A Maine Coon is a large breed of cat, not just referring to its voluptuous fur but its body mass, too. The Maine Coon lifespan is hardly any different from other cat breeds and depends on how healthy its lifestyle is.
Average Maine Coon Lifespan
Like with most cat breeds, a Maine Coon’s average lifespan is somewhere between 10 and 13 years. Some Maine Coons have been known to live beyond that, with a few reaching up to 15 years of age. Of course, that depends on many factors including the cat’s lifestyle, diet, and even genes.
What Shortens a Maine Coon’s Life Expectancy?
Poor Diet, Low Exercise
Like all cats, Maine Coons need a healthy diet and enough exercise to keep their body healthy. Obesity is something to avoid with Maine Coons.
The average weight of a Maine Coon is between 10 and 16 pounds with a slow growth rate, which novice cat owners often mistake as being underfed or over-exercised. On the other hand, some pet owners enjoy chubby cats and purposely overfeed Maine Coons to achieve that big, pillow-like look.
Unfortunately, since Maine Coons don’t reach their full size until they are 3 – 5 years old, their bodies are not long enough yet to accommodate that much weight. This imbalance of body weight and height and length makes some Maine Coons obese, making them more prone to certain diseases.
Genetic Diseases
More than anything, it is genetic diseases that shorten the life expectancy of a Maine Coon. Unfortunately, because of its large breed, the Maine Coon is prone to suffer from Hip Dysplasia.
It is a genetic disease that is often found in large breeds of bot cats and dogs, like the Maine Coon. This kind of disease causes arthritis and is not very critical for most cats. Unchecked, however, it can cause paralysis.
Severe conditions like Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy plagues a few Maine Coons as well. It is something that is found in this large breed’s genes. Although it affects Maine Coons it is not very common.
Maine Coon kittens are also prone to one genetic disease that can shorten its average lifespan. Spinal muscular atrophy is a disease that causes muscle development to weaken and symptoms of it show as early as 3 months.
How to Prolong a Maine Coon’s Life Expectancy
On the bright side of things, Maine Coons can live a long and healthy life despite the health threats in their genes. With a good amount of exercise, proper diet, and much love, Maine Coons can reach beyond 12 years.
Enough Exercise
Large cat breeds like the Maine Coon, and especially the lazier breeds like the Persian cats, should have a few minutes of exercise a day. Fortunately, Maine Coons are energetic during their younger years and don’t need much stimulation as kittens.
As they grow old, Maine Coons will need to be encouraged to play from time to time. In fact, this particular cat breed can be trained to wear a leash and collar, and taken out for walks like a pet dog. Maine Coons are known for their intelligence and remarkable fondness and familiarity with their owners.
A Proper Diet
A low-calorie diet could help if the owner is not particularly active in stimulating a Maine Coon’s energetic personality. If possible, feed a Maine Coon with fat-free cat food that is dry.
Dry food is preferable to wet cat food since dry cat food reduces the build-up of tartar in their teeth. Occasional wet food should be no more frequent than 3x a week.
Health Care
Last, but not least, proper health care and regular visits to the veterinarian will not only treat a Maine Coon’s minor health problems, but it will also help detect and prevent other/major health problems.