The Maine Coon guide · Kats Kits
Are Maine Coons Good With Dogs and Other Cats?
Usually, yes. Maine Coons are big, confident, sociable cats, and many live happily with dogs and other cats, often becoming real friends with them. Whether a particular cat and dog, or two cats, get along depends more on the individual animals and on how they are introduced than on breed.
This guide covers why Maine Coons tend to do well with other pets, which dogs suit them, step-by-step introductions to a dog or a resident cat, setting up a home with more than one cat, and the signs that things are going well or badly. For the breed's temperament in general, see Maine Coon personality.
Do Maine Coon Cats Get Along With Dogs?
Often very well. Owners and breeders often describe the Maine Coon as one of the more dog-friendly cat breeds, and there are a few likely reasons:
- Size. A grown Maine Coon is a big cat (see how big Maine Coons get), and it tends to stand its ground rather than bolt. A cat that runs is what sets off many dogs' urge to chase.
- Confidence. Most Maine Coons are easy-going rather than nervous, so a dog's noise and bustle bother them less than they bother more sensitive cats.
- A sociable nature. They like company, and many seem to enjoy a calm dog as a companion.
None of this is guaranteed. A shy Maine Coon, or a dog that chases cats, can still clash, which is why the introduction matters so much.
Which Dogs Are Best With a Maine Coon?
The dog's temperament matters more than its breed or size. The easiest matches are:
- Calm adult dogs that are past the puppy stage and respond to basic commands such as "leave it".
- Cat-tested dogs. A dog that has lived peacefully with cats before, or that a shelter or rescue has tested with cats, is a safer bet.
- Gentle dogs of any size. A big, mellow dog can be an excellent friend for a big cat.
Take more care with dogs bred to chase or hunt small animals. Sighthounds such as whippets and salukis, many terriers and some northern breeds such as huskies often have a strong prey drive. Some live safely with cats after careful introductions; others never can. Puppies are a different challenge: rarely dangerous, but their bouncing and chasing can frighten a cat, so give the cat escape routes and teach the puppy calm manners early.
How Do You Introduce a Maine Coon to a Dog?
Go slowly, over days or weeks, and let the cat set the pace:
- Give the cat its own room with food, water, a litter box, a bed and a scratching post, where the dog cannot go.
- Swap scents. For a few days, swap bedding, or rub a cloth on each animal and leave it with the other.
- Feed near the door. Feed the cat and the dog on either side of the closed door, moving the bowls a little closer each day, so the other's smell comes to mean dinner.
- Look without touching. Let them see each other through a baby gate or a door opened a crack, with the dog on a leash. Reward the dog with treats for staying calm and looking away.
- Short meetings. Then try short sessions in the same room, the dog still leashed and the cat free to leave or climb. End each one before anyone gets tense.
- Drop the leash gradually once the dog ignores the cat, but keep the cat's room as a dog-free retreat and supervise until you are sure.
Two practical points. Dogs love cat food and the contents of litter boxes, so put both where the dog cannot reach them. And never use a dog's flea treatment on a cat: some contain permethrin, which is highly toxic to cats.
Can a Maine Coon Kill a Dog?
No. A healthy Maine Coon is not a threat to a normal dog's life. Even a big cat is far smaller than most dogs, and cats do not hunt animals that size. The risk in a cat and dog household is injury, and it usually comes from a fight:
- A swipe of the claws can scratch a dog's eye, which needs a vet promptly.
- Cat bites are small but deep, and they often become infected.
- A very small dog or a young puppy is more easily hurt by a frightened cat.
More often, the cat is the one at risk, because a dog can seriously hurt or kill a cat, even a playful dog. That is why introductions are supervised, the cat always has an escape route and somewhere high to go, and the two are kept apart when you are out until you are sure of them. If they do fight, separate them with a barrier such as a cushion or a board, never your hands, and check both for wounds.
Do Maine Coons Get Along With Other Cats?
Usually, and many enjoy the company. Maine Coons are sociable, and a pair of young cats will often play, groom each other and sleep curled up together.
Some combinations are easier than others. Two kittens, or a kitten and a playful young adult, usually settle fastest. An older cat that has lived alone for years may find a lively kitten exhausting, and needs a slower start and somewhere to escape. Cats are territorial, so the resident cat's temperament, not the newcomer's breed, is often the deciding factor. Before a new cat comes home, make sure your own cat is healthy and up to date on its vaccinations. Kats Kits kittens test negative for FeLV and FIV before they leave.
How Do You Introduce a Maine Coon to Your Cat?
- Separate rooms first. Settle the newcomer in its own room with everything it needs, for several days at least.
- Swap scents. Stroke each cat's cheeks with a clean sock and leave it with the other, swap bedding, and let each cat explore the other's space while the other is shut away.
- Feed near the door. Feed both cats on either side of the closed door, moving the bowls closer as long as both eat calmly.
- Let them see each other. Open the door a crack, or use a baby gate or screen door, during meals and play.
- Short, supervised visits. Let them share a room for a few minutes, with a wand toy or treats to keep things pleasant, and lengthen the visits over the following days.
Some hissing at first is normal. If it turns into chasing, swatting or a cat that stops eating, go back a step. Easy-going cats may accept each other within a week or two; others take a month or more.
What Does a Home With More Than One Cat Need?
Cats share best when they never have to compete:
- Litter boxes: one per cat, plus one, in different places so no cat can block another's way. Size them for a Maine Coon; see how to care for a Maine Coon.
- Feeding stations: separate bowls, a few feet apart or in different rooms, and more than one water bowl.
- Vertical space: cat trees, shelves and window perches add room without adding floor, and let a cat keep its distance.
- Hiding spots and scratching posts in more than one room.
- Time with each cat: play with each one on its own as well as together, so neither has to compete for attention.
How Can You Tell If an Introduction Is Going Well?
| Good signs | Warning signs |
|---|---|
| Relaxed bodies and tails, and slow blinks | Hissing or growling that goes on past the first few days |
| Eating calmly near each other | Flattened ears, a puffed tail or a hard stare |
| Sniffing noses or grooming each other | One animal stalking, chasing or cornering the other |
| Play that takes turns, with pauses | A cat hiding all day, not eating or going outside the litter box |
| Resting in the same room | A dog that stiffens, fixates, whines or lunges at the cat |
If you see warning signs, separate them and go back a step. A cat that seems unwell or suddenly fearful should see the vet in case pain is part of the problem, and a qualified behaviorist can help a household that will not settle. Maine Coon behavior lists the changes that need a vet.
Can a Maine Coon Live With Birds, Hamsters or Fish?
Keep them apart. A Maine Coon is still a hunter, descended from farm cats kept to catch mice, and even a gentle, well-fed cat can kill a bird, hamster, rat or guinea pig in moments.
- Keep small pets in a room the cat cannot enter, in cages or hutches the cat cannot open or knock over.
- Cover fish tanks with a secure, heavy lid. A Maine Coon's interest in water makes an open tank a target.
- Never leave them together unsupervised, even if they seem to ignore each other.
Being watched by a cat is stressful for small animals, even behind bars, so out of sight is best.
Are Kittens or Adult Maine Coons Easier to Introduce?
Kittens usually adapt faster. A young kitten has no territory to defend and is often accepted more readily by a resident cat or a calm dog. The trade-off is fragility: a 2 to 4 pound kitten can be hurt by a boisterous dog or an irritated adult cat, so it needs supervision and a safe room. An adult cat is slower to accept change, but you know its temperament, and some adults already have a history with dogs.
Kats Kits kittens are raised in Kat's home and grow up around people and other cats, so they leave used to family life and to other cats. If you have a dog or another cat, mention it when you get in touch, and see how kittens develop in Maine Coon kitten growth stages. The kittens ready now are on the available kittens page.
Quick Answers
Should I get two Maine Coon kittens together?
Many owners find two kittens easier than one: they play together, burn off energy and keep each other company when you are out. It does mean two of everything, from litter boxes to vet bills.
How long does it take a cat and a dog to get along?
Anything from a few days to a few months. Let the more nervous animal set the pace, and keep supervising until both are relaxed in the same room.
Do Maine Coons play with dogs?
Many do, with chasing, wrestling and mock ambushes, especially with a dog they grew up with. Watch that both are enjoying it and that the cat can always get away.
Can a Maine Coon live with a large dog?
Yes, if the dog is gentle and cat-friendly. A big dog's manners matter more than its size, though one heavy paw can hurt a kitten, so supervise until the kitten is bigger.
What if my cats are still fighting after weeks?
Separate them and start the introduction again from the beginning, more slowly. If it still does not settle, see your vet to rule out pain, and ask about a qualified feline behaviorist.
Will a Maine Coon get along with a cat of another breed?
Breed matters far less than temperament and the introduction. A Maine Coon can live happily with any friendly cat, pedigree or not.
