Majestic Maine Coons: Tales, Tips, and Insights from the World of the Gentle Giants

Active and adventurous, Maine Coones are known for their friendly personalities. They are sociable, both with other pets and their human families. Sometimes called "gentle giants," they usually get along well with children.

As one of the oldest natural breeds in North America, as the name might imply, these cats originated in the U.S. state of Maine. Did you know it is actually the official state cat? (Are you now wondering which other states have official state cats?)

The extra fur between their toes and around their ears keeps them warm in the snowy and cold northeast winters. On average, male Maine Coone cats weigh between 18 to 22 lbs, and females weigh between 12 to 15 lb, when at a healthy weight. Their height usually falls between 10 and 16 inches, and their length may be as much as 38 inches. Then we must discuss their tail, up to 14 inches, and explain the other part of their name -- it is often described as raccoon-like.

If you want to further identify a Maine Coone, these cats appear large, with a muscular build. They have in general long, shaggy fur and distinctive tufted ears, and of course, a bushy tail. Being quite intelligent, they need stimulation from play and exercise. Due to their size, smaller houses may need more room, which makes adding a catio very appealing for Maine Coone owners.

Unfortunately, Maine Coone cats require some regular grooming to manage their long, dual-layer coat and prevent matting. This may actually be something you want to do outside, to prevent the fur from brushing getting everywhere. That would be a great use of a catio as well!

As mentioned before, Maine Coon cats need plenty of exercise to stay healthy and prevent obesity. They're not necessarily the most active breed, but they can be athletic when they want to be. Maine Coons are known for sleeping for long periods and then having short bursts of intense activity. A catio would be an appropriate place to release that energy, with places to climb, jump, and roam a bit.

As they are easy to train, and they can learn many tricks, you may want to see what you can teach your cat - perhaps fetch, jumping through a hoop, or even rolling over! You can also even train this breed to walk on a leash! Try testing this out on a catio, and then you can move to other outdoor spaces. You may even try training your cat to do more complicated tricks. A good rule of thumb is to limit your training sessions in length so that you don't frustrate or stress out your cat. Doing a task like fetching for even 15 minutes might bore or tire out your cat, and she or he will be ready to move on.

A catio will allow your cat to sit and watch the natural activities outside. Providing views of the outdoors for your cat is a great way to satisfy multiple needs without exposing them to dangers like other pets and animals, improperly stored chemicals in neighboring yards, traffic, weather, etc., or allowing them to become a danger to other wildlife.