Are Maine Coon Cats Lap Cats? | Maine Coon Central (2023)

For many cat owners out there, these “gentle giants”, as we like to call them, are one of the preferred cat species to own. They are all about the cuddles, but are Maine Coon cats lap cats?

Maine Coons are famous for their kind and loving characters. Keep reading to discover if your Maine Coon cat will want to sit on your lap.

Some Maine Coons love laying on their owners lap, others don’t. Statistically, only 30.4% of owners claim their Maine Coons are a lap cat, with the rest stating their cat prefers to lay beside, or nearby them. On occasion, some Maine Coons will enjoy cuddles on owners laps, though in general this cat breed isn’t likely to be a regular lap cat.

Whilst this particular cat breed will undoubtedly get close to their owners’ hearts, they might show their affection in different ways other than sitting on a person’s lap.

If you want to get more information about Maine Coons and their personality, then read on.

We have an interesting piece of research that might interest you, as well as plenty of useful facts.

Are Maine Coon Cats Lap Cats?

Some Maine Coons are lap cats, whilst others are not.

Understandably, many potential owners would love to know for definite if the kitten they are buying will have a tendency toward being a lap cat, or not.

However, unless you are a clairvoyant, this simply isn’t possible to know in the beginning.

With time, love and affection though, you will soon discover your own Maine Coons personal preferences on the matter.

Despite being known as one of the friendliest cat species, Maine Coons will not necessarily sit on their owner’s lap.

So the answer to ‘are Maine Coon cats lap cats’ is divided between both yes and no.

They will almost certainly like to be near you, but depending upon your own individual Maine Coons personal preferences, they might not necessarily sit on your lap.

What we can say with certainty, however, is that Maine Coons love the company of their human guardians, and may be tempted to rest in their laps from time to time.

If you encourage this behavior from the start, your Maine Coon might also gradually get used to the idea, in their own time.

Maine Coons Are Affectionate Pets

These cats are mainly recognized for their stocky body and relatively long fur, which can be scruffy and might look unorganized.

But in truth, Maine Coons like to keep good hygiene, and you will learn that the coat is smooth and silky.

What people love the most about Maine Coons is their character, though.

Sure, they look nice, but one of the most prominent character feats that draw people to Maine Coons is their friendly character.

If you are interested in learning more about this, check out my article “Are Maine Coon Cats Friendly?“.

A Maine Coon will show their affection towards its owners in different ways; some might enjoy sitting on your lap, whereas others might lurk around you a lot, purring and rubbing their heads against yours, or your legs.

Maine Coons are also highly social creatures and will be great cats if you have children.

They will also snuggle a lot and cuddle, so be prepared to spend a lot of time with your lovely Maine Coon.

These are just a few behavioral examples that highlight the Maine Coons affectionate character:

• Maine Coons like to cuddle.

• They might even demand attention, via chirps and rubbing their heads against you, if you are not already lavishing these beautifully affectionate cats with praise and adoration.

• Maine Coons are generally not aggressive unless provoked.

• They value companionship, so they will spend lots of time with their owners, and family.

Take a quick peek at our Maine Coon lounging around his family, both young and old. As you can see he’s more than happy to lay next to us, rather than on us.

Ultimately, it depends upon what mood he is in!

By comparison, the next short video shows our Maine Coon acting like a lap cat on me.

So are Maine Coon cats lap cats?

In our experience, it depends on what mood our male Maine Coon is in, so I would say we have a part-time Maine Coon lap cat!

We have also noticed that our Maine Coon begins to overheat if laying on his human family for too long though.

Consequently, he might start the night as a lap cat, but then move to a cooler spot on the floor for the rest of the night.

What Exactly is a Lap Cat?

So we have established that Maine Coons are not necessarily lap cats, but what exactly is a lap cat?

These are cat breeds that are more likely to be more affectionate, and show their affection by, well, you guessed it, sitting on their owner’s lap.

While many cats are known for being quite docile and human-friendly, not all of them are lap cats.

Some lap cat breeds include:

• Persian
• Scottish Folds
• Tonkinese cats
• Ragdolls
• Birman

Even the ordinary house cats though, can make a good lap cat.

If you are desperate for a lap cat, the truth is that you might be able to teach some cats to become lap cats.

Please note though that not all cats will respond to “training,” and will never be proper lap cats.

It also depends on the character of the cat, since some are more likely to make good lap cats, while others will never be that, despite an owner’s attempts.

Ways you can train a Maine Coon cat to be a lap cat:

• Encouraging your cat to sit on your lap, using treats and catnip.

• By sitting in a comfortable position, then giving positive reinforcement to your Maine Coon when they try to sit on you.

• Consistency and repetition. Just keep trying!

Are Maine Coon Cats Lap Cats?

Maine Coons can be unbelievably friendly pets. They will play with you and will love to be around you. They will also display their love for you in many ways.

However, this doesn’t mean that they will sit on your lap. Some Maine Coons will, but not all of them.

According to one survey, 34.8% of Maine Coon owners thought that their precious cats were more likely to lay near to them than on top of them.

By comparison, though, another 34.8% of surveyed owners considered their Maine Coons to be more part-time lap cats, since sometimes their Maine Coon would lay on them, and other times they would not.

Only 30% of all of the questioned Maine Coon owners answered straight away that Maine Coons are lap cats (source: Maine Coon Cat Nation).

In this short clip, watch our Maine Coon act like a lap cat on Grandma’s lap. This Maine Coon definitely enjoys a cuddle and stroke, on HIS terms though.

Are Maine Coon Cats Good Lap Cats?

There are some features about Maine Coons that make them good lap cats, whilst other qualities make them less suited to becoming great lap cats.

Let’s start with the reasons that make Maine Coons good lap cats.

1. Why Maine Coons are Good Lap Cats

They are one of the most affectionate cat species

One of the primary reasons why people love Maine Coons so much is their loving character. They are not nicknamed “gentle giants” for no reason.

You will inevitably find yourself developing a loving and caring relationship with your Maine Coon.

For more information on how affectionate this particular cat breed can be, take a look at my article: ‘Are Female Maine Coons Affectionate?‘.

Their fur is satisfying to touch

Who doesn’t love a bit of cuddling with their Maine Coon?

These cats will find their way to your heart quickly, and you will see them lurking around you often, waiting for you to pet them.

In fact, it turns out that petting them is one of the best things about them since not only does this benefit the cat, but also helps to calm and destress the owner.

The Maine Coons soft and silky fur makes them an excellent cuddling pet, as long as you groom your precious cat with a combination of these five grooming brushes, to keep their fur in a healthy condition.

Known for their long, shaggy fur, have you ever wondered ‘Can A Maine Coon Have Short Hair?‘. If you have, read this article!

Maine Coons will purr and lick you

Once you build a rapport with them, you will see them get closer to you, and they will likely start purring. Also, you might even find they start licking you, which is a clear sign of their affection for you.

Find out more about Maine Coon licking, by reading my article ‘Why Does My Maine Coon Lick Me?‘.

2. Why Maine Coons Are Not Good Lap Cats

They are stocky and relatively heavy

Out of all the cat breeds out there, Maine Coons are arguably amongst the most massive and heaviest cats, weighing up to a staggering 25 lbs!

After some time of holding them in your lap, therefore, you might find them quite heavy. Their body heat might also make you start to overheat too!

Maine Coons can shed a lot

That is especially the case during the spring and the summer when they will desperately try to thin out their thick fur coat to keep cool.

That allows their skin to breathe more comfortably, and they will not get as hot as they would with their full coat.

For more information on Maine Coon shedding, read my article “Do Maine Coons Shed A Lot?“.

Some Maine Coons won’t like to sit on your lap

In some cases, there is nothing you can do; depending on their character, some Maine Coons are just not likely to ever sit on your lap.

Are Female Maine Coons More Likely to be Lap Cats?

Usually, the gender of a Maine Coon will not define their likelihood to be a lap cat, since both the male and female Maine Coons can be very cuddly creatures.

In general, though, it is more likely that male Maine Coons will become potential lap cats, than their female counterparts because they usually enjoy cuddling more.

Ultimately, this isn’t a rule, and therefore you may also find many female Maine Coons that are lap cats too.

Male Maine Coons often show a stronger tendency to sit on owners’ laps, than females.

We cannot put them into the category of lap cats for certain, even though some of the cats will show this behavior.

It also largely depends on the cat’s character, and how dependent and attached it is to you.

You will see many Maine Coon cats sitting on top of people’s laps while other cats of this species will never sit on your lap unless you put them there.

According to research, only 30.4% of Maine Coon cat owners reported that their Maine Coons were lap cats, while others answered that their loving pets rarely, or never sit on their laps.

Because these cats love our company though, we need to give them as much attention as possible. They crave our attention and so will therefore remind us to pet them, by gently nudging us.

Are Maine Coon Cats Affectionate?

Yes!

Maine Coon cats are one of the most affectionate cat species out there, and they show their affection in many ways.

Here are a few ways Maine Coon cats show affection:

1. Purring

This is an undeniable sign of affection towards you. Don’t you just love the sound of them purring?

2. Rubbing

They will start rubbing their heads and bodies against you, especially your legs.

3. Bopping Heads

When you allow them, they will bop their heads against yours. Yes, this is a common sign of affection, and if you put your head next to theirs, they will no doubt rub their face against you.

4. Licking

They will lick you. You will only see this behavior when cats are entirely comfortable with you.

Watch this funny video of our Maine Coon grooming and licking my husband’s head, after he fell asleep on the bean bag.

There is a very close bond between these two, and ‘Pippin’ loves to continually show his affection towards my husband.

5. Eye Contact

They will hold eye contact with you and then blink. This is often called the cat’s kiss, and you will see them looking in your eyes, then slowly and gently blinking.

Do Maine Coons Like To Be Held?

Of course, Maine Coons love it when their owners show their affection towards them.

These cats love cuddling, and you will find that they love it when you pick them up and start cuddling them. It’s got to be on their terms though.

Do Maine Coons Like To Cuddle?

Yes, this is one of the main characteristics of a Maine Coon cat.

It is also the very reason why these cats are one of the most famous cats in the world. They are known as amiable cats, and they also feel very nice to cuddle.

Best Lap Cat Breeds

As we have seen, Maine Coons are good cuddlers, yet owners have no guarantee that their particular cat will become a lap cat.

Therefore, if owning a lap cat is important to you, take a look at my table below which details the best lap cat breeds:

Conclusion

So, are Maine Coon cats lap cats?

Overall we have learned that some of this cat breed is, whilst others aren’t.

Every cat has a specific character that defines whether it will like to sit on your lap or not.

Luckily for us, Maine Coons show their affection in more ways than one, so don’t feel downbeat if your Maine Coon hasn’t got a preference for being a lap cat. They will almost certainly make up for this via other affectionate methods.