is how they will act around you, so it’s a pretty big deal. Overall, Maine Coons are nice and friendly cats so there’s not a bad choice here.

Each cat has its own individual personality so I certainly can’t speak on behalf of the gender as a whole. I thought I’d describe 3 Males and 3 Females of my Maine Coon Cats, and let you get an idea of just how diverse their personalities are, regardless of gender. This article about temperaments is How to Choose a Good Kitten.

Males First:

Finlay

Gender: Male [alter]
DOB: March 17, 2014
Color: Black Classic Tabby
Lap Cat: Sometimes
Tree Dweller

Finlay is an Alpha male and has a little bit of a chip on his shoulder. It’s not all the time, but it is consistent. He could even suffer from cat bipolar disorder if it’s even such a thing. You see, as long as Finlay isn’t hungry then everything is fine.  However, if his stomach is grumbling even for a millisecond, he starts chasing his fellow cat roommates around the house wanting to be a bully. I guess he thinks it’s their fault that he’s hungry. Or maybe he thinks they ate all of his food. This mainly happens at approximately 5:00 am every morning.  I hear cats running down the hall in a frantic. Then, one by one they scurry across my bed, with Finlay on their tail.  That’s when I know its time to get up, and serve breakfast before Finlay has a coronary.

The only other time he has an issue if is someone is sitting on the top perch of the cat tree, or in his favorite chair. he’s like a grumpy old man. He may not necessarily be sitting there, but he’s watching believe me. He doesn’t want you in his seat, even if its available. So if he sees another cat sitting in his favorite spot, he cops an attitude. He’ll go right over there and make them get down. Then he’ll swish his tail around him like “Yes, That’s what I thought”, and proceeds to take his bath.

Toward us humans, he’s a perfect gentleman. Sometimes, he’ll even get on the couch with me and curl up to watch a show. He’s usually not there for long – maybe 15 or 20 minutes. Then his personal space feels invaded and he has to move to the table. So he’s not a lap cat, but he does need love just like everyone else does!!

Big Ben

Gender: Male [alter]
DOB: August 26, 2016
Color: Blue Silver Tabby With White
Lap Cat: Yes
Tree Dweller

Big Ben is the goofiest, squishiest sweetest Maine Coon I have. I just love this boy to pieces. He’s built like a tank but acts like a teddy bear. He never cops an attitude with anyone. Big doesn’t have a mean bone in his body. In fact, he has some pretty cute and quirky habits. For example, when we’re cooking dinner he likes to lay on the kitchen counter and just watch us.  He tries to sneak a piece of meat sometimes with his giant paws, so we just act like we don’t see him! He is a huge fan of raw chicken and would walk to the end of the earth to get some.

Big is really heavy, and every night, he jumps on the bed and prances across my husband and my bed pillow. Then he plops down on my pillow and purrs like an engine. The issue is he pulls our hair when he’s walking across and it hurts like hell. I forgive him every night though because he doesn’t realize how heavy he is. Big also sits around in the kookiest fashion. I have tons of photos of him on the Sassy Koonz Facebook page. He’s hilarious and super lovable.  Big Ben is the ultimate couch companion. He doesn’t sit ON your lap but he will snuggle up right next to your leg and put his paw on your leg.  He’s a beautiful soul.

Omega

Gender: Male [alter]
DOB: July 3, 2017
Color: White
Lap Cat: No
Bush Dweller

Omega is my white lion. He is the slowest moving cat I’ve ever seen – like slow motion everything. He never gets excited about anything. He’s extremely calm and mellow.  Personality-wise, he’s pretty independent. He doesn’t sleep with the pack at night. If everyone is checking out a box, he’s just watching from the sideline. He doesn’t like to get in the middle of things.

Omega is the favorite among all other cats with his magnetic personality. Everyone loves him and he loves everyone. He doesn’t like to be picked up or held, but he’ll tolerate it briefly.  He’d much rather just be lying on the floor watching the world go by. He is extremely vocal and really the only one of my Coonies that talks this much. This dude meows and talks all day and all night. He’s my 5:30 am alarm clock 9along with the trampling on the bed by the chasers).

 

Ursula

Gender: Female (Queen)
DOB: May 25, 2017
Color: Black Tortie
Lap Cat: No
Bush Dweller

Torties stereotypically have “tortietude”.  I have to agree with that. Ursula has a little bit of that. She definitely wants to be wherever you are, but she doesn’t want you to mess with her. Just leave her alone and she’ll be good. it’s ok if you bend down and pet her, and she may even join you on the sofa and make biscuits during a movie. But that’s absolutely on her terms.

Ursula likes to observe things from her point of view. She’s the alpha female. When she speaks, everyone listens. It’s that Simple. She has her favorite human, which is me, and that’s who she wants to be with all the time. Everyone else, well..they cant just “you know what”.

Delilah

Gender: Female (Queen)
DOB: March 19, 2018
Color: Black Silver Torbie
Lap Cat: Yes
Tree Dweller

I can’t say enough about Delilah. If she was a human, she’d be one of the girls that is always happy and smiling no matter what’s going on in her life. Delilah has a truly amazing personality and LOVES people beyond your wildest imagination!  She isn’t afraid to let you know either. Delilah will MAKE SURE that you pet her, because she will jump right in front of you, no matter what you’re doing, and make sure you see her.

Delilah has a loud purr box. She rubs on you, taps you on the shoulder if she wants you to notice her, and sits in your lap. You can’t get up if she’s around. She chases you down and wants you to pay attention to her. She’s BY FAR the most affectionate cat that I have, regardless of gender. Very determined to get your attention, your rubs, and your feels. She has the “ideal” cat personality. The one that everyone is always seeking out.

Miss America

Gender: Female (Queen)
DOB: May 24, 2018
Color: Black
Lap Cat: Yes
Bush Dweller

Miss America is my little black panther.  Her soul is smooth and sleek, just like her coat. She’s calm and collected like Omega (maybe not as extreme as him). She’s not easily excitable and does like to be in the same room with you. She does whatever everyone else is doing.  She lies around on the floor, observing the activities, and then joins in.

She doesn’t have the “in your face” charisma that Delilah does but she is very present in the room. America demands attention in the room but in a cool, sultry way. She calmly gets on the couch with anyone and likes to lie on her back and fall asleep in just the right ditch. This little black panther Maine Coon Kitten sleeps in the bed with us, but you hardly notice she’s there. UNLIKE BIG BEN. She lies at the foot of the bed and quietly sneaks off sometime during the night. She’s what I call my “cool” cat. Don’t let the Black Cat Superstition fool you, America is a gentle, beautiful cat.

Maine Coon Cats Have Dynamic Personalities

The Maine Coon is such a special breed of cat with a dynamic personality, that it’s hard to differentiate between the sexes.  I’ve found that the Maine Coon cat has a wonderful personality no matter which gender you prefer!

As you can tell by my descriptions of the six cats listed below, there are no two cats alike. Generally speaking, Maine Coons are very social, friendly, and get along with each other.  But just like people they all have individual personalities. There are males that are lap cats and lovable. There are females that are lap cats and squishy babies.

When it comes to choosing your best option for a Maine Coon Kitten, there’s no right or wrong answer.  They’re all very wonderful. I say you need one of each, a male AND a female. But if you’re really trying to decide then the article “Should I Choose a Male or a Female Maine Coon” should help. Then you’ll have the best of both worlds.

You should always be sure that you follow the proper procedure for introducing pets to one another. Also be prepared to get the items you need when you buy a Maine Coon Kitten.

Are you interested in a Maine Coon Kitten?  Read more about choosing the best Maine Coon Breeders for you and your new kitty!