Maine Coon Size – Weight, Length, Compared To Other Cats

Maine Coons are known for many things — those beautiful coats, great natures, and their size!

Bigger than the average Domestic Shorthair, these cats tend to look very grand.

If you’ve been considering a Maine Coon, you might want to know what size they usually get to.

Maybe you just got a kitten and want to have an idea of what they’ll be like once full grown.

How Big Are Maine Coons?

For a fully grown cat, Maine Coons are usually around 10-15lb for females and can get up to 15-25lb for males, making them significantly larger than many other breeds.

Considering most cats would be considered overweight if they surpass 10lb, this is quite a difference.

Males can be up to 16 inches tall at the shoulders and females tend to be a bit smaller, capping out at 14 inches. 

When your Maine Coon is a baby (at around 8 weeks old), they’ll weigh anywhere between 2.2 and 3.5lb, with males leaning towards the higher end.

Females are unlikely to be above 3.1 lbs and males unlikely to be below 2.4 lbs. 

By 6 months, they could be anywhere between 6.8 and 13.2 lbs! Most females won’t be above 9.5 lbs and males will likely all be larger than 7.5 lbs.

They usually hit their adult height and weight at around 3 years old, but don’t count on it!

Some of them have been known to grow for even longer.

How Big Is A Maine Coon Compared To A Normal Cat?

An easy way to conceptualize how big your fluffy Maine Coon will get is to compare it to other cats you might be familiar with.

A Maine Coon can get up to 40 inches in length, whether male or female. They’ll generally be no less than 19 inches. 

Domestic Shorthair (DSH) cats are the most common cat you’ll find. They have a body length of around 12-15 inches, making them much smaller than the Maine Coon — even at their largest! 

Most DSH cats sit at around 8-10lb, though this depends on their size. 

Siamese are 11.5-14.5 inches, and tend to weigh around 8-15lb, making many of them even smaller than DSH cats! 

Persian cats are 14.5-17.5 inches in length and around 7-12lb – on par with the Siamese and DSH cats, though they might be a bit larger than Siamese cats.

Ragdoll cats are around 21 inches in length and tend to weigh around 8-20lb. Like Maine Coons, there is a huge variation depending on gender.

This makes them significantly larger than most other cat breeds, but the Maine Coon still outdoes them! 

Bengal cats are 14-18 inches in length. They mostly weigh between 8-15lb, though some larger males have known to weigh up to 20lb without being considered overweight. 

Abyssinian cats are around 12-16 inches in body length and around 8-12lb. This means they’re a very average cat size!

As you can see, Ragdolls come closest to the Maine Coon, but the latter is still significantly larger.

Are All Maine Coon Cats Big?

As with anything, many things can affect the size of a Maine Coon cat – not all of them are the same.

Here are some of the most common factors that will dictate a Maine Coon’s size.

The parents would be the main thing affecting a Maine Coon’s size. If the parents are on the smaller side, it’s likely the kittens will be too. Nothing can predict the exact weight, height, and length of an adult cat, but the parents are always a very good indicator.

If you’re specifically looking for a larger Maine Coon, it’s important to ask the breeder about this.

If there’s another breed mixed in, your Maine Coon might be smaller. Backyard breeders aren’t the best about being upfront and honest, so if you purchased a Maine Coon kitten that’s hit its full weight of maturity at 8lb, it’s likely another breed was mixed in. 

Even if the Maine Coon features are very dominant, it’s possible.

Diet and nutrition also affect the Maine Coon’s size. Make sure you’re looking for the best quality cat food that doesn’t have a lot of filler and is packed with nutrition instead ( is an excellent resource for this).

You should also make sure your Maine Coon is eating enough.

Sick cats may also appear smaller as they lose weight and their muscle mass may eventually decrease. 

For the most part though, Maine Coon cats are significantly bigger than other breeds.

If you have a purebred Maine Coon who weighs 8-10lb or less, it’s worth a vet visit to check everything is okay with their body and eating habits. 

Why Are Maine Coons So Big?

There are multiple theories about why Maine Coons grow to be so large, and the truth is likely a mix of most answers. 

One theory is that the Maine Coon is so big to reduce the rate at which the body loses heat. Their natural habitat is very cold, so this makes sense, but has never been proven!

Another is that it’s simply because they mature so slowly, which means their body has more time to develop and grow and that’s the sole reason for their larger bones and muscles.

There’s even a theory that Maine Coon cats are part raccoon!

This is genetically impossible, but it doesn’t stop the theory from being a popular one. It’s easy to why it arose, with their bushy tails, but it’s definitely false.

The sad truth is that Maine Coons have an extremely mysterious heritage.

Some research proves they might be descended from Norwegian Forest Cats and another extinct breed, but the lack of research available on the latter means we can’t really tell why they’re so big in comparison to other cats. 

One thing’s for sure — they’re stunning. 

Large Maine Coon Licking Lips
Sergey Taran | Dreamstime

If you’re looking for a cat on the smaller side, then a Maine Coon might not be for you. They’re one of the largest cat breeds out there, and their fur coat makes them look even bigger!

However, if you want a grand cat that can sit at almost double the length of many other cats and look impressive doing it, the Maine Coon is for you.