Adopters of Maine Coons should buy a kitten or an adult who's used to indoor living

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"Most cats will generally adapt to indoor housing provided there is sufficient space and that they are accustomed to these conditions from an early age." -  Study: Adaptation of domestic cats to confinement link: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jveb.2007.09.003 . I would also add that the home of 'sufficient space' should be adapted to some extent to be suitable for a domestic cat such as quiet areas for snoozing and high perches for looking and to allow the cat to climb.

Omar a full-time indoor Maine Coon
Omar a famous full-time indoor Maine Coon. If he goes outside, it will be under supervision of some sort. Image: Instagram

The quote is part of the summary of the study referred to. In general people would agree with it. It does not mean that adult cats used to being allowed outside can't eventually get used to full-time confinement. 

But cats who've had years of freedom will find it particularly hard and stressful, I'd argue (depending on the cat's character), to accept and settle down when confined 24/7. Sometimes they might never be happy and they'll let their caregiver know about it.

This can only lead to one conclusion when it comes to adopting a Maine Coon cat. Maine Coons really have to be full-time indoor cats. If allowed outside it should be on a leash and harness or in a secure enclosure. That, too, I think would be generally accepted by the majority of cat 'experts' and Maine Coon owners.

In saying that, the consequence is that a person wishing to adopt a Maine Coon cat should adopt a kitten who can them adapt relatively seamlessly to indoor life or an adult cat who has experienced that way of living for a long time and learned to accept it.

Comments welcome.

RELATED: What do you need to do to buy a Maine Coon cat?

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