Maine Coons share several qualities with dogs. The size of Maine Coons is comparable with dogs, and they share a few behavioral traits. So, Maine Coons are often called the “Dogs of the Cat World.” So, you might be interested to know whether Maine Coons are protective of their owners like dogs. The answer is going to shock you.
Maine Coons are highly protective of their owners. They love to be with their owners & if they find something suspicious, they become very protective of their owners. This kind of protection becomes apparent when they start roaming around you all over the house or spend most of their time with you.
They can also become overprotective if you have a child in the house.
Now, that you know they are protective, we will also explore the reasons why your sweet Maine Coon is so protective of you, and it will give you all the more reasons to love your cat more than ever.
Reasons Why Your Maine Coon Is So Protective:
Every cat has its own set of thoughts, and it isn’t effortless to pinpoint a single reason for any behavior.
Hence, we will not give a definite reason for the protective behavior of your Maine Coon. However, we will give you three probable reasons behind this loving behavior.
In the end, we all need to appreciate the Maine Coon for their protection by just loving them more. Here are the three probable reasons:
Love In The Form Of Protection:
Probably one of the sweetest forms of love is what Maine Coons have for us. They love their owners, and especially the person who takes care of them.
A Maine Coon will keep all its love and affection for the person, and it will try to protect you like a tigress protects her cubs.
If you closely observe a Maine Coon’s behavior, you would realize nothing that the Maine Coon likes to do except hanging out with you.
It probably thinks that you are defenseless against an unknown threat, and the Maine Coon is the only line of defense. It is adorable of the Maine Coon to protect their loved ones.
Intelligent Cats:
The Maine Coons are not probably capable of showing complex emotions, but they are more intelligent than most cat breeds in the world.
They clearly understand who is responsible for their well-being. The person who brings food, water and plays with the cat becomes its favorite human.
The cat will follow you around and ensure that you are acceptable in your habitat.
You might say that the Maine Coon is looking out for itself when it is protecting you.
We all might appreciate that the Maine Coon is intelligent enough to take care of itself and you. Maine Coons can take your heart just by being their incredible selves.
It’s All About Territory:
Maine Coons, like any other cat breed, are territorial when it comes to their possessions. Yes, they think that you are their precious possession.
When the Maine Coon is rubbing their cute little head on your leg and capturing your heart, it also transfers the pheromone to your body.
In the process, they claim you to be their property. Like any other animal, they will protect their claims with all they have.
They have a sharp sense of smell, and transferring the pheromones is their way of separating their property from another’s. Hence, while protecting you, they are just protecting what is rightfully theirs.
Is It A Bad Thing?
If your Maine Coon is protective about you, it is nothing but a sign of a healthy relationship between you and your Maine Coon.
They are incredibly possessive when it comes to their owners, and they will go to some extent to make sure that you are safe.
It is not always apparent when they are protective. Even when you return from work and your cat starts to meow, it signifies their protective behavior.
It only becomes a little troublesome when the Maine Coon becomes overprotective. They can become violent in those scenarios.
You can efficiently deal with an overprotective Maine Coon, because they are not naturally aggressive. If you can ensure that the relationship is secure, Maine Coon will stop acting overprotective.
Signs That Your Maine Coon Is Protective:
There are several clear signs that your Maine Coon is protective of you. This section will give you the apparent signs that Maine Coon is being protective of you.
- Communicating with their loved person may be difficult for a cat. Hence, they do whatever they can when they want to convey their message. Meowing at you is probably their way of protecting you. There have been instances when the owners have claimed that their Maine Coons were constantly meowing in the presence of poisonous carbon monoxide in case of fire and home invasion.
- Following you around the house might be a sweet gesture to show their love for you. It can also be possible that the Maine Coon is protecting you by being with you at all times. It is probably trying to keep an eye on you because it thinks you need protection.
- Maine Coons are generally accepting of strangers in the house. However, this can turn into another direction when they are trying to protect you from the unknown. They can growl at the strangers in the house and stick to your side with their teeth and claws drew. It is their protective nature kicking in.
Are Maine Coons Protective Of Their Owners?
Maine Coon cats are protective of their owners in general. The nature of their protection can vary from one person to another.
They will always be protective of the person who feeds and takes care of them.
Even if you don’t spend a lot of time with the Maine Coon, it can grow protective of you if it thinks that you need protection. It is one of the main reasons why they are protective of the children in the house.
Can Maine Coons Be Overprotective?
Generally, Maine Coons are protective of their loved ones. However, it can turn into overprotective behavior if it feels that you are in danger. The signs of overprotective nature are the following:
- Tail moving rapidly
- Claws and teeth out
- Dilated pupil
- Shortened body
- Arched Back
- Growling
You can quickly deal with an overprotective Maine Coon by taking care of it and ensuring that your relationship with it is secure.
Conclusion:
Maine Coon cats are incredibly protective of their owners and their loved ones.
Most of the time, it is cute and loving of the Maine Coon to go to the extent of protecting us. You can always appreciate the small efforts of making us feel loved and safe.
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.