Your Maine Coon Guide

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 adop...

2 gorgeous, slate grey Maine Coon kittens. Image in the public domain. A Reddit.com user on the Maine Coon group on that website tells us that she is getting "my boy in a few weeks but was just offered another from a litter that previously wasn't opened". It seems that things have changed and the breeder from whom he is buying the kitten has offered her a second one and is asking whether two kittens are better than one. She added: "Not just for wants, but would it benefit my other kitten long term? I am home 24/7 so my current boy would never be alone." I think the last point is very important. Pretty well all the experts would say that if you are in a position to afford it, and if you have the mindset to look after two cats, then purchasing two Maine Coon kittens is better than purchasing one Maine Coon kitten PROVIDED that you absolutely know that they will get along. You normally don't know whether cats will get along and often times you have to introduc...

In human terms it is sexist to select one sex over another and I feel slightly uncomfortable doing it but this article should interest people who are thinking of adopting a Maine Coon cat (MC). 2 reasons why female Maine Coons are better than males. Image: MikeB HCM If you are thinking of adopting you probably know by now that the MC is predisposed to several inherited diseases, one of which is hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). It is a serious heart disease and ultimately a killer. It can start at a very young age . A breeder says that a cat predisposed to HCM should be tested for the disease yearly. How do you check ? This disease is present in the general domestic cat population and in other breeds at a higher prevalence e.g., the Bengal cat at around 15% of all Bengal cats. It is also present in humans at 0.2% prevalence (1 in 500). However, 30% of Maine coon cats have a genetic mutation that makes it likely that they will develop hypertrophic cardiomyopathy. Cats in general are mo...

This is a discussion about choosing a Maine Coon cat breeder and whether the first-time purchaser should select a cat from a TICA (The International Cat Association) registered breeder or a CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association) registered breeder. There will, I believe, be a subtle difference in the appearance of Maine Coon cats registered with these two top cat associations in America.  TICA and CFA Maine Coon comparison. Photo: Helmi Flick. This might interest first-time buyers of this breed particularly if they are researching the breed carefully and have specific requirements. Initially I look at the breed standards regarding the coat from these two cat associations and then I discuss how it might impact the purchase. TICA breed standard for Maine Coon coat "Length: uneven; shorter on shoulders, gradually lengthening down the back and sides. Long, full, shaggy belly fur and britches. Tail fur long, full, flowing. Frontal ruff becomes more develop with age. Texture: all-weather c...

The question in the title looks a bit strange; very negative and perhaps unhelpful but there is some value in answering it. When you answer the question in respect of Maine Coon cats you have to answer the question in respect of all domestic cats of any kind. That's obvious but it needs to be stated. So, the question could be rephrased: "Why shouldn't you adopt a domestic cat?" Why shouldn't you buy a Maine Coon cat? There are pros and cons. Image: MikeB. You can see the slight difference in the question. You have to buy a Maine Coon cat because they are created by cat breeders and they are hobby breeders making some money on the side normally. They won't give you a Maine Coon for free normally. And that is the first issue to discuss: one reason why you shouldn't buy a Maine Coon cat is because you should adopt a rescue cat. The upfront costs will be much less when you pay an adoption fee at a rescue center than when you purchase a Maine Coon cat for abou...

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 £1,2...

It is risky to buy a Maine Coon cat online without more. I stress: if you buy a Maine Coon cat online without any other information you are taking a risk. I would never do it. In other words, all you see of that cat is a photograph online or perhaps a video. And you know nothing of the cat breeder even if they are a cat breeder. You might not know their address because it is not provided on the website if they have a website. You are buying blind really because you have no in-depth information about the cat that you are buying which might not even be a Maine Coon cat. Online Maine Coon seller scams. Image: MikeB. And of course, there are scammers out there and there are a lot of scammers who operate online. So, you might be tempted to make an impulse purchase and the seller might encourage you to do that. And if you ask questions, they might object to those questions and will not answer them. Put the phone down, stop asking questions and abandon the purchase. And they'll demand an ...

This list of The International Cat Association (TICA) and Cat Fanciers' Association (CFA) registered Maine Coon breeders is good as at 2019 and I hope still good at 2022 but it's important to know that in the world of cat breeding things change fairly quickly as nearly all cat breeders are hobby breeders. You need to make sure that you adopt/purchase a genuine Maine Coon not a Maine Coon mix. The latter are moggies. This is a vital starting point. US cat show champion on left. Extreme bred Maine Coon on the right from Russia. Their catteries are their homes. They are small scale operations. They have no employees and can stop breeding cats whenever they like. Not infrequently they are middle-aged and sometimes elderly people which makes it more likely that they'll stop and retire.  The laboured point I am making is that the list below may not be accurate in a few years, but it is the best that can be produced at this moment. Both CFA and TICA will update their lists so yo...

For me, it is interesting to understand the process of shipping Maine Coon kittens worth about $1000 worldwide. It's quite common for breeders in the USA to ship worldwide but I guess most often they ship within the USA. But even then the flight is going to be 4-6 hours sometimes. Petra a Maine Coon kitten available for purchase from Calypso Coons. Photo: Calypso Coons. Calypso Coons My search brought up Calypso Coons. That is because they have an advert on Google which ranks top because they pay for that right. This tells me that they are investing in their business. They have some very beautiful Maine Coon kittens available at the time I am writing this. They are priced at US$950 each. They look very much in line with the breed standard. In other words they are recognisably Maine Coon cats because of their strong muzzles and large ears and general body conformation, shaggy fur and ruffs.  They have many satisfied customers 👌 I don't get paid for this 😇 . I am tempted, mysel...

This is another little snippet of information from the Internet, this time YouTube. It comes from a YouTube channel "Life with Maine Coon Cats". The lady talks about her Maine Coon, Molly, which she describes as a European Maine Coon. She implies that there is a difference between European and American Maine Coons. I think you could add that there is a difference between Russian Maine Coons and their counterparts in both Europe and America. They are not big differences. WHAT SHOULD A MAINE COON LOOK LIKE? Note : This is a video from another website. Sometimes they are deleted at source which stops them working on this site. If that has happened, I apologise but I have no control over it. She says that people are interested in how much they cost and I get that. The cost of a Maine Coon is constantly going up slightly year-on-year because of popularity. It's market forces and inflation, I guess. She paid $1,000 for Molly and the video is dated October 3, 2019. The price ...

This is an easy question to answer. The best advice that you can give a person who wants to adopt a cat is to tell them that they should prepare properly. This means doing research on the budgetary requirements i.e. the cost of keeping a cat for the animal's lifetime . It also means doing some work on understanding cat behaviour which will include introducing a new cat to your home. It will be a strange place for their cat and they will need to be looked after carefully and introduced sensitively with tolerance and understanding. This is even more important if there is a resident cat. There can be some great complications under those circumstances. Halle Bailey with her new grey tabby cat wearing an enormous collar. This is not a Maine Coon! Photo: her Instagram page. But above all, if a person wants to adopt a cat they must commit to a lifetime's care. They have to get their mind in tune with that concept before they go ahead. It's a mental process. True commitment mea...

The video shows a wonderful friendship between a resident Maine Coon and the incoming Maine Coon. The owners were a little nervous about the prospects of them getting along but, it seems, they needn't have been. They are the best of friends. When it works out like this it is incredibly pleasing. It can be difficult to predict whether an incoming cat will get along with a resident cat. In fact, it is probably impossible because it is about chemistry just like humans. And there is no accounting for chemistry in relationships. Incoming Maine Coon gets on great with resident Maine Coon pleasing their owners. Screenshot. But, when they get along the owner knows that some responsibilities are taken off her shoulders. The responsibility of making sure that their cat is entertained and content. That responsibility is still there but with a cat companion a resident cat who was the only cat in the household suddenly has a feline friend and that's a bit different to having a human frie...

There is a lot that is wrong with the so-called Maine Coon cats and kittens which are advertised for sale on the website Gumtree. Firstly, many if not all are not purebred cats. They are labelled 'Maine Coon mix' or even Maine Coon but they are not.  In one example the advertiser tells us that her cat Bella gave birth to 7 kittens and that Bella is a Maine Coon but 'she does have a little bit of Norwegian Forest from her great-grandparents'. In other words this person is advertising Maine Coon kittens but when you read through the advert you know that they are not purebred but Maine Coon mix cats; essentially moggies. Yes, all her kittens are moggies because they are effectively random-bred, in a strict sense.  Maine Coon mix cats for sale on Gumtree are a rip-off. Photo: Gumtree. The word purebred contains the word "pure". If the genetic line, the bloodline is not pure, as is the case with Bella, the cat can't be purebred and if the mother is not pureb...