Can A Maine Coon Be A Lap Cat?

Can A Maine Coon Be A Lap Cat?

There are two types of people in the world – a dog person or a cat person. If you fall under the latter category, then chances are you already are familiar with Maine Coons.

These felines are majestic and affectionate, which makes them one of the most common pet breeds in the world.

The largest breed of a domesticated cat, the Maine Coons have distinctive looks that make them stand apart from the other cats.

Their character traits include gentleness, intelligence and playfulness. Known as “the gentle giant”, these cats are amazing pets to have.

You will love these cats even if you are a dog person too. How? The Maine Coon are said to exhibit “dog- like” characteristics which makes them perfect for both, canine lovers and feline lovers.

But are they a lap cat?

In this article, we shall try to find the answer for this question. Read on to find out.

Are Maine Coons Lap Cats?

The answer is yes and no.

Maine Coons are not an in-your-face kind of cat. They enjoy being near you but not necessarily on you.

They will instead give you their paws in most cases, in order to feel closer to you.

However, let us not categorize them as “not a lap cat”. Many feline owners can actually vouch for their Maine Coons being the exact opposite.

Some of the Maine Coons love being on their owner’s lap. In fact, if they spot their owners sitting, they will remove the hands and settle themselves on the lap.

The tendency to be a lap cat, though less, is still possessed by the cats.

It all depends on your cat’s personal choice. He may want to be on your lap and sometimes, he would not. The fact which remains uniform?

Maine Coons will always be affectionate pets so even if he does not like your lap, do not worry.

Maine Coons vs Tonkinese vs Bengal – From A Lap Cat POV

Let us talk about the Bengal breed and the Tonkinese breed before going to the Maine Coon.

Bengal cat breeds are unquestionably beautiful breeds, but are quite famous for having a vicious temperament.

They are super intelligent creatures that constantly need to move in order to blow off steam.

They have a curious nature as well, which makes them want to keep checking and digging around. Basically, a Bengal cat would want to be anywhere but your lap.

This doesn’t mean that Bengals hate their owner, it is just that they want to be mobile and always on the go.

Coming to the Tonkinese cat breed, they’re the exact opposite of a Bengal breed in terms of temperament.

Tonkinese cats are highly intelligent and active, but not quite too much.

They are naturally very affectionate felines and want to show and receive love all day. They are social cats and like to be around people and other animals.

The Tonkinese cat breed are the best examples of a lap cat because they love their owners and their laps equally. If you Google the top cat breeds that love to snuggle, the Tonkinese will most probably be on every list, ranked within the first three positions.

Now to the Maine Coons.

We know that they do not exactly like being on laps but it also isn’t the case that they are absolutely against it.

If you were to make a bar scale with the Bengal cat breed on one side and the Tonkinese cat breed on the other, the perfect way to describe the Maine Coon lap cat situation would be just in the middle of the bar.

Different cat breeds have different preferences, temperaments and desires.

This is what makes each unique. Same with the Maine Coons, they cannot be compared to other cats, they are in a league of their own.

What You Should Know About Maine Coons

These cats are humungous, with the males being even larger.

An average Maine Coon can live up to 10- 15 years, if properly cared for and fed. Some may live even longer.

This cat breed will always have kitten- like disposition throughout their lives, which makes them quite playful.

The cats usually weigh 15- 18 pounds when fully grown, which in turn usually take 3- 4 years. This makes for a big lump on your lap.

Maine Coons are high-maintenance cats.

They need to be groomed almost every week. Though their fur is soft and easy to care for, they can get matted and tangled really easily.

They also required to be fed large, nutritious meals due to their muscular and big build.

These cats are really great pets who will enjoy the occasional snuggle and give you amazing company all the time.

What Does Living With A Maine Coon Cat Feel Like?

Maine Coons are amazing pets.

They like to play fetch, are friendly and social creatures and love being around people.

They will follow you around and will offer their assistance when they feel that they can help you with something, and actually try to help.

You can even train these big balls of fur to stay on a leash.

You should be ready though, to clean their fur a lot of time.

The Maine Coons are big, furry felines and shed a lot, all year round. They are silently your best fans and will never not show their love and affection to you.

And as mentioned, they may or may not like being on your lap but they’ll prefer to sit in the table / chair next to you.

They want to be near you, but just not too near.

They are like the Golden Retrievers of the cat family. You will definitely enjoy them as pets.

Final Verdict on the Lap Cat Situation

If you were to hold a survey to reach a conclusive answer, it would probably result in Maine Coons not being a typical lap cat.

And, it would be correct. Maine Coons will be the perfect companion and pet, but they will not be your child.

It may be possible for them to like spending time on your lap, but more often than not, they will prefer to sit or sleep next to you.

Also, just to prove me wrong, here is a Maine Coon kitten, quite happy to be on someone’s lap;