Maine Coon

[catwoman]

A question out there for everyone ... what weight was the largest Maine Coon you ever had (or knew about?) My friends have a shelter kitty that we suspect is a Maine Coon ... they're curious how big he might get. Cat Fancier says males get 13-18 pounds, but I swear I've seen some that look bigger than that!

Anyone?

Thanks,
Dianne

[yorkster]

I think 13-18 lbs. is the average. I know someone that has a M. Coon that weighs 21 lbs. and it is not overweight, just a BIG kitty. I have a M. Coon kitten right now that is 8 months old and already weighs 12 lbs. They are big, gentle, affectionate cats. They are also smart and GOOFY at the same time! I love them!

[TheAntiPam]

My first furbaby is part MC and weighs in at a trim 16 lbs now that he's a senior cat. He was a pound kitty, and was a full adult male when I got him, weighing 19 lbs. I know there are differing opinions on whether early neutering makes a difference in adult size, but I'm sure this big boy had full advantage of his hormones to grow a wide chest and heavy strong legs. He's fixed now, and very healthy and happy to stay at home.

His heart is as big as the rest of him, and I can't imagine a better companion. When he walks across the room to greet me, I often wonder if the earth shakes ;) Maine Coon cats are truly gentle giants!

[4 feline house]

Any of the large breed males can easily reach 20 lbs or more without being fat. Maine Coons, Manxes and Norwegian Forest Cats tend to be large. I have a part Manx that is 20 lbs, although 1 or 2 lbs of that is tubbs.

[catwoman]

Thanks everybody, you've kinda confirmed my suspicions. Fluff is about 16 pounds and still growing ...

He definitely has the MC personality ... he is a big, sweet, goofball with the tiniest meow you've ever heard!

Dianne

[Logan]

Mimi obviously only has the good looks of a Maine Coon cat, because she certainly doesn't have the weight! She is 12 years old and her top weight is 7 pounds, but her normal weight is more like 6 pounds.

http://wsphotofews.excite.com/027/pF/Tc/Ap/1y84245.jpg

My new friend, Karel, who recently adopted two feral kittens from my rescue friend, Pam, has Chi, who greatly resembles a Maine Coon, and at 5 1/2 months, he is already 12 pounds!! LOL!!

[yorkster]

Hey Logan, Mimi is sure a pretty kitty! If you have friend with a kitten who is 5 & 1/2 months, and already weighs 12 lbs, that is going to be some BIG cat!

[TheAntiPam]

This is yet another time when we should be glad that cats do not vary in size as much as dogs. Anyone for a 110 lb housecat? :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek: :eek:

[catwoman]

Hey AntiPam,

There's always a first ... I'll keep you posted ... ;)

Dianne

[Ila]

Misty is female and weighs 14 pounds. She is very active and healthy. Doctor said her weight is good. ;)

[wolflady]

Here's the little princess Misty for everyone to see :D :D
http://wsphotofews.excite.com/036/Je/WJ/Fo/fJ86321.jpg
I just love that fur that grows between the toe pads on their feet!! :D :cool:

[catwoman]

Oh, Misty's lovely! (As are Mimi and Spencer's former foster.)

Fluff looks just like Misty, only a little bigger. He is about 1-1/2 years old (we think) ... but has shot up in height and weight significantly in the last few weeks. Seems like kind of a late growth spurt ... Fluff's owners are wondering if they will need to move to a bigger house soon. (LOL)

[ September 25, 2001: Message edited by: catwoman ]

[AmberLee]

Kind of a 'duh' question, but reading here makes me think my Olivia might be part Maine Coon. The photo of Misty could be Olivia or her missing-since-birth twin...

I just thought of her as generic brown tabby (an extraordinarily good looking brown tabby, you understand :D ). What are the breed indicators for M.C.? I thought it requires ear tufts, which Livvy doesn't really have. She does have adorable thick, long dark fur between her toes, she's rather heavy-set especially around the tummy area, has a very thick pelt, thick fur along the back of her thighs (I call it her pantalettes), she's sweetly goofy, and she looks like a racoon (or a gorgeous, fuzzy, striped bowling ball :D ) from the back. Her legs seem a little short for her body. Her lower chassis needs brushing to keep it from clumping up... Her vet tells me to put her on a diet. Although she climbs the cat tree and kitty condo easily, she can't get up on the cabinets, bookcases, or most of the furniture for some reason???

Could Livvy be part M.C.?

[libracats]

Here's a segment from a Maine Coon Site.

Maine Coon eyes are large and expressive. Their muzzle is usually square and box-like. Maine Coons have very friendly and playful temperments. They have a clown-like personality and affectionate nature: they seek out and enjoy the company of people. Their dispositions remain kittenish throughout their lives; they are big,gentle,good-natured goofs. Voices are often "tiny" with musical sounding trills and chirps, often sounding birdlike. Maine coons are usually talkative, intellegent, and may demand lots of attention. They are usually social and don't like to be left alone.
Heres the site http://mainecoonalliance.vjungle.com/rescue.htm http://wsphotofews.excite.com/032/tE/vG/t7/Jg36812.jpg Heres Bandit, My Maine Coon mix

[libracats]

How do you get the Pic to show up? I feel so stupid!! :confused:

[libracats]

http://wsphotofews.excite.com/001/pE/xh/Qn/QI66184.jpg Hopefully this is Bandit, full size. Still would like to know how to post the Picture. Can anyone HELP!

[yorkster]

That was good info on M. Coons libracats. To either wolflady or Ila (do you both have kitties named Misty?) Anyway, Misty is sooo pretty and definately M. Coon looking.

[purrley]

Dear Wolflady - your Misty is breath taking.
I love MC's - maybe that will be my next cat :)

[purrley]

Hey Libracats - just called up the picture of your beautiful Bandit - WOW!!!! When you
find out how to post a pic - let me know I'd like ya to see my Spencer (Chocolate Point,
Siamese)he's quite the purrsonality.

[libracats]

Hi STL, Thanks again for posting my pic. I just dont understand, "Click the image button" What and where is that? Sorry, Im so new at this. Thanks,Thanks,Thanks for your help. Oh, Purrley, would love to see your siamese kitty.
:)

[TheAntiPam]

Spencer, I forgot to say thanks earlier for posting the picture of your orange MC foster cat. My part-MC cat is orange and white, and I'd never seen another MC in orange. Seems like they tend toward other, darker? tabby colors.

Hmmm, what about solid color MC cats? or tortie or ??? Any comments, anyone?

[libracats]

Heres some info on the beutiful Maine Coon
i-love-cats.com (http://www.i-love-cats.com/Breeds/mainecoon.htm)

[libracats]

Sorry, Maine Coons are BEAUTIFUL!!!! :rolleyes:

[yorkster]

Originally posted by TheAntiPam:
<STRONG>Spencer, I forgot to say thanks earlier for posting the picture of your orange MC foster cat. My part-MC cat is orange and white, and I'd never seen another MC in orange. Seems like they tend toward other, darker? tabby colors.

Hmmm, what about solid color MC cats? or tortie or ??? Any comments, anyone?</STRONG>


Just caught up with this subject again. I have an orange & white purebred Maine Coon kitten, who is 9 months old now and already weighs over 13 lbs. I also have a M. Coon mix who is cream color with orange markings around his face, tail, legs. He looks a lot like Logan's butter only with quite long hair- has the blue eyes too. A co-worker of mine has a solid black Maine Coon. What I have read is that M. Coons are NOT bred to real specific standards, therefore there is a lot of variation in colars, markings, and eye color. They are bred for more for their personalities and size. I have heard them referred to as the 'natural' purebred. My kitten that I got in April had a solid gray sister, and a brother with sort of tortie type markings. His father is white with blue eyes. The brown/black classic tabby is the most common though.

[BigCharles]

My big boy is called Lamoni:
http://www.charleskincaid.com/lamoni2.jpg
I think that he is about 20 pounds. He has a high pitched voice for such a large cat. Check out the rest of his pictures on my site web page (http://www.charleskincaid.com)

He is so gentle and so sweet. ;) He is my good buddy.

[wolflady]

Yikes, I've been away from this topic for awhile! :eek: LOL LOL Yorkster, Ila is my aunt so I guess that makes her cat Misty...my...cousin?? LOL LOL LOL
I agree that MCs are just beautiful! I just love the tufts of hair that grow between the paw pads... :D If you touch it ever so lightly, it tickles their feet...hehehehehe I think there are a lot of furbabies with at least some sort of MC mix in their blood on this board! In any case...everyone's babies are beautiful!!

[Cougie Wechsler]

Lamoni is a great looking guy! I liked the website too!

[catwoman]

Oh, Lamoni is GORGEOUS! Thanks for posting!

A quick update on my friends' cat Fluff, suspected MC:

Fluff had his vet visit last week, and weighed in at 16 pounds. But the vet said, "This cat is healthy but he's underweight ... you need to feed him more meat!" :D

The vet said he needs to put on about three more pounds. :eek:

I said, "I told you so." ;)

[thelmalu99]

Originally posted by catwoman:
<STRONG>Fluff had his vet visit last week, and weighed in at 16 pounds. But the vet said, "This cat is healthy but he's underweight ... you need to feed him more meat!" :D

The vet said he needs to put on about three more pounds. :eek: ;)</STRONG>


I wish I had that problem!! ;) http://bbs2.fanforum.com/images/smilies/LOL.gif

[catwoman]

Thelma,

I know! I'm jealous too ... :D

Dianne

[yorkster]

Originally posted by BigCharles:
<STRONG>My big boy is called Lamoni:
http://www.charleskincaid.com/lamoni2.jpg
I think that he is about 20 pounds. He has a high pitched voice for such a large cat. Check out the rest of his pictures on my site web page (http://www.charleskincaid.com)

He is so gentle and so sweet. ;) He is my good buddy.</STRONG>


Wow, that is some big cat!! VERY beautiful though! It looks soooo much like my Maine Coon kitten, who is 10 months and weighs in at 14 lbs. or so already. Mine is white with the same orange markings, except the orange comes down a little further on his face (around the eyes). His meow is more of a 'nrrrr-eeee' sound, or just a squeek.

[thelmalu99]

Yorkster, LOL! I know that squeaky "nrrr-eee" meow! That's exactly how Danny meows. It almost sounds as if he's asking a question, "nrrr-eee?", LOL. My boys don't meow that much, but Danny is at his most talkative in the morning when he's following me around and right when I get home from work. It's kind of like he's asking me how my day went. :)

[yorkster]

Wow, Thelma...your cat (kitten) does that too? Does it go up in pitch at the end, like a question? nrrr-eeeee?? Maybe it's a orange cat/kitten thing. Sometimes he draws the nrrrrrr part out and it sounds almost like a purr is mixed in with it.

[4 feline house]

It's not an orange cat type thing, cuz Big squeaks too.

[yorkster]

Isn't it funny.......that little noise coming out of such big kitties?

[Freckles]

And I love Misty's crossed feet.
Freckles (http://CatoftheDay.com/archive/2000/December/20.html)

[yorkster]

I looked at Freckle's pic- what a pretty and regal looking cat. She was COTD before I knew about Pet Talk.......

[BigCharles]

Originally posted by yorkster:
<STRONG>Isn't it funny.......that little noise coming out of such big kitties?</STRONG>

The *experts* are telling us that the MEOW is a two part word in cat language. The ME part means "come here. I want ..." (Could be anything: water, food, love, food, attention, food, open the door, food, close the door, food, turn off the light, food. Anything at all, even food.)

The OW part means "leave me alone. Don't hurt me."

With the MC's the OW can be very short and they can even vocalize the two parts seperately. Lamoni goes "mACK, mACK, mACK" when he wants me to do something with him. "OK, Lamoni. Show daddy." He gets up and leads me to where the "problem" is. Empty water dish, empty food bowl, a door he wants open.

Late one night I was up working on a computer problem ("If I complete this level, I get a hundred thousand bonus points, a new weapon, and the right to go 'rescue' the princess."). My wife was already in bed asleep. Lamoni kept coming in and pestering me. "OK, OK. Show daddy."

He lead me into the kitchen and lept up onto the table. When I went to pet him he said "AH-OO-OO-W" and shied away a little. What the ... I turned and started to leave. "WAH-OOO! mACK, mACK." Hmmm. I read that as "don't hurt me, come here."

He was not sick or hurt. He had fresh water and a full (for once) food bowl. Cindy had cleaned the litter box about an hour before.

Every time that I would try to pet him he told me to go away. Every time I tried to leave, he called me back. In frustration I turned off the light and said, "GOODNIGHT!"

He said, "mACK, Ick, Ick. Meow! mACK." I came to the table and he was purring so loudly that the table was almost shaking. I can see fairly well in the dark (which surprises the heck out of cats). He was purring with his mouth wide open. As I approached he lowered his head. Our friendship greeteing is for him to lower his head and rub the back of my hand with the forehead. We did that and he turned to wipe the side of my hand with his open teeth. he grabed my arm with his paws and pushed my hand toward his forehead.

I petted him for the next minute, kissed him on the head, and told hime good night.

He just wanted the light off. He actually said "thank you".

Being in advanced computer systems, I kind of keep up on the "Artificial Intellegence" movement. Gratitute is very high up the tree of concepts.

This is the heart of my arguments with the SETI project at NASA. "You are spending all this time looking for communications from the cosmos and you can't communicate with the life that is already here!" :mad:

[SpecialDesigns]

20 to 25 pounds

[GILL]

Our Bart is 26 and Chessie is 18 pounds, Bart is my the gentle giant and Chess Moma's boy. It is kind of fun to watch a 2 pound 4 month old (ROZ)chase a big fluff ball like Bart. When he does take a swipe he DOES NOT use nails. I think he knows that he could knock her into next year.