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Welcome, Crazy Cat People!
The Maine coon is a sociable, affable breed but do they get along well with other cats and what other cat breeds can live with the Maine coon?
Over the years I have spent a long time learning about the Maine coons unique personality and believe me I have had some fun along the way. I have used my knowledge of this breed to answer your question.
As a general rule, the Maine coon cat gets along really well with other cat breeds. They are a very sociable and gregarious breed with a gentle temperament. The Maine coon enjoys the company of not only people but also other pets as long as the introduction is carried out slowly and correctly.
So now we know the truth!
Maine coons are very sociable so introducing a new cat to them should be easier than some other breeds who can be more independent and much more territorial.
Later in this post, we examine the subject in a little more detail and we find out if they are ever mean to other cats and more importantly how to introduce them correctly. (SUPER IMPORTANT)
Keep reading my fellow crazy cat lovers to learn more!
Do Maine Coons Get Along With Other Cats?
The Maine coon cat has a truly amazing personality and they are generally really laid back which makes it much less of a struggle to introduce them to other cats.
Some people can be intimidated by the Maine coon at first sight because they are so big, especially the male and unfortunately people often associate big cats to be more violent and untrustworthy but this couldn’t be further from the truth.
It’s normally the smaller cats and dogs that can be a bit more feisty than the soft ones.
The Maine coon tends to be a big softy at heart so they make a perfect companion for either another Maine coon or a different breed with a similar temperament (More on that later)
I don’t want to stereotype all cats as being the same because as we know cats’ personalities can vary so much depending on several factors.
If your Maine coon has had previous bad experiences with other cats, if they have been mistreated by someone in a previous home or if they were not socialised correctly as a kitten then all these factors can affect how easily and quickly they adjust to another feline in their territory.
It is said that it is much easier to introduce a kitten to an adult cat because they will see them as less of a threat and often they will take the new kitten under their wing and mother or father them.
If you are introducing a Maine coon to another smaller cat breed then one thing you may want to consider is that the smaller breed may at first be intimidated by the size of the Maine coon until they realise that their new companion is a big softie at heart!
Are Maine Coon Cats Mean to Other Cats?
The Maine coon should not be mean to other cats if introduced correctly from the beginning.
There are some situations where your Maine coon could very well get angry and become violent to another cat and that is if they are introduced without following the correct guidelines.
With any cat, if you suddenly just bring home another feline and allow them free roam of the house then you can almost guarantee that you will have one big catfight on your hands!
Nobody likes a catfight!
There are several reasons why your Maine coon may react this way –
All Cats Are Territorial
Regardless of breed, all cats are territorial at heart. Their territory is their domain and they may view another cat as an intruder.
From a very young age, your cat will begin to mark their territory in different ways by leaving their scent everywhere by scratching, rubbing against objects and in some cases spraying on objects.
Your Maine coon will do this to ward off other cats and let them know that this is their domain and if needed they will fight for it.
So when other cats come along it’s so important to introduce them slowly otherwise they may display behaviour such as hissing, growling and stalking and they may attack the new cat.
Maine coons get very attached to their owners
The Maine coon cat forms extremely tight bonds with its owners. They are loyal to the core and this is why they are often referred to as the dogs of the cat world.
To the Maine coon its family are the centre of their universe and if they feel pushed out in any way they may become jealous and begin to feel slightly insecure and even though it’s not in their nature they may become envious of the new cat.
This can easily be prevented by making sure that your Maine coon gets the same amount of attention as it did before the new cat came along.
In my opinion, the easiest way is to get two Maine coon littermates and watch them grow up together and form a strong bond with each other over time.
Yes I know that’s not always possible to do so that’s why in this guide I guide you through step by step on how to introduce your cats correctly!
How Do You Introduce a New Cat to a Maine Coon?
So how exactly do we introduce the Maine coon to another cat?
We introduce first through smell, then sight before we allow the two cats to eventually meet with each other.
One thing that will be required throughout is patience!
This is going to be a long process and the longer and more slowly you take it the better. It is a good idea to do this when someone is home all day and away from work or other duties.
You will need a dedicated room for the new cat where you can provide all their essential needs such as bed, food, water and toys. It’s super important to have both cats separated from each other at the beginning.
Step One: Keep Both Cats Separate
So when you first bring home your new kitten or cat you need to make sure that they are in their dedicated room with the door closed. It is super important at this time to not let both cats see each other and interact.
This first part is about getting your new cat settled into its new environment and getting both cats used to each other’s smell.
You may find that both cats sniff each other from behind the door for quite some time and to speed along this process you may wish to swap blankets or toys as these items soak up a cat’s scent and get them used to each other’s smell.
TIP: When swapping the blankets or toys leave treats on these items and/or catnip to build up a positive association!
Make sure this process is not rushed, the cats should not get to see each other for at least 3 days, in this time please make sure you spend equal amounts of time with both cats because you don’t want either of them to feel left out in any way.
Now one last part of this step is to allow the cats to swap rooms to get used to each other’s scent, allow them to explore each room while making sure at this stage they still don’t get to see each other.
Step 2: Introduce both cats by sight
The next step is to be taken very slowly and if at any point your cats show signs of aggression or agitation then it’s time to take a step back.
I did tell you that you were going to need patience and I can’t stress how important taking your time with introductions is, first impressions do count!
Look out for these signs of agitation –
- Arched back
- Tucked tail
- Ears pinned down
- Large pupils
- Hissing
- Growling
Now you know what signs to look out for let’s start to introduce through sight.
The first thing you can do is to open the door about an inch so the cats can see each other.
At first, they may lock eyes with each other and if they do it’s important at this stage to distract them with a toy. So it would be a good idea to have one person in the room with cat number 1 and another person in the other room with cat 2.
If you try to distract them and they are ignoring the toys and are fixated on each other and showing signs of fear or aggression then it’s not time yet for the face to face introduction.
Go back to the previous step and try again.
If they are okay with each other then allow them to see each other for 5 minutes and repeat this process several times a day for a couple of days before moving on to the next step.
Step 3 – Fit a pet gate on the door
The one I would recommend is this one on Amazon – Click here to take a look!
As long as the two cats are friendly with each when you open the door slightly it’s now time to let them see each other without being able to interact.
Fit the pet gate on the door and allow both cats to observe each other and look for signs of curiosity and friendliness. Distract them both with a toy so they can see each other playing and if they continue to react to each other’s sight in a friendly way then this is a good sign but remember it’s not time to let them interact fully yet.
Allow them to interact through the gate for a couple of days until you are sure they are not showing signs of aggression before moving on to the next step.
If they are behaving aggressively or fearful then it’s time to take a step back.
Step 4 – The face to face introduction!
So the big day is finally here! Well done!
Now it’s time to let the cats meet face to face while you supervise their interactions.
What you may find is that at first, both cats spend a lot of time sniffing each other which is completely normal but look out for them locking eyes with each other and if you spot them doing this then try to distract them with a toy or a loud noise.
If they do act aggressively in any way then it’s time to separate them and try again later.
Keep the interactions very short at the beginning, 10 minutes maximum and make sure for at least the first 5-7 days your cats continue to have their own living quarters to go back to.
The idea is to gradually increase the time you allow them to spend with each other in 15-minute increments until they get used to each other’s company.
If after 1 week they are not showing any signs of aggression then you may wish to leave them in a room together while you listen in on the outside. Make sure you listen out for any hissing or fighting and when you know there is no aggression then eventually you will be able to leave the house and allow the cats to live happily together.
So there you go!
When reading the above steps it sounds simple but it will require dedication on your part. Please try not to get frustrated or angry with either of the cats as not only will they pick up on your emotions which will make them feel more fearful but you need to remember that cats are territorial and big changes can really stress them out.
Patience is key!
Key Takeaways: Can Maine Coons Live With Other Cats?
- Maine coons are laidback, friendly and sociable
- All cat breeds are territorial so correct introductions are essential
- Patience is required when introducing a new cat
- Introduce through smell, then sight before you allow them to interact
- If you do not yet have a Maine coon then as long as finances allow it is advisable to get two Maine coons from a young age
Check out these other cool posts within this series
Click the links to take a look
Do Maine Coons Need a Companion?
Are Maine coons good with dogs? (What breeds go well and what breeds don’t)
As always take care of yourself and your little fur babies!
Mark (The Crazy Cat Man)
