Your guide to finding and caring for a Maine Coon in Springfield
A Maine Coon suits Springfield's older houses, where a tall cat tree can sit beside a front window. In Midtown's Foursquares and bungalows or the Craftsman homes around Walnut Street, a big, sociable cat has room to stretch out, watch the sidewalk and follow you from room to room. Maine Coons chirp and trill rather than yowl, and they love a wand toy in the evening. Plan on a sturdy tree and an oversized litter box.
Fall for a Maine Coon
While we don't have enough cats near Springfield, keep in mind that many rescues may offer transport.
M, 13 y., 1424 miles
Maine Coon
F, 3-7 y., 1460 miles
Maine Coon, Domestic Short Hair
M, 5 y., 1537 miles
Domestic Long Hair, Maine Coon
M, 5 y., 1537 miles
Domestic Medium Hair, Maine Coon
M, 6 mo., 1537 miles
Domestic Long Hair, Maine Coon
F, 6 mo.-2 y., 1563 miles
Domestic Long Hair, Maine Coon
F, 8 mo., 1563 miles
Maine Coon, Domestic Long Hair
M, 1 y., 1583 miles
Maine Coon, Dilute Tortoiseshell
F, 8 y., 1618 miles
Maine Coon
M, 8 y. +, 1661 miles
Maine Coon
The Maine Coon came out of New England farms and harbors, a big, rugged longhair descended from cats that arrived with British settlers and adapted to hard northern winters. It's the largest non-hybrid pedigreed breed, with a long rectangular body, a shaggy water-resistant coat, a frontal ruff, tufted ears and a plumed tail. Brown tabby is the classic color, but nearly every color turns up.
Many Maine Coons are sociable, playful and dog-like, following people around and chirping rather than meowing loudly. They mature slowly, often taking three to five years to reach full size. In Springfield, that thick coat copes well with cold snaps but needs regular combing through the shedding seasons, and a cat this size needs sturdy furniture and litter boxes. Cats vary, so judge the cat in front of you, not the breed label.
Having a Maine Coon in Springfield
Maine Coons pair impressive size with a sweet, social nature. Slow growth, a heavy coat and particular heart and joint risks shape daily care and budget, and Springfield's hot summers and cold winters add a few seasonal details worth planning for.
Maine Coons tend to be friendly, easygoing and people-oriented, often following family members from room to room. Many get along with respectful children, other cats and cat-friendly dogs after gradual introductions. They usually chirp and trill rather than yowl, which is easy on shared walls in Springfield's apartments. Each cat's history and personality matter more than breed reputation.
Daily interactive play with wands, balls and fetch games keeps a Maine Coon fit, and puzzle feeders give that clever mind a job. With Springfield's cold winters and hot summers, most play happens indoors, so a tall, sturdy cat tree by a window and a few short sessions a day go a long way. Staying lean protects joints and heart.
Maine Coons have well-documented risks for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, hip dysplasia and spinal muscular atrophy, and extra weight makes heart and joint trouble worse. A veterinarian can check the heart and hips and advise on screening. Missouri has heavy tick activity, so year-round flea and tick prevention matters if the cat goes outdoors or shares a home with a dog.
A Maine Coon adapts to apartments or houses when there's room to stretch out, a cat tree rated for heavy cats and an oversized litter box. Springfield's older houses and its apartments can both work, since daily play matters more than square footage. Keep the cat indoors or in a secure enclosure, and screen windows and balconies.
| Expense | Typical cost | Per year |
|---|---|---|
| Food | $30 to $60 per month | $360 to $720 |
| Pet insurance | $30 to $65 per month | $360 to $780 |
| Routine vet care | $150 to $350 per year | $150 to $350 |
| Other* | $500 to $1,250 per year | $500 to $1,250 |
| Estimated yearly total (after year one) | $1,370 to $3,100 | |
Other costs are estimates and vary with size, age and health.
* Cat litter, flea and tick prevention, a dental cleaning allowance, sturdy cat trees, large litter boxes and other supplies, and combs and occasional grooming for a long coat.
Now that you know more, let’s find you a new best friend. These rescues and shelters below currently have Maine Coons available.
Springfield's rescue community includes no-kill shelters and foster-based groups that care for cats while they wait for adoption. Here are the rescues & shelters in the Springfield area where you can find Maine Coons and other cats available for adoption.
Often, yes. A Maine Coon's sociable, playful nature suits homes where someone is around for daily play, and its thick coat handles Springfield's cold winters. Summer humidity, spring storms and heavy shedding take some planning. A sturdy cat tree, an oversized litter box and a combing routine cover most of what this cat needs.
Yes, as indoor cats with some care. Springfield sees about 40 days a year at 90°F or higher, and a Maine Coon's heavy coat holds heat. Keep the cat in air conditioning or shade, offer fresh water in several spots, comb out loose undercoat, and never leave a cat in a parked car.
Yes, a Maine Coon can live happily in a Springfield apartment with a sturdy cat tree, an oversized litter box and daily play. Because each landlord sets pet deposits and monthly pet rent, confirm the total pet cost and any size or number limits in the lease. Quiet chirping instead of yowling is a plus with neighbors.
No. CU Transit buses prohibit animals except service animals, and that includes cats in carriers. Springfield has no passenger rail, so plan vet visits by car or with a ride from a friend. A hard-sided carrier sized for a large cat keeps trips safer and less stressful.
Plan to comb a Maine Coon two or three times a week, and daily during spring and fall shedding when the coat changes. Humid summers and muddy springs can tangle fur on the belly and britches, so check those spots. Combs and occasional professional grooming fall under the yearly Other costs.
A Maine Coon is a large, long-haired domestic cat breed that originated in the state of Maine, where it is the official state cat. It has a rugged build, a shaggy water-resistant coat, tufted ears, big paws and a long, bushy tail. Known as gentle giants, many Maine Coons are friendly, playful and social with people and other pets.
No, Maine Coons are not rare. They rank among the most popular pedigreed breeds worldwide and recently became the most registered breed with both FIFe and the CFA. Purebred Maine Coons do appear in shelters and breed rescues now and then, and many long-haired shelter cats with a similar look are Maine Coon mixes or domestic longhairs.
A cat that looks like a Maine Coon is large and muscular, with a long rectangular body, a shaggy coat that is longer on the belly and britches, a frontal ruff, big tufted ears, large tufted paws and a long, plumed tail. Only pedigree papers or a DNA breed test confirm it, since many big long-haired cats share these traits.
We have 1 rescue with Maine Coons available: Watching Over Whiskers. You can see every rescue with Maine Coons available in the list above these questions, or scroll to the top to see the Maine Coons near Springfield.
Plan on roughly $1,370 to $3,100 a year for a Maine Coon in Springfield. That covers food at $30 to $60 a month, insurance at $30 to $65 a month, routine vet care at $150 to $350 a year, and other costs such as litter, supplies, parasite prevention and dental care at $500 to $1,250 a year.
Expand your search to find Maine Coons available for adoption near Springfield.
Looking for a different breed? Browse other cats available for adoption in Springfield.
