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Maine Coon vs Scottish Fold
A large, robust long-coated cat against a medium, quiet, short-coated one whose folded ears come with a known bone and cartilage disorder.
Verdict
Size, coat and health risk separate these breeds. The Maine Coon is large, shaggy and playful, with a heart condition and hip dysplasia on its watch-list. The Scottish Fold is medium, quiet and easy to groom, but the gene behind its folded ears is linked to a painful cartilage and bone disorder, and some places restrict breeding it. Choose the Maine Coon for a big, active family cat. Choose the Scottish Fold only after weighing that welfare debate and talking to your vet.
Choose the Maine Coon if
- You want a large cat of 8-18 lb that plays into old age.
- You have children and other pets; it scores 5 for both.
- You will brush a thick double coat a few times a week.
- You want a breed with no ear-fold welfare question attached to its looks.
Choose the Scottish Fold if
- You want a quiet, round-faced cat of 6-13 lb that fits a small home; it scores 5 for apartments.
- You prefer a short coat that needs light grooming.
- You are prepared to follow strict breeding and vet advice.
- You live where breeding folded-ear cats is allowed.
Where they are alike
Both are friendly with children and other pets and both are listed for hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Each is a CFA championship breed that adapts well to indoor life.
Side by side
| Maine Coon | Scottish Fold | |
|---|---|---|
| Group | Longhair and semi-longhair | Rex, hairless, fold and dwarf |
| Origin | Maine, United States | Scotland |
| Size | Large | Medium |
| Typical weight | 8-18 lb (3.6-8.2 kg); males are larger | 6-13 lb (2.7-6 kg); males are larger |
| Lifespan | 12-15 years | About 11-15 years in healthy cats; severely affected cats may do worse |
| Coat length | Long | Short |
| Coat | Shaggy, water-shedding double coat, longer on the ruff, belly and britches | Dense, plush coat that stands off the body; a longhair variety also exists |
| Cat Fanciers' Association | Championship breed since 1976 | Championship breed since 1978 |
| How common | Very common | Common |
| Affection | 4 | 4 |
| Energy | 3 | 2 |
| Playfulness | 4 | 3 |
| Talkativeness | 2 | 2 |
| Grooming needed | 4 | 2 |
| Shedding | 4 | 3 |
| Good with children | 5 | 4 |
| Good with other pets | 5 | 4 |
| Happy alone | 3 | 3 |
| Trainability | 4 | 3 |
| Suits a small home | 3 | 5 |
| Allergies | No breed is hypoallergenic. The Maine Coon's thick coat sheds seasonally, and people who react to cats usually react to this breed too. | — |
| Suits | A family or a household with other pets that wants a large, sociable cat and will brush it a few times a week. | A person or family who values a quiet, round-faced cat and is prepared to follow strict breeding and vet advice. |
| Less suited to | A small flat with little room to climb, or anyone who wants a lap cat that stays small. | Anyone who does not want to take on a breed with a known, painful joint disorder, or who lives where breeding is restricted. |
| Registries that recognise it |
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| Health conditions to watch |
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Facts come from each breed's profile. Scores run from 1 (low) to 5 (high) and describe a breed in general. Every cat is an individual, so meet the cat before you decide.
Last reviewed November 7, 2026