Is the Maine Coon kitten healthy (infographic)?

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This may help people who are in the process of adopting a Maine Coon kitten. It is an infographic which highlights the basic health factors to assess when buying a kitten. You should really visit the seller's home to assess the kitten before buying. This is going to be ruled out if you buy online and at a distance. You could, however, insist on a contract that states that you have the right to reject the kitten if it does not meet the standards as stated in the infographic although I would expect that to be very rarely demanded.

CLICK ON THE IMAGE TO SEE IT LARGER IF YOU LIKE




Buying a Maine Coon is about quality; the quality of the kitten, the services provided such as guarantees, the aftercare provided and above all the quality of the parents and the standard of the breeder. All these factors increase the cost of the kitten from under $1000 to something in the order of $5000. A big difference but if you can afford it, I'd go for the quality option as you are guaranteed to adopt a true, pedigree Maine Coon with a great appearance plus you'll have peace of mind.

You really have to be careful when buying a Maine Coon as they are very popular at the moment which means that sellers have the upper hand and it means that the prices are higher due to supply and demand.

RELATED: The price of Maine Coon cats (a comprehensive discussion).

At the moment (mid-2023) demand is higher than supply. But this keenness to adopt a Maine Coon can lead buyers into making bad decisions and purchasing a Maine Coon mix (not a Maine Coon at all) or a poor-quality Maine Coon perhaps even without pedigree papers.

You really must have a pedigree (in a document) and the breeder should be affiliated with a cat association. I would not buy a Maine Coon kitten from a fly-by-night advertiser on Facebook. Too big a risk. 

If the seller cannot provide a pedigree (a document setting out the lineage of the kitten going back a few generations) don't buy.

There are some high-quality Maine Coon breeders in the US and there are some horrible sellers making a fast buck conning desperate buyers. Take your time. Save some money and go for the high-quality option. So much better. You won't need the above infographic if you buy from a quality breeder but you will if you buy from a bad one.

You have got to visit the bad breeder to see it for yourself and check the kitten's health and overall condition. So important.

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