Maine Coon Kitty

[Mara]

Hi, I just got a new cat that is part maine coon. I have never had this type of cat before and he is not like any other cat that I have ever had. His name is Joey and he has very selective hearing. I know he knows his name but he only listens under his terms. He gets into everything and everywhere. His most recent trump is that he climbed into our basement ceiling and is breaking through the ceiling tiles. We won't be able to find him, then all of a sudden we hear a loud thud down stairs and we find Joe in the middle of a big dust and rubble pile. My question is.....Is this normal?? He has to get into EVERTHING. It is so bad that I can't even let him sleep in the same room as me anymore. He is like a 3 year old that has to constantly be doing something at every minute. I do realize that he is still young but I have never had a cat this naughty before. Does anyone know if it goes along with the breed?
Thanks for any info
Mara

[Erica]

I wouldn't say it goes with the breed...my parents have a full maine coon who is the laziest cat you will ever meet. He was like that even as a kitten, but he also had a dog and another cat to play with. 2 kittens seem like the best way to go. They keep themselves entertained and tire each other out.

[Guest]

Thanks for the suggestion but I do have 4 other cats that he can play with. He is just the naughtest little thing I have ever seen. You can spray him with a water bottle, spank him or yell right next to his ear and he just wont listen. If you pull him away he will just run right back to what he was doing the second you turn your head. It makes things very interesting sometimes. I don't even want to think about how he would be if I didn't have other cats for him to play with.

[Mona]

I have a new 11 week old female and she is very curious as well. We have to watch her or she will climb up my silk trees etc. She does play
with my 5 year old female and sleeps with her. We do confine her to a room sometimes for quiet time etc.

But please do not hit a cat they do not respond and this only scares them and makes them hid more or act up more. A firm no and a diversion will work better.

Good luck and I am hoping to that with age they will get better. My first one was not so curious as this either.

Mona, HOneybun and Chloe

[Squrrrl]

Mine is part maine-coon as well and he is lazy but get these spurts of energy where he is very badly behaved.

He seems to have a very high fear threshold maybe cuz he was a stray?

But I have the same problem as you... spray him with water, yell NO.. clap, banf something loud near by.. he will just look at me like... "what the heck you doing that for" and then continue on...

Weird kitty!

[drgnldy]

This is Sundance-Trouble, my purebred Main Coon kitten. He's just like that too, very focused and determined to get into absolutely everything. You cannot even open a lower cabinet in the kitchen without him jumping in to see what is in there. I think it is a trait of the breed, but I wouldn't term it "naughtiness", just acute curiousity and determination, which are not all that bad at all! At least your kitty and mine are not boring pets! Give him lots of toys and things that occupy his attention and enjoy him![/url]

[Iggycat]

My Maine Coon was very very curious, he was in and out of every where. I know it must be frustrating to have yours ruining you ceiling tiles. I know I was not please when Iggy would shread my window screens by hanging his 18 lb. body from them to look in at me. He was a very dear boy however and I would give so much to have him back.
Just block up his access to the ceilings and any other bad places. Please don't spank him, it does not work. Maybe you could try "time out" and put him in a bathroom alone with the door shut for 5 or 10 min when he is overly anoying. It will help you both get over it.