Maine Coon Baby and Mom
Characteristics, Health

How Big Can Maine Coons Get?

Maine Coon cats are also known as the American Long Hair. They are the original American breed of cat. Their heritage is somewhat mysterious, which kind of adds to their appeal. There are a lot of fables associated with the Coon cat.

There is a common belief that they are either part raccoon (which is genetically impossible) or that they are part bobcat and part domestic cat (which is also genetically impossible).  The truth is no one really knows which cat mated with which cat to create this much-loved breed.

There are a few things that we do know about this cat. They are the largest breed of cat. They grow longer than any other breed. Most breeds reach their full physical maturation at about 2 years of age. The coon cat can grow until they are about 4 years old!

Average Size


The Larger End of the Spectrum

At the larger end of the spectrum a coon cat can easily measure 45 inches plus long and 30 lbs. The most recent records for the biggest cat is for Stewie the Maine Coon (48 inches long and 33 lbs)!  His tail alone measured 16 inches.

Stewie’s owner maintains that there were no unusual steps that were taken in his breeding, he just grew and grew without any special diet.

What Makes Them Big?

Since so little is known about their lineage there is no way to truly understand why it is that these cats get as big as they do.  All that is known for sure is that they do get plenty big and there is a genetic link to their size.

Can You Predict The Maine Coon’s Size?

There is no way to accurately predict the future size of your coon cat. Genetics play a role but just like humans there are recessive traits that can crop up that were not planned for. In other words, even if the parents are of a certain size it does not mean that the kitten will become that size or that the kitten won’t exceed that size. You can guarantee that you will have a larger than average cat!

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