Do Maine Coons destroy furniture?

Maine Coons are neither more predisposed to destroying furniture or less predisposed to doing it compared to any other domestic cat. This is not about a specific breed of cat; it is about normal domestic cat behaviour and how their human caregiver deals with it as best they can and indeed how they respond to cat scratching behaviour. 

I think it is fair to say, too, that the word 'destroy' is unduly harsh and provocative. Cats don't destroy furniture. They mark it 😃. Yes, they make it look less attractive but that's not the end of the world for most people.

Note: Active Maine Coon kittens will probably be more 'destructive' compared to normal sized kittens simply because of their size.

Do Maine Coons destroy furniture? No more or less than other cat types. This is much more about humans than cats. Image: MikeB.

Of course, Maine Coon cats are bigger than the average domestic cat. This probably predisposes them to being more destructive if they scratch furniture because their paws are bigger and their claws are longer. And of course, they are stronger than the average domestic cat. But these are relatively minor points.

Infographic on cat scratching post designs.

The major point is about encouraging or even training a Maine Coon cat to use a large, solid, substantial cat scratching post that replicates a tree truck. The best one on the market is illustrated in the Infographic on this page.
And this should be done as early as possible, when the cat is still young and impressionable and can be trained. Time spent in preparation is never wasted! Time spent in training a young cat to behave in a way which pleases their caregiver will bring rewards when they are adults.

Millions perhaps billions of words have been written about preventing domestic cats from scratching furniture. I'm not going to add to that pile of information but will simply state that placing a good scratching post initially near the furniture that is being scratched and then gradually easing it away to a more neutral position while also rubbing it with catnip, will probably resolve the problem.

You can, and perhaps should in some homes, provide more than one cat scratching post and you can provide scratching boards as well (horizontal scratch marking). And of course, it pays to have proper expectations. You probably will suffer some damage to furniture no matter how you deal with it. Having a domestic cat naturally leads to not being fixated about keeping your home and your furniture in perfect condition at all times.

Infographic on cats ‘sharpening their claws’ (scratching).

You've got to be a little more relaxed about things. I find, by the way, that extra wide double-sided tape which you can buy on Amazon protects furniture from being scratched and it doesn't look too bad. In addition, you can buy furniture which is less likely to be scratched.

I believe that wicker-based furniture is this kind. Of course, you may not like it which would rule it out but the point I'm making is that when you buy furniture as a cat owner you should really consider both yourself and your cat!