Are you confused between Maine Coon Vs Ragdoll and not able to decide which one to pick? This article will help you to find out the differences and which breed is suitable for you based on your situation. I highly recommend not to skip anything as it’s the foundation of your journey to own a cat.
Cat owners often get confused when they have to choose between Maine Coon and Ragdoll. Both of these cats have very similar behavioral traits.
However, if one wants to have an indoor cat, Ragdoll is always a better choice. Ragdolls like to cuddle and accompany its human friend most of the time. Maine Coons love to roam around the house and stay in nature.
But, every cat is different, and the behavior can vary from one cat to another. So, we can guarantee that both of these cats will be a worthy addition to the family, and one can choose according to convenience.
In this article, we will discuss everything one needs to know to choose between a Maine Coon and a Ragdoll.
Maine Coon vs. Ragdoll – At a glance:
In this section, we are going to point out the main differences between Maine Coon and Ragdoll. You can see the differences at a glance here and read more for a more detailed discussion in the later sections.
Maine Coon vs. Ragdoll – Appearance Differences
| Factor | Maine Coon | Ragdoll |
|---|---|---|
| Weight | Female: 8-12 lbs Male: 15-25 lbs | Female: 8-15 lbs Male: 15-20 lbs |
| Shape | Muscular and sturdy | Muscular body, broad chest |
| Coat | Medium to long hair with a thick undercoat | Long hair with soft fur |
| Eyes | Blue, green, and brown round eyes | Blue oval eyes |
| Color | Has 84 color variations | Mainly available in 6 colors |
Maine Coon vs. Ragdoll – Personality Differences
| Factor | Maine Coon | Ragdoll |
|---|---|---|
| Friendly | Family-friendly | Family-friendly |
| Affectionate | Dog-like | Dog-like |
| Gentle | Yes | Yes |
| Shy | Shy around strangers | Shy around strangers |
| Playful | Playful | Playful |
| Energetic | Moderately energetic | Moderately energetic |
| Indoors or outdoors | Indoor and Outdoor | Indoor |
| Dog friendly | Yes | Yes |
| Grooming | Moderate to high | Moderate to high |
| Lifespan | 10-15 years | 12-15 years |
Maine Coon vs. Ragdoll – Cost of owning:
Maine Coon and Ragdoll are two of the most desired house cats in the world. There are various costs associated with owning a cat, and both of these cats do not come cheap. There are several factors responsible for such a high cost of owning, including –
- Buying a cat
- Vet visits
- Cat food
- Toys
- Medical Insurance
- One time investments
- Grooming
In the following table, we are going to give a comparative analysis of prices associated with owning Maine Coon vs. Ragdoll-
| Item | Maine Coon | Ragdoll |
|---|---|---|
| Initial Cat Price | $500 for regular cats $1500 for show quality | $400 for regular cats $1000 for show quality |
| Vet Visits | $75-$500 | $50 - $1000 |
| Cat Food | $250-$500 | $200-$500 |
| Toys | $50 | $60 |
| Medical Investment | $300 | $300 |
| One time investment | $400 | $450 |
| Grooming | $200-$400 | $300-$500 |
Maine Coon vs. Ragdoll – Appearance Differences:
In this section, we are going to discuss all the structural differences between Maine Coon and Ragdoll. Both of these cats have a similar appearance, and any cat owner needs to know every difference before choosing a cat for the household.
Weight:
There is a slight difference in the weights of Maine Coon and Ragdoll. Both of these cats grow up to be cats of similar size and weight. As a result, they do not have many differences in this aspect.
A fully grown Maine Coon, can weigh in between 8-25 lbs. A fully grown Ragdoll is slightly lighter, weighing 8-20 lbs.
They share the fact that female cats are lighter than male cats. A female Maine Coon weighs in the range of 8-12lbs, and a male Maine Coon can weigh between 15-25lbs.
Female Maine Coon and Ragdoll have similar weights. The weight of female and male Ragdoll cats remains in the range of 8-15lbs and 15-20lbs, respectively.
As one can see, the difference between their weights is very little. A fully grown Maine Coon can only be 5lbs more substantial than a fully grown Ragdoll. Whereas, for females, the difference can be as high as 3lbs.
Shape:
To compare the shape and size of Maine Coon with Ragdoll, one needs to consider various aspects. We will point out each one of them and paint a clear image for an easy decision.
Both Maine Coon and Ragdoll are majestic looking cats. They have similar large bodies with a broad chest. They have long bodies, and no portion in their body is dominant than the other.
As a result, it makes both of these cats more appealing to cat owners. Maine Coon cats are comparatively longer bodies.
Both female and male Maine Coon cats have an average height between 19-40 inches. Whereas fully grown female and male Ragdoll cats can be in the range of 17-21 inches.
When one needs to compare the facial features of these two cats, there can be various dissimilarities. Both of these cats have a wedge-shaped face and long ears.
However, Maine Coon cats have a relatively larger ear, which goes in hand with their larger size. The muzzle of their face is also different for these two cats.
While Maine Coon cats have a square-shaped muzzle, Ragdoll cats have around the muzzle. Ragdolls have relatively rounder faces as well.
The legs of both Maine Coon and Ragdolls are medium-sized, sturdy, and muscled. Maine Coon cats have thick turf on their legs, unlike Ragdolls. Ragdolls’ legs have softer and fur-like turf.
Coat:
There is a significant difference in the undercoats of Maine Coon and Ragdoll. Maine Coon cats have thick undercoats for surviving in cold winters or places.
However, Ragdolls have negligible undercoat under its majestic fur. The fur of Maine Coon looks shaggy if one does not groom it properly.
Whereas one can clearly understand the softness of Ragdolls fur, and it can almost be called plush.
Another difference in their coat is the water-resistance nature of the fur. Maine Coon cats have a water-resistant undercoat, which helps them swim across a water body without getting wet.
Ragdolls also have a water-resistant outer coat, but the feature is not as prominent as that of the Maine Coon cats.
Both Maine Coon and Ragdoll have a similar mane-like fur on their neck. Maine Coon cats have a long neck, and as a result, the voluptuous mane is much more prominent in them.
The Ragdoll cats with a shorter neck do not flaunt this feature in such a way.
So far, one has already realized that both of these cats show similar physical traits, and one can’t differentiate between Maine Coon, and Ragdoll from the previously mentioned features.
However, the following features will help one distinguish them.
Eyes:
Both Maine Coon and Ragdoll cats can have blue colored eyes. However, all purebred Ragdoll cats have blue eyes.
Maine Coon cats can have several eye colors, including copper, green, or gold. So, one can say that Maine Coon cats can possess a variety of eye colors, and Ragdoll cats only have a single eye color.
There is a slight difference in their eyeball shape. Maine Coon cats have round eyes, whereas Ragdoll cats’ eyes are oval-shaped.
Color:
Maine Coon cats show a multitude of color variations. It is hard to believe that there are as many as 84 color variations of this breed alone.
Apart from color, there are several patterns, which make every Maine Coon cat unique.
One can find a Maine Coon cat with colored patterns like Solid, Bi-color, tabby, tortoiseshell, smoke, shaded, and many more.
And this pattern can have several types of variations too. The color of the Maine coon can also be of different colors.
The most commonly found colors are black, white, cream, brown, and blue. It is fascinating that Maine Coon cats are available in so many colors and patterns.
Ragdolls are also available in various colors, but the variation is not like Maine Coon. The unique feature of Ragdoll cats is the presence of colored points.
The endpoints of ears, tail, and legs have a darker shade than the lighter body. Generally, the shades can be of a seal, lilac, blue, red, or cream color. Mitted Ragdolls have white limbs in the front, making them look like mittens.
As a result, it gives a boot-like appearance. As the name suggests, bi-colored Ragdolls have white legs and back, and the rest of the body has a different color.
Maine Coon vs. Ragdoll – Personality Difference:
Now that one has a clear idea about the physical differences between Maine Coon and Ragdoll, we can look into these two notably alike cats’ behavioral comparison.
Friendliness:
Maine Coon and Ragdoll both show similar traits in this regard. Both of these two cats like to spend most of their time with their human companion, and they try to form a strong relationship with them.
They both are great for a house with kids and other pets. The friendliness becomes quite apparent when they greet their owners after returning from work and follow them around to keep providing company.
They are not the kind of cats who sit around a corner and spend their days by themselves. They crave human touch, and they will make sure that they get their affection from their owners.
If the owner works from home, they will let one know their presence by roaming around the workplace, sitting on the laptop, or dragging one’s palm.
This extreme friendliness is one of the prime reasons that Maine Coon and Ragdoll cats are two of the world’s most beloved cats.
Affection:
It is impossible to compare Maine Coon and Ragdoll in terms of their affectionate nature.
Both of these cats in question are affectionate towards their human friends, showing their affection clearly. They perform the following acts to show their love –
- Purring
- Rubbing their cheeks on one
- Exposing their belly
- Slowly blink while looking at one.
- Bunting their head on one
Both of these cats need pampering from their owners as well. Maine Coon and Ragdolls are not the cat breeds for one if one stays out of their home for the entire day.
They always need someone by their side and show admiration. Cat owners have reported that these cats show distress if they are left alone for a prolonged time.
Therefore, they need one to be with them at all times, and one should always be by their side to show affection.
Gentle:
Maine Coon and Ragdolls are the textbook definition of gentle giants. They are as tender as they can be, and they are notably non-violent.
This feature makes them remarkably safe for children. Kids can sometimes be unpredictable with their activity, and these cats will not ever react to anything.
They do not act vicious or attack children even if they bully these gentle creatures. However, this does not mean that one should let kids bully these adorable furballs.
One should make sure that the kids are kind to these kids as they are kind to them. We cannot compare these two cats’ gentle nature, as they are equally generous to everyone around them.
Shyness:
Cat owners would agree that Maine Coon cats are a little more outgoing than Ragdolls. Both can be shy if there is an unknown person in the house and scamper away if they feel like it.
However, Maine Coon adopts the likeness towards a person quickly. It doesn’t mind someone if one pays attention to it and pets them gently.
Maine Coon can be comfortable around strangers as soon as they realize the person won’t harm them in any way. This trait is a bit different for Ragdolls.
They like to stick to the friends they have already made, and they take ample time to let a stranger come into the closed circle of affection.
In the meantime, they can run away and hide under something to stay away from the stranger.
Playful:
Maine Coon and Ragdolls are dog-like when it comes to playing with something. One popular game, which they both like, is the game of fetch.
When you throw an object or roll something on the floor, both of these cats will fetch it like a log.
Maine Coon has a hunter instinct, which is why it will probably like a game, which involves chasing more than Ragdolls.
But they both like to play along with humans, and they will never behave negatively when one asks them to play.
Energetic:
Like any other cat, these two cats like to take a little rest after rigorous playtime.
So, we can conclude that both of these cats have moderate to high energy when playing. They do not run around the house for no reason, and that creates a peaceful presence.
Indoors vs. outdoors:
Between Maine Coon and Ragdoll, the latter is an indoor cat. Cat owners can keep Maine Coon both indoors and outdoors.
The hunting nature of the Maine Coon cats shows the traits of staying outside. These cats are kept as a mice-killer in the barns for many ages. But one can keep both of these cats indoors, and they will be equally happy.
Dog friendly:
Both Maine Coon and Ragdolls form an exceptionally cordial relationship with dogs. If the dog is not hostile towards the cats, one should expect that the household can be a peaceful haven for both cats and dogs. And who doesn’t like a cute photo of cats and dogs playing together?
Maine Coon vs Ragdoll – Grooming
Cat owners are always surprised to see how low maintenance both of these cats are when grooming. The voluptuous fur of these cats certainly gives a wrong impression of their grooming needs.
The undercoat is responsible for this low upkeep. Even brushing a cat two or three times every week is enough to keep your house clean.
However, one needs to stay careful when they are in shredding season. Maine Coon and Ragdoll cat owners must groom these cats regularly in this period.
Maine Coon vs. Ragdoll – Lifespan
As we have shown in the table, Maine Coon and Ragdolls have similar life spans. Maine Coon cats have an average lifespan of 12-14 years, whereas Ragdolls live for 12-15 years.
The actual lifespan depends on various factors like staying indoors or outdoors, any disease, food quality, and many more. However, we can ensure that there is no difference between these two cats in terms of lifespan.
Which one should you pick?
So, you now have a clear idea about all the similarities and dissimilarities between Maine Coon and Ragdolls. Both cats can be a marvelous addition to the house.
They are friendly and affectionate towards everyone in the house. The presence of a kid or a dog doesn’t affect their state of being even a little.
One should only make sure that they get the needed affection and love.
It isn’t easy to choose between Maine Coon and Ragdoll because of the similar nature. We recommend one to choose according to the preference in terms of appearance.
The cat’s final choice will entirely depend on the individual, and one should consider the reason for owning a cat before choosing.
It should be clear now that both of these cats can be beautiful companions, and it won’t matter about the decision. We hope you decide the best cat according to your need and take good care of it.
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.