Short answer: Maine Coons are the cat breed with the best-documented hip dysplasia problem. It affected 24.9% of Maine Coons in the US OFA registry and 37.4% in a 20-year screening study, with severity rising as cats got older and heavier. Add the arthritis that affects most older cats and a breed risk for heart disease, and senior Maine Coon care centers on joints, weight and heart screening.
Maine Coons are one of the largest domestic cat breeds. That size brings a joint health profile more often associated with large dogs than with cats, and it deserves a slightly different lens than typical senior cat advice.
Why Do Maine Coons Face Joint Issues Most Cats Don’t?
In most cats hip dysplasia is rarely a clinical concern. Maine Coons are different. Researchers analyzing two decades of screening data from 5,038 pedigree Maine Coons found hip dysplasia in 37.4%, with no sex difference. Its severity was genetically correlated with body mass, and it got worse with age and weight. The authors suggested that selecting for an ever-larger body type may be selecting for hip dysplasia at the same time.
On top of that comes the arthritis that affects nearly all old cats. An X-ray study found degenerative joint disease in 90% of cats over 12 (Hardie et al., 2002). The 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines list the hips, elbows, shoulders, knees and ankles as the joints most often affected.
How Can You Tell if a Maine Coon Has Joint Pain?
Cats rarely show joint pain the way dogs do. International Cat Care lists the signs to look for:
- Hesitating before jumping up or down, jumping less often, or using a chair as a halfway step
- Stiffness after resting, or slowness on stairs
- Less grooming, which shows as a matted or scruffy coat over the back and hips
- Accidents next to the litter box, often because climbing in hurts
- Irritability when stroked over the hips or back
Our guide to hidden arthritis pain in cats covers these in more detail.
What Other Health Issues Should Maine Coon Owners Watch For?
| Condition | How common | How it’s checked |
|---|---|---|
| Hip dysplasia | About 25–37% of screened Maine Coons | Hip X-rays; hands-on joint exam |
| Arthritis (all joints) | Most cats over 12 show joint changes | Joint exam, X-rays, pain-relief trial |
| Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy | HCM affects ~15% of all cats; 35–42% of Maine Coons carry A31P | DNA test; echocardiogram if murmur, symptoms or a positive test |
| Periodontal disease | 16.7% of UK Maine Coons in one year | Oral exam at every visit |
| Kidney disease | Up to 40% of cats over 10 (all breeds) | Creatinine, SDMA, urine test |
On the heart: the ACVIM consensus statement estimates 35–42% of Maine Coons carry the MYBPC3 A31P variant and recommends testing breeding cats. Carrying it isn’t a diagnosis. In a large international study, the estimated penetrance was 0.08 for cats with one copy versus 0.58 for cats with two, and the risk rose with age. Cats without the variant can also develop HCM, so an echocardiogram is what confirms the disease. Dental figures come from a VetCompass study, and kidney figures from Cornell’s Feline Health Center. On lifespan, a 2015 UK study reported a median age at death of 11.0 years for Maine Coons against 14.0 for all cats, though from only 14 Maine Coons.
How Should You Support an Aging Maine Coon’s Mobility?
- Ask for a joint check at every senior exam, not just for dogs. The AAHA/AAFP guidelines call a detailed musculoskeletal exam “critical” because arthritis is one of the most underdiagnosed diseases in cats.
- Keep the cat lean. In a big cat, “big-boned” can mask genuine overweight. Feel for ribs rather than relying on the scale alone. Obese cats were 4.9 times as likely to need veterinary care for lameness in a JAVMA study. If weight loss is needed, follow a gradual plan like helping an overweight indoor cat lose weight.
- Get a big enough litter box. AAHA/AAFP recommend a box at least 1.5 times the cat’s length with low edges, and note most manufactured boxes are too small. For a large Maine Coon, a low-cut storage tub often works best.
- Add steps and ramps to favorite perches and the bed, and put rugs on slippery floors. See our home modifications for arthritic pets.
- Talk to your vet about pain control early. Options include NSAIDs licensed for cats and frunevetmab (Solensia), a monthly injection the FDA approved in January 2022 as the first treatment for osteoarthritis pain in cats. Never give human painkillers. International Cat Care warns many are toxic to cats, acetaminophen (paracetamol) included, and cats are especially sensitive to NSAIDs such as ibuprofen. If your cat swallows any, call your vet, the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center at (888) 426-4435, or the Pet Poison Helpline at (855) 764-7661.
- Discuss heart screening, especially if a murmur is heard or your cat’s A31P status is unknown.
Ragdolls share some of these issues; see Ragdoll cat aging for a comparison. If you’re budgeting for a large, long-haired breed, Norwegian Forest Cat vet costs gives a useful benchmark.
This article is for informational purposes only and does not replace guidance from your veterinarian.
Sources
- Low M et al., Scientific Reports — Demography, heritability and genetic correlation of feline hip dysplasia and response to selection in a health screening programme, 2019
- Loder RT, Todhunter RJ, Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery — Demographics of hip dysplasia in the Maine Coon cat, 2018
- Luis Fuentes V et al., Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine — ACVIM consensus statement guidelines for the classification, diagnosis, and management of cardiomyopathies in cats, 2020
- Longeri M et al., Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine — Myosin-binding protein C DNA variants in domestic cats (A31P, A74T, R820W) and their association with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, 2013
- International Cat Care — Arthritis in cats, September 2025
- American Animal Hospital Association / American Association of Feline Practitioners — 2021 AAHA/AAFP Feline Life Stage Guidelines, March 2021
- U.S. Food and Drug Administration — FDA Approves Novel Treatment to Control Pain in Cats with Osteoarthritis, January 2022
- Scarlett JM, Donoghue S, JAVMA — Associations between body condition and disease in cats, 1998
- O’Neill DG et al., Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery — Longevity and mortality of cats attending primary care veterinary practices in England, 2015
- Cornell Feline Health Center — Chronic Kidney Disease, January 2025
