Keeping Maine Coon Cats Indoors: Is it Hard?

Are you weighing the pros and cons of keeping Maine Coon Cats indoors? Looking for tips and tricks to keep them happy inside the house? Let's discuss!


six issues of the maine coon magazine.
six issues of the maine coon magazine.

Why Is Keeping Maine Coon Cats Indoors Recommended?

hershey the cat wants to go outsideHershey wants to go out!

Breeders and veterinarians alike overwhelmingly recommend that we keep our beloved Coonies inside for the longest, healthiest and happiest life possible.

Don't be surprised if your breeder even has this clause in your agreement that you sign together.

Some people think of Maine Coons as a rough-and-tumble kind of cat that "needs" the outdoors to satisfy it's strong hunting urge, or get proper exercise for that tough looking big body.

But the truth is, they are no more wild than any cat. They're just sweet kitties with a unique look! 

Others think of keeping Maine Coon cats indoors as cruel, and denying their deep connection to the "wild."

I like to think of a parallel as being our human children at an amusement park or candy shop. Of course it looks fun!

But after all this time, they are not wild anymore - they are domesticated pets, dependent on us for their care and safety, so it's our responsibility not to just let them go run wild and free.

There are numerous benefits to keeping cats inside. It is safer, of course. We have explored the risks of letting cats outside here.

For me, I simplified it by just knowing how much longer they'd live as indoor kitties. Alice and Leo lived to 17 and 14, respectively.


"But Keeping Maine Coon Cats Indoors Is Hard!"

Oh my gosh, don't I know it! My two Coonies made a full time hobby of trying to escape, mostly as kittens. Naturally, they succeeded a few times.

We'd always collect them immediately, and fortunately they were always too entranced by the new surroundings to actually run off.

If we lived in a more urban area they may have darted into a street or through neighboring properties, so I'm glad we're a bit rural.

I'll never forget the time little Alice escaped and right away was chased by a neighborhood dog who saw her from afar. She bolted up a tree like lightning! But she went up so high she was stuck!


red silver maine coon cat with coonie care crash course offer.

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This tree was tall with few branches. She must have been 20 feet up! After some cajoling, she shimmied down a bit, then actually let go, landing roughly in a pile of leaves.

I think she was less of an escape artist after that. I was glad when they grew out of the desire to run for a closing door!

Actually, we found that once our Coonies left their "crazy kitten" phase behind, they were perfectly content and fulfilled with life in the home.

They didn't try to escape anymore, and were more than happy with sitting on a windowsill watching the small animals scurrying about, feeling a lovely breeze through the screen. This is something many Maine Coon lovers have experienced.

The best advice I can give for keeping Maine Coon Cats indoors is simply keep the doors and windows closed, and bring them in whenever they escape. They do adjust.


Purrfectly Happy Inside The Home

Myth: Maine Coons can’t be indoor-only cats.
Fact: They can live happily indoors.

Thus breed is often pictured as adventurous outdoor explorers, but they can thrive just as well indoors.

This myth stems from their large size and playful nature, leading some to believe that they need the great outdoors to be content.

In reality, Maine Coon cats are highly adaptable and can be perfectly happy living an indoor life.


brown tabby maine coon cat comfortably sprawled out on a couch

Their social and affectionate personalities make them ideal indoor companions, where they can safely enjoy their environment without the risks associated with outdoor life, like traffic, predators, or disease.

Keeping your Coonie entertained with interactive toys, climbing trees, and plenty of human interaction ensures they remain mentally and physically stimulated.

Indoor life also provides the perfect opportunity to keep a closer eye on their health, ensuring they live long, happy lives.

So, whether they're lounging in a sunny window or chasing a toy mouse, your Maine Coon can be just as content indoors as any outdoor adventurer.


Options For Letting Cats Outside

parker the cat on a leashParker on leash

There are lots of cool products on the market now! If you really want to let your Coonie experience some outdoor fun, you could consider:

  • A homemade or professionally installed catio - some people are lucky enough to have a deck or patio area that lends itself to being stylishly enclosed.
  • Supervised visits to the outdoors in the snow or cold. We used to visit the back deck with the cats after we got a foot or so of snow. They weren't going to be going anywhere!


Tip From Fellow Coonie Lovers:

On our Cats Outside Q & A page, Sharon advises:

"I live in coastal ME and there is plenty of wildlife that would find a coon cat a very pleasant meal even in the village of our little town of 900.

Many of the commercial cat enclosures will only keep them enclosed ... not protect them from wildlife like fox, fisher, coyote, bear and birds of prey.

We opted for a chain link 10 x 10 x 6' kennel that has a reinforced shade cloth cable tied over the top.

A predator could not get through the chain link and the shade cloth protects them from birds of prey and from the sun. We would never consider anything less substantial."

Dunja, mom to Murphy and Candy Cane, shares: "Murphy enjoys time in their outdoor fenced-in yard, but also loves to go for walks on a leash with me."

Ever considered a pet GPS device? Molly the Maine Coon is such an explorer, her family in South Africa upgraded to a waterproof pet locator just to keep up with her!

It even gives off a little buzz sound she’s learned to recognize.


Indoor Kitty Fun

Of course, a cat live a full, enriching life inside! There are lots of ways to spice up life when keeping Maine Coon Cats indoors.

Toys for playing together, catnip, cat trees for climbing, scratching posts, even "kitty tv" - aquariums, bird and squirrel watching come to mind. How do you keep your Coonie's active mind and body happy?


Reader Tips: Everyone's experience is different! Does your cat care about being outside? Do you have any tips or tricks regarding leash training or outdoor enclosures?


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