Maine Coon vs. Ragdolls

[northernglow]

I'd go with Ragdoll. Those blue eyes...

Also the polydactyl issues bother me with Coons, which is another reason I'd prefer a Ragdoll. Both breeds have issues with HCM, which is why I'd go with a Birman instead of a Raggie..
how about a British Long- or Shorthair?

We're not being really helpful, are we?

 

[carolina]

Originally Posted by NorthernGlow

Both breeds have issues with HCM, which is why I'd go with a Birman instead of a Raggie..

Nope, not Ragdolls... Maine Coons do, but not Raggies...

 

[kluchetta]

Get one of everything!!!

Sometimes I go on petfinder, and look for certain kinds of cats, you can search on size, color, disabilities, breed type, and everything. I have a deaf white cat so sometimes I search the database to see how many others are out there that need a place...

And I adopted a 14 year old cat from a shelter, and she was the BEST kitty. No messes, no clawing, very sweet, no climbing. AND she lived with us for 6 years!!!

 

[missymotus]

Originally Posted by Carolina

Nope, not Ragdolls... Maine Coons do, but not Raggies...

HCM has been found in Raggies, that's why good breeders are testing their cats.
http://www.showcatsonline.com/x/HCM-...entified.shtml
http://ragdollresearch.org/about.php
http://www.vetmed.wsu.edu/deptsvcgl/Ragdolls.aspx

Originally Posted by Carolina

Both Maine Coons and Ragdolls have pretty much mat-free coats, and require very little grooming. A weekly combing is all it takes to keep it in top-notch shape. As far as coat goes, Raggies shed very little, aside from shedding season.

I expect that depends on the lines, some Raggies shed a lot and require daily grooming. Same for Coonies, according to breeders I know. I would speak to the breeder and see what kind of coats her cats tend to have.

 

[mabare060609]

I just recently had that exact same debate and I choose the ragdoll because of their dog like personalities. She is a huge cuddle bug. However, my next cat will be a main coon. One thing that I have learned is if you go with a purebreed cat, make sure you do a lot of research on the breeder. I paid $500 for my kitten and she was covered in fleas. We found them on her when we go home and the breeder refused to do anything about it. My husband is very angry about it. So just make sure that if you get the cat anywhere that is not the shelter related, have the cat checked out immediately after and do research on the breeder.

 

[Willowy]

Originally Posted by Abymummy

Oh and to the person that said Maine coons don't do well in Texas? Wrong! Some of the best MCO breeders in the world are in Texas (CFA at least)...look it up!

Breeders, certainly. I meant the free-breeding strays/ferals/farm cats. I don't think the climate in Texas favors such a thick-coated cat. Whereas here, up north, many of the free-breeding cats are Maine Coon type longhairs. Survival of the warmest, I guess.

 

[northernglow]

Originally Posted by Carolina

Nope, not Ragdolls... Maine Coons do, but not Raggies...

Adding one link to what missymotus already posted, this is the place I use to test my kitties:
http://www.vgl.ucdavis.edu/services/cat/HCM.php

 

[naughtyzute]

I have two ragdolls and I'd never have any other breed.  I also have some basic cats that I love dearly, but there's something very special about my rags.  My 'Angel' is the sweetest cat I've ever had or met.  She's super affectionate, obedient, clean... just adorable.  She comes when I call her name and answers with a little yeow?  I've had my rags 8 years now and they've been a total delight.  Angels sister from the same litter is Bruinhilda -- Hilda for short.  She's a 25 lb baby girl with stunning blue eyes.  The two have very different personalities but both are very laid back and groovy.  I've never had a Maine Coon but from what owners have told me they're much busier than rags.  My rags almost never meow unless they want something and they let you know what they want.  I agree too that if you can don't buy, adopt.  I never have to adopt.  Since I live on a farm, I seem to run my own amateur shelter.  People drop cats off at my place.  The ones who choose to be outdoor cats live in my tack room and the others are brought in the house.  They know who they want to be.  Also, as other posters have said.  My cat Angel picked me and my son's cat Hilda picked him.  It was love at first sight.  And lest I sound like a total crazy cat lady.  I only have four.

 

[segelkatt]

I adopted a 12-yr old Maine Coon who had been mentally abused who lived another 5 yrs. I called him Rumpus

,

DSCF0366.JPG

• segelkatt
• Aug 10, 2014

Now I have a Maine Coon mix (skinny long legs, no lynx tufts on the ears, medium ruff), 2 yrs old and full of beans, I named him Kattopu, his previous name, Bailey, was just too ordinary.

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• segelkatt
• Aug 10, 2014

I am also fostering a black with grey Maine Coon mix (no lynx tufts, but loads of hair, short thick legs, big ruff) who is very sweet and lovable but also had been mentally abused (alcoholic mom, and dad who was scared of cats and so constantly threatened the poor cat with his cane wherever he wen to keep the cat out of his way). Patrick is 3 yrs old and scared of everything, hiding behind a daybed, only comes out at night  to eat, drink and use litter box. I can reach behind the bed to pet him which he loves and starts to purr but I can' t get him out from behind the bed. It will take some time before he will be ready to be adopted.. As you can see the mixes are as beautiful as the pure-bred.as you can also see this poor black cat is so scared he won't come out, he's just a black blob between the wall and the trundle bed (I pulled the mattress off the the trundle and you can see him through the springs. He has spent time at a cat hotel and then at a vet's in a cage. Now he is with me in a room by himself, no other cats are allowed in that room. Poor baby.

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• segelkatt
• Aug 10, 2014

 

[chromium blues]

There are many breed-specific rescues and because both Maine Coons and Ragdolls are popular breeds, an unfortunate number of them will find themselves in a rescue or a shelter. Locally, there was someone trying to rehome TWENTY-SIX adult Ragdoll cats which had belonged to her and her mother, as she was getting evicted.

 

[segelkatt]

Black Patrick has been evicted from behind and under the daybed, I just moved everything so that there would be no space for him to crawl under/into/between/ whatever. At  first he freaked out but then decided he would just crawl under the covers: 3 blankets!!! He has given that up too by now. He does come out from the room but I can't pick him up. He is gentle with the other cats besides the 2 year old Kattopu who thinks he's just it and pounces on everbody else, he just wants to play but my other ones just want to be left alone. I may have to re-home him and keep black Patrick (no, I can't keep them all) since Patrick is going to be a long work in progress and by then I may not want to give him up. Kattopu is a nice, lively cat and should not have a problem finding a new home. Patrick is more mellow and would fit in with the others better and he does not need any more upsets and uprooting in his life.

081314 in a cage 002.JPG

• segelkatt
• Sep 15, 2014

a lump in the bed 081214 001.JPG

• segelkatt
• Sep 15, 2014

peek-a-boo Patrick.JPG

• segelkatt
• Sep 15, 2014

Patrick lkes to sit in the carrier, he seems to feel safe in there. The lump under the tiger blanket is Patrick and he is showing his face (just barely) when I picked up the blanket from him. He's ding better now.

 

[harleysdad]

Hi

I have a Ragdoll purebred kitten, he's just over 6 months old now and he is beautiful. Such a friendly boy, and a really good companion. Highly recommend Ragdolls however make sure you go to a registered breeder.

 

[Royalty]

I'm having trouble deciding between the two.
I love both equally, but I really need to make up my mind.

Is there someone out there who can give me pros and cons of each?

Sarah.

I can only tell you about rag dolls as we owned one Dexter a seal mitted rag doll he was a gawjus boy full of fun n very dog like

 

[Royalty]

I'm having trouble deciding between the two.
I love both equally, but I really need to make up my mind.

Is there someone out there who can give me pros and cons of each?

Sarah.

I can only tell you about rag dolls as we owned one Dexter a seal mitted rag doll he was a gawjus boy full of fun n very dog like