The Maine Coon is among the most popular cat breeds for seniors and it is one of the most sought-after felines due to its adaptability to living in different spaces, affectionate nature, strong personality, intelligence, and its ability to create a strong bond with its owner.
If you are looking for some solid reasons why Maine Coon is the best cat breed for seniors, you’ve come to the right place. In today’s post, we will explore the top four (4) reasons why the elderly or seniors will love to have a Maine Coon as a furry companion. Click here for more reasons.
1. Easy to Train
The elderly will want a Maine Coon because this feline is easy to train. You are not going to have your feline friend do a whole bunch of different things. But it feels good to have a cat that listens to your every command.
Most cat breeds tend to be stubborn and they usually do their own thing. Maine Coons cats, on the other hand, want to know how to do things. You will not have a hard time training them on how to locate and use their litter box.
It does not take long for a Maine Coon to know its space either. With good training, this feline breed can differentiate their sleeping area from their play area or hang out and relaxing area. They’re able to easily learn the different locations in your home than most cats do.
It’s great to have a cat breed that kind of acts like a dog in the sense that they are alert to what’s going on in the house. This furry companion respects the fact that you are its owner and its boss. So, if it’s grooming time, it will willingly accept.
And this is precisely why we think a Maine Coon makes for a great fuzzy companion for the elderly. Even if the elderly or seniors are having a pet for the first time in their lives.
2. Great Around Other Pets and People
Maine Coon cats are ideal for seniors that have more than one pet in the same house. This is so because they are great around other cats, animals (like dogs), and people.
You don’t have to worry about how your Maine Coon is going to act or react around other animals, pets, and people. Some people believe that dogs will instinctively hunt cats. But dogs with good training will appreciate the presence of Maine Coon cats. There are also many breeds of dogs that are the same size or even smaller than a Maine Coon, such as a miniature dachshund or Chihuahua. These dog breeds will go along just fine with a Maine Coon.
Maine Coon cats also extend friendly behavior to other people apart from their owners. When you have people over, you will know that your Maine Coon is going to come out and say hi in its own unique way. Your cat will neither bug them nor be afraid of them and run and hide.
Seniors don’t have to worry about their Maine Coon cats acting out crazily. You will just love their great personality and the fact that they want to be friendly with other animals and people in your house.
3. Affectionate
Maine Coon cats are gentle giants. They are very affectionate and tend to attach themselves to one person, making them just the right pet for the elderly.
If you own a kitten, one of the things you’re probably looking for is to have your kitties show you a little bit of affection. However, it’s important to note that you should not be forcing it to hang out with you, whether you’re in the living room, bedroom, or kitchen.
Instead, it should come willingly and even embrace every chance it gets to be around you.
Seniors will appreciate the fact that Maine Coon cats are not too independent. Instead of hiding and being alone, this type of feline prefers to hang out and play with its owners. In some situations, a Maine Coon cat can even help you with a project or a hobby you are working on.
For instance, felines love to play with yarn and they will play with you if you’re knitting a scarf or a mitten.
In addition to having an affectionate nature, this furry family member has a big personality. Maine Coon cats will not only want to hang out and play with you, but they are also quite vocal and will talk to you through high-pitched meows and chirps.
4. Active and Fun
It’s a good idea for seniors to have a cat that’s entertaining, fun, and one that will always make them happy. The fact that Maine Coon cats are both active and fun makes them the perfect fit for seniors.
They are big cats that like to run around the house, get in high places, and jump up and down. All these activities will entertain and make the elderly owners laugh. The good thing about these cats is that they are not too active and will not drive you crazy.
The fact that they are active doesn’t mean they will not give you a break when you sit down to relax. They can happily sit with their owners for an hour or more, even if their owners are watching television or on their computers. If you stand to stretch your legs, they are happy to be there, too.
Maine Coon cats are smart and active. So, you can expect them to be fun, as well. These cats like to play and they will happily jump to play with a toy, laser, string, or ball.
Maine Coon cats are big fans of water and they will play with water whenever possible. This is a good thing because they quickly learn to open faucets and doors with their handy paws. So, a Maine Coon may one day help you open the door for a visitor or close the faucet.
If you have other cat breeds around, a Maine Coon will often talk to them. Apart from hissing, meowing, and chirping, this fuzzy feline can also produce trilling and cooing sounds. All these sounds are fun to listen to, especially when you are alone in the house.
Final Thoughts
With these four reasons, you can now appreciate why Maine Coon is the best cat breed for seniors.
Training a kitten can be easy even for the elderly who are not so quick on their feet. Some seniors like the idea of having more than one pet in the house and Maine Coon cats can easily get along with other animals due to their friendly temperament.
You will also not run short of affection and entertainment when you have a Maine Coon cat in the house.
