UK Maine Coon kittens available for Christmas 2022

The Maine Coon Cat Club provides us with useful advice about purchasing a Maine Coon kitten. I mention some aspects of this advice below. One of their services is to provide a list of kittens available at certain times. They've updated their list on December 18, 2022. Like other people, my mind turns to a Christmas gift of a Maine Coon kitten which sounds fantastic BUT you know you've got to be self-disciplined.

Super Maine Coon kitten. Image: Pinterest (modified by MikeB).

The old adage comes to mind which is that a kitten is not for Christmas but for the life of the animal. It's very easy to be a little bit self-indulgent and think that I want a kitten NOW and I am going to have one for Christmas. Or my children would like a Maine Coon kitten for Christmas. The best present ever.  But that does not mean you shouldn't buy for Christmas. It is fine provided you have done your homework. Sorry if I sound as if I am lecturing.

Note: I don't think you should buy a £1,200 present for your kids! That's a personal viewpoint but it is far too much and they will need to understand fully the implications of being given a Maine Coon kitten for Christmas.

There's a lot to think about when you purchase a purebred kitten or adopt a rescue cat. It is all the same.

If you want to see the Maine Coon Cat Club's list of kittens available at Christmas 2022, PLEASE CLICK ON THIS LINK. There are contact details and everything you need to make contact with the breeder.

Remember that the Maine Coon Cat Club do not endorse the breeders but they have agreed to abide by the principles of the Governing Council of the Cat Fancy's Code of Ethics and the requirements of the club. So there's some protection there for buyers.

The club states that a kitten should be at least 13 weeks of age and fully vaccinated et cetera. You must receive a document setting out the pedigree and the registration certificate plus a diet sheet and vaccination record upon collection.

I would recommend that you insist upon a contract if the breeder does not have their own contract. I drafted one which you can see by clicking on this link.

It is rather interesting that the club, using their own words, state that:

"Potential buyers should think long and hard before buying a Maine Coon and if the prices are well in excess of £1000 be very, very wary. Don't rush into buying an overpriced kitten because you can't find any more, it will be better to wait and contact reputable breeders. Please remember that breeders do not always have kittens due to be born or soon to be available so you may need to be patient."

Patience. Take your time. Take all the time you need because it's a big commitment to adopt a Maine Coon kitten. You need to make sure that your lifestyle is suitable which in round terms means a stable lifestyle where you are at home a lot, ideally.

I don't think it is really great - and it might be unsuitable - for a single person to be working full-time and have a Maine Coon kitten. That's going to leave the kitten alone all day long. That cannot be right.

And then there's the dreaded budget. You've got to make sure that you have the funding for a lifetime of care. This will amount to perhaps £15,000 in the UK. It depends upon how you play it in terms of insurance and veterinary bills and your cat's health.

But cat food is about as expensive as human food so it's like having a person to look after in your home. Not quite but I am trying to make a point.

Quite a lot of people find out that they don't really have the financial means to look after a domestic cat or dog properly. They also find out that their lifestyle is not really suitable so they abandon their animal to a rescue center. Or they might advertise their companion animal online. This is all a failure both for the person and the cat or dog.

Preparation avoids failure. Time in preparation is never wasted as they say in the army 😃💓. I'm being boring and I am emphasising things too much I suspect but it's about a mentality. 

One last point I can think of: Maine Coon cats are normally full-time indoor cats because they are too expensive, too precious and too good looking to be allowed to run around outside.

That places an added responsibility on the cat caregiver to entertain and stimulate their cat. And I would strongly suggest that the purchaser of a Maine Coon kitten immediately or as soon as possible trains their kitten to accept a harness and lead which will allow them, when adult, to go outside and enjoy air and the smells of nature in a safe way.

RELATED: The big flaw that is never admitted in keeping cats indoors full-time.

And also to train their young cat to accept claw trimming (with great precision and gentleness). If you do this early you won't have a problem when they are an adult. This will substantially help to avoid a scratch. Being scratched due to careless handling is one reason why people abandon their cat companions.