Maine Coons and Bengals are less neurotic than other cats

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I have gleaned a bit of information about the Maine Coon character and hunting desires from a study which actually looks at the character of domestic cats both non-purebred and purebred to assess whether it affects how keen they are to hunt birds and mammals. 

Maine Coons and Bengals are less neurotic than other cats
Maine Coons and Bengals are less neurotic than other cats. This is a generalisation based on a study. It does not mean that all Maine Coons and Bengals have the same character. Image by Warren Photographic with the background added.

I will quote what they state in the study verbatim and I think people who want to adopt the Maine Coon cat might find this useful. Although this is valid research and useful it is the findings of one study. But that said they did survey 2,508 cat owners in France. A good number.

"Bengal and Main Coon cats also demonstrate lower levels of neuroticism than other cats. These findings are in agreement with organizations of cat owners and breeders, which report that cat breeds differ not only in morphological traits but also in behavior."

So, what the researchers are saying is that Maine Coon cats are similar to Bengal cats in respect of a personality trait namely 'neuroticism'. That sounds a little bit extreme but in this instance the word "neuroticism" means shyness and a fear of other cats. 

A cat that is less neurotic in this context means that they are more confident, less shy and have less fear of other cats. This, incidentally, squares up with what I have believed about Maine Coon personality myself in reading about the breed for many years. And indeed, my personal experience.

They do seem to be more relaxed in their interactions with people and in front of the camera which I think is relevant because some cats don't like to be photographed!

But the point is this: when a domestic cat is less shy and has low levels of neuroticism and is therefore more extroverted, they are likely to be more interested in hunting. This is the finding of the study. And common sense would support this.

The fact that Maine Coon cats are normally kept indoors full-time means to me that they are more likely, therefore, to be frustrated by not being able to express those hunting desires.

This in turn, I would argue, places an obligation upon the caregiver to ensure that their environment is enriched (suited to domestic cats) and that they play with their Maine Coon cat as often as possible as playing is a substitute for hunting as we all know.

It is interesting that the researchers bracketed Maine Coons with Bengals in terms of this character trait. That said, Bengals are known to be confident and a little aggressive. In general terms what they are saying is that Maine Coons are generally confident cats. A good trait but they need stimulation I'd argue as they need an outlet for that confidence.

The reverse happens: timid and shy cats are more content to watch and wait while hiding or perched in a safe place. There is less of a demand to stimulate them mentally and they are less likely to want to hunt.

The study title: "Pet cat personality linked to owner-reported predation frequency" dated: 24th January 2023. https://doi.org/10.1002/ece3.9651


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