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Welcome, Crazy Cat People!
When deciding on getting a new kitten you are bound to have numerous questions and one of those is whether you should get a male or female Maine coon cat? What are the differences between male and female Maine coons?
The Maine coon is a breed I have studied for a long time and one of my personal favourites I have used my knowledge and experience of these gentle giants to answer your question.
There are slight differences between the male and female Maine coon. Male Maine coons are larger in size and exhibit behavioural traits similar to a dog, whereas the female is smaller and can be more aloof. The male at times can be a little more clingy and tend to bond closely with the one person.
Deciding on which gender of Maine coon to get can be tricky.
It’s about making sure whatever cat or breed you get is the right fit for you and your family and this is why I made this ultimate guide and resource to help you decide.
Later in this post, I explore the differences in a bit more detail, we will explore size differences and also the personality differences between males and females. By the end of this post, you should have all the knowledge you need to be able to make the decision on which gender is best for you!
So keep reading crazy cat people to learn more!
P.S – There are lots of links in this post to other related articles in this series. Don’t worry, if you click to take a look they will open in a new window so you won’t lose this article!
Find out more about the interesting personality traits of a Maine coon in my ultimate guide! Click the link to take a look
Male vs Female Maine Coon Cats
The Maine coon is fastly becoming one of the world’s most popular cat breeds.
The reason why many people across the world are falling in love with the Maine coon is because of their dog-like personalities. When people think of the cat they often associate them with being aloof, independent and coming to their owners just when they want food.
Maine coons are not your stereotypical feline.
They are gentle giants, they require lots of play and attention, they wait for their owners at the door and they bond very closely with the family.
I’ll be completely honest with you from the beginning there are not many differences between male and female Maine coons. You can expect a friendly, docile and playful cat regardless of sex.
The biggest factors that will affect your Maine coon are their background and if they were weaned correctly and socialised as a kitten. They need to be with their mother and siblings until at least 8-12 weeks old to make sure they learn all the key skills they will need and to learn how to behave.
Failure to follow these critical guidelines could result in emotional problems for your Maine coons later in life regardless of sex!
Another big factor that will determine your cat’s personality and traits are if they have been neutered/spayed.
Maine coons mature very slowly compared to some other breeds but when they do mature if they still have their bits intact then they are going to have sex hormones coursing through their body, which in males can cause them to act more aggressive and want to wander outdoors, sometimes for days at a time.
Females can become more vocal and moody and again they will want to go outdoors so they can find a mate.
I came across this article on hills pets that says –
”Behavioral differences between male and female cats are most obvious in pets that are not neutered or spayed since the behavioural differences usually are related to the cat’s sex drive”.
Hillspets
So please if you are thinking of getting a Maine coon then get them spayed/neutered if you intend on not allowing them to breed. It will calm them down but also prevent any unwanted kittens!
There are some differences between gender in Maine coons and to make things easy for you I have made a handy table that you can refer to before we go into more detail later in this post!
| Male Maine Coon | Female Maine Coon | |
| Weight | 15-25 lbs | 8-12 lbs |
| Height | 10-16 Inches | 8-14 Inches |
| Length | 19-40 inches | 19-40 Inches |
| Sociability | More Sociable and outgoing | Still friendly but less sociable and warier of strangers |
| Neediness | Can be needy | Less needy and more independent |
| Bonding | More likely to bond closely with one person | Bonds with all of the family |
| Spraying | More likely to spray (If not neutered) | Less likely to spray inside |
| Play | Enjoys play any time of day | Enjoys play but on her terms |
| Activity levels | Very active in the daytime | Tendency to be more active in the evening and night |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years | 12-15 years |
| Health problems | More prone to hip dysplasia and Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy than the female. Also, watch out for Polycystic kidney disease | Polycystic kidney disease |
| Personality | Character traits are very similar to a puppy | Character traits are more like a typical cat |
As you can see from the table above there are differences between both male and female Maine coons. The biggest difference is the size!
Male Maine coons do grow quite large and the largest one on record was a Maine coon called Stewie who grew to 48.5 inches long.
Now that is one large domestic cat!
So just bear this in mind when deciding on which sex to get and make sure you have enough room for your cats especially if you choose to share your life with more than one male. When it comes to the other differences most of these are based on personality.
What you need to remember is that the above traits are just generalisations and your Maine coon could end up being completely different to the stereotype. In my experience, all cats have unique personalities and that’s what makes them so special.
To read more about the differences in the appearance of Male and Female Maine coons please check out one of my other posts in this series that goes into a lot more detail. ”Do male and female Maine coons look different?” – Click the link to take a look!
Are Male Maine Coons More Affectionate Than Females?
Both genders of Maine coon are affectionate and loving to their owners.
This is one of the reasons why people love them so much. You Maine coon will enjoy showering you with affection and the bond between you and your pet will grow more and more over time.
There are however some slight differences in the way they show their affection to their family. The male Maine coon loves to be the centre of attention and appears to be more sociable but at the same time can be quite needy at times when it comes to getting the attention they require.
What is strange though is that the Male Maine coon although more confident can have a tendency to develop a close bond with just one person. That doesn’t mean that they won’t want attention from other people but they know who their favourite is.
The female on the other hand is also affectionate but she doesn’t give her affection away so easily and is more subtle in her approach. She can be a little warier of strangers and take a little longer to warm up to them than the male.
Once she gets acquainted with the rest of the family unlike the male she has a tendency to develop a strong bond with the whole household so can be perfect for large families.
To find out more about the female Maine coon and the differences she shows in her personality when it comes to affection then check out another post in this series called ”Are Female Maine Coons Friendly? (Explained)”
Which Gender Of Maine Coon Is More Aggressive?
First of all, I would like to say that Aggression should not be a common problem in your Maine coon at all.
Maine coons are so chilled out and laid back and rather docile so normally aggression is the last thing on their mind but don’t just take my word for it. I did a Facebook poll on one of my other posts (Are Maine Coons Aggressive?)
The results from that poll are below –
| My Maine coon is generally friendly | My Maine coon picked me as a favourite | My Maine coon can sometimes be aggressive |
|---|---|---|
| 71% | 23% | 6% |
As you can see aggression is not a big problem in Maine coons at all and they are generally really friendly.
Does one gender have a tendency to be more aggressive than the other?
Not at all and if they do show aggression there will always be a reason such as a big change to their routine or environment, fighting for territory with other cats or if they are constantly being teased.
Cats who have their bits intact can also be a little more feisty and prone to aggressive tendencies due to the hormones flowing through their bodies. Yes, cats do suffer from P.M.T and hormone-related stress!
Rather than showing aggression cats are more likely to show territorial behaviour and begin to scent mark their surroundings to warn off other cats and sometimes they can do this by spraying! If spraying is a particular problem for you and your cats then check out this post ”Do Male Maine Coons Spray? (What Can I Do?)
Which Gender of Maine Coons Get Along Better with each other?
Maine coons are very tolerable of not only people and children but also of other cats.
If you are thinking of getting a pair of Maine coons then gender shouldn’t matter too much. Cats generally get along with other cats of a similar temperament regardless of sex.
If your cats have not been spayed/neutered then you may run into problems. There may be more fights for territory in the home especially when your cats reach sexual maturity, two un-neutered males will want to fight for dominance and are more likely to start spraying in the home to mark territory.
Two female cats could show princess-like behaviour and they may get ”catty’ over who receives the most attention. They may view each other as competitors within the home.
A lot of this behaviour can be eradicated by making sure that you get two kittens from the same litter who have been together since birth, when they are familiar with each other they are less likely to fight.
Again, whether two males will get along better than two females are all dependent on the individual personality of your cats. My two cats have been living together since they were young and occasionally they still fight, I guess when two people live together they get angry and disagree every now and again and cats are no exception.
Take a look at my article ”Do Male Maine Coons Get Along With Each other” to find out a more detailed answer and to learn how to introduce two cats correctly
Which Gender of Maine Coon is More Playful?
Maine Coons are super playful!
One of the main reasons they call them the ”Dogs of the cat world” is because of their curious, playful nature!
It is common for your Maine coon to play fetch and to provide hours of laughter for the family.
If you are looking for a breed that loves to play games and learn tricks then the Maine coon is for you!
The male Maine coon enjoys playing any time of the day, so make sure you schedule in morning and mid-day play sessions if possible. It is said that the female can be more active during the evening and the nighttime.
So before you go to bed it is a good idea to get your laser toys out to make sure she has a good play session before bed. This should prevent any darting around in the night which may wake you up in the twilight hours! The last thing you want is to be woken up to the sound of crashing and banging at 3 am!
The male is more in your face with play and will demand attention frequently whereas the female can be more aloof and as with affection when she wants to play it is more on her terms, she can be a little more independent than the male.
To find out more detail about which gender is more playful but also to take a look at the type of toys Maine coons LOVE! Then click here to take a read of this short post titled ”Are Female Maine Coons Playful (Favourite toys)”
Are Male or Female Maine Coons More Prone to Health Problems?
A common health complaint in larger cats is hip dysplasia.
With the Maine coon being one of the largest domestic cats then this problem is common. The Male is bulkier and larger than the female so this issue is a lot more common in the male of the species.
This condition is when the hip joint does not fit well into the hip socket, it is not a life-threatening disease but it can cause your Maine coon a lot of pain so watch out for any signs of pain in your cat which can often be very subtle.
Cats will deal with a lot of pain before they let you know about it but any sudden changes in behaviour such as hissing, biting and scratching can often indicate a cat who is in pain. When in doubt get them checked out by a vet!
Polycystic kidney disease is also common in both genders of Maine coon and it is when fluid-filled pockets or cysts may form on their kidneys and as they get larger it can lead to the kidneys not being able to function which can lead to kidney failure and can be life-threatening according to the sprucepets.com.
Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy is another common condition that mainly affects male Maine coons. In this condition, the muscles of the wall of the heart thicken and make it more difficult for the heart to pump properly which can lead to heart failure in your cat.
Which Gender Of Maine Coon Costs The Most?
Maine coon cats cost more or less the same regardless of sex.
The price for a Maine coon cat can vary. As with any other breed, it all depends on where you get your Maine coon from. The most cost-effective and helpful way is to get them from a shelter where you will pay an adoption fee.
There is nothing better than rescuing unwanted cats and giving them the loving happy life that they deserve. However, I am not completely against getting a cat from a reputable breeder because these cats still need a home too.
You can expect to pay a lot more if you get your Maine coon from a breeder and it’s important to make sure they come with certificates to prove that they have had vaccinations, health checks and that they are purebred.
The price? You can expect to pay anywhere from $400 – $2,000 depending or the equivalent depending on where you are in the world. I would say you’re looking at an average of around $1000.
They may seem expensive but they are so worth it! Sharing your life with a Maine coon will be enjoyable for you and the rest of the family and you will develop a strong bond with them regardless of their gender.
You Should Get A Female Maine Coon If…
- You are looking for a slightly more independent cat.
- A large family where a cat will bond with everyone in the home
- A more slender sleek cat
- A cat who likes to play on her terms and is a little more aloof
- Behaves more like a typical cat
You Should Get A Male Maine Coon If…
- You want a cat who is more likely to want a lot of attention.
- A cat who is more likely to be friendly to others but more likely to bond with the one person
- A larger cat with a muscular bulky build
- A cat who likes to play anytime of day and will keep your children entertained
- Has character traits similar to a puppy
Final Thoughts : Male vs Female Maine Coon
I hope this article has helped you decide which sex of Maine coon is the best for you!
In my experience of being around Maine coons gender should not be the biggest deciding factor for you. The personality of a cat is what needs to be right for you and your family.
Some breeds are more active and require a lot more attention than others so it’s important to do your research. The Maine coon is so popular because they are so easygoing regardless of sex. I mean who wouldn’t fall in love with a friendly, chatty and playful breed like the Maine coon.
Maybe you are more suited to another breed like the Siamese or the Bengal?
Why not take a look at my website and navigate to the home menu and learn about some of the other popular cat breeds before you make a decision on which breed to get.
As always take care of yourself and your little fur babies!
Mark ( The Crazy Cat Man)
