Behind the Scenes: The Reality of a Responsible Maine Coon Breeding Program

Breeding Maine Coons is far more than pairing a male and female and waiting for kittens to arrive. It’s a complex, meticulous process with countless moving parts—most of which happen behind the scenes. Even with the best care and planning, outcomes aren’t always predictable.

In this post, I’ll give you an inside look at one crucial aspect of my breeding program. It involves selecting a new kitten to join the lineage. Whether you’re simply curious about ethical breeding or deeply invested in understanding the process, this glimpse will highlight the dedication. It will also show the expertise that go into producing healthy, well-socialized Maine Coons.

Meet the Sassy Koonz Breeding Tribe

Governor

Types: Sires

Red with White

Magic

Types: Queens

Solid White

Kleopatra

Types: Queens

Black Torbie with White
RETIRING 2025 [AVAILABLE]

Kimmie

Types: Queens, Sassy Koonz Kittens

Sassy Koonz Girl
Black Tortie with White

Tank

Types: Sires

Black Silver Classic Tabby

Razzleberry

Types: Queens

Black Tortie
RETIRING 2025 – AVAILABLE

ViVi

Types: Queens

QUEEN
Black Smoke Tortie with White

Vesna

Types: Queens

QUEEN
Black Smoke Tortie

Am I Ready to Add A New Cat to My Breeding Program?

At what point does a new cat get added to the breeding program? This is a lot to consider for a Maine Coon breeder. One of the first things that has to be considered are the goals of the breeder and the cattery. We all have different goals, but before I add a new kitten, these are the things I take into consideration:

• How many kittens do I want to produce each year?
• How much time do I have to commit to raising kittens and caring for adult cats?
• Do I have enough space to add another cat?
• Do I have enough space to raise multiple litters of kittens?
• Does my budget allow for the care and medical treatment (if needed) of another cat?

I’d like to break down each one of these questions to help you better understand what they mean.

The Reality of Raising a Litter of Maine Coon Kittens

Raising a litter of Maine Coon kittens is no small task—it’s a full-time commitment. For the first few weeks, the Queen handles most of the care, assuming everything goes smoothly. But once those tiny paws start exploring, it’s like having a group of curious, messy toddlers on the loose.

Daily Responsibilities of Raising a Litter

Once kittens are mobile, the workload increases dramatically. A breeder’s daily routine includes:

• 🍼🐱 Cleaning the nursery – Several hours each day are dedicated to keeping the space sanitary.
• 🧹 Litter training – Teaching kittens to use the litter box takes patience and consistency.
• 💛 Socialization – Kittens need regular human interaction to develop confidence and a friendly temperament.
• 🥩 Weaning – Transitioning from nursing to solid food requires careful monitoring.

What You Don’t See Behind the Adorable Photos

From the outside, all you see are cute kitten pictures on social media. What’s not visible are the countless hours spent ensuring these kittens are healthy, well-adjusted, and ready for their new homes. Some of them will travel all the way across the country to make it home.

Time Commitment and Planning

• 📆 Each Maine Coon Queen can have 1-2 litters per year.
• 🐣 Kittens need at least 10-12 weeks of care before they’re ready to go home
• ✈️ Vacations? Forget about it! Travel plans are difficult to make when kittens are on the ground.

Balancing Breeding with Daily Life

Luckily, I work from home and set my own schedule, allowing me to devote as much time as needed. However, breeders with full-time jobs outside the home must carefully balance their responsibilities to provide the same level of care.

Breeding Maine Coons isn’t just about producing kittens. It’s about commitment and responsibility. It’s also about ensuring every kitten gets the best start in life.

Do I Have Enough Space for Another Cat? 🏡🐾

Cats thrive in a stress-free environment, and overcrowding can lead to anxiety, illness, and territorial issues. Before I add a new Maine Coon friend to my program, I make sure that I have sufficient space. This helps keep everyone happy and healthy.

How Much Space Does a Cat Really Need? 📏🐱

Believe it or not, the CFA’s minimum space requirement for a cattery is just 30 cubic feet per cat. To me, this is more like a cage than a comfortable home! My personal standards are much higher because I want my cats to:

🐾 Roam freely and stretch their legs.
🪵 Climb and perch on cat trees and shelves.
🛏️ Have cozy beds and private spaces to relax.

Quarantine & Isolation: A Must for New Arrivals 🚪⏳

Bringing in a new cat means quarantine time—no exceptions! Every new addition must be:

🔸 Isolated for 14-21 days to monitor for illnesses, diarrhea, or other health concerns.
🔸 Cleared by a vet before being introduced to the rest of the cats.

This is crucial for keeping the entire cattery safe and healthy! 🩺

Assessing Space & Harmony 🏠✨

Since most of my breeding cats live in my cattery, I carefully evaluate before making a decision:

✅ Do I have enough room to accommodate another cat comfortably?
✅ Will this disrupt the balance among the current cats?
✅ Can this space still provide a stress-free, enriched environment?

If everything checks out, then I move forward with the next steps in my process. After all, a happy cat is a healthy cat—and that’s my top priority! 💖🐾

Do I have enough space to raise multiple litters of kittens?

With each new queen [or King] that is added to my breeding program means more kittens. Each litter of kittens needs its own space to be delivered and reared, with their Mother. Personally, I bring my Queens inside when it’s time for them to deliver their kittens and they stay in the nursery (which is a spare bedroom). They raise their kittens there and aren’t bothered or stressed out by other cats or high traffic.

So adding a new cat to the cattery means there will be more kittens. Possibly even multiple litters of kittens on the ground at the same time. What this means for me is that I need to create separate living spaces for multiple litters. This is when I call in the help of my husband. He’s currently converting the nursery into two nurseries so that multiple litters can be raised comfortably at the same time.

Does my budget allow for the care and medical treatment (if needed) of another cat?

Having a Maine Coon cattery and raising kittens isn’t cheap. My Chewy bill is currently around $750 per month. That’s for food and litter for my 3 neutered male pets and 5 breeders. When kittens are on the ground, the bill goes up about $50 per litter per month. I have to be sure that my budget can sustain the cost. I need to keep everyone clean, full, and healthy indefinitely. They are all my responsibility.

As much as I wish it didn’t come up, sometimes medical treatment is needed. Having cats is no different than having children. I do everything I can to keep them healthy. Then, some crazy bug shows up. Medical treatment is needed. There could also be the need for emergency C-Section to help with the delivery of babies. Veterinarians aren’t inexpensive. So I have to also make sure that my finances will allow for any medical treatment that’s necessary.

What Colors and/or Patterns Do I Want?

Now that some initial screening and evaluation of the cattery is done, I can start thinking about colors and patterns. There are 84 Maine Coon Colors and Pattern Variations. I learned very early that to produce the best coats, it’s important to choose similar patterns and colors. This approach results in rich colors and clean patterns. For example, a red tabby classic mated with a red tabby classic. A female is more likely to produce a coat with exquisite beauty. This is more probable than when the same male mates with a black silver mackerel tabby.

Silvers and smokes are in higher demand than the more traditional or classic colors (red, black, blue, white). My applicant list has a very high demand for silvers and smokes. I focus more on clean, classic colors with beautiful coats. Rich reds, beautiful blacks, and pure deep blues (Solids and tabbies). There’s something about the classic colors that appeal to me more than the trendy smokes and silvers.

My goal is to produce the classic, clean colors. With this in mind, I can narrow down the color and pattern of the cat that I want to add. There are also some genetic factors to consider (agouti, non-agouti, and dilute). I examine the Queens that are in my cattery. I decide what colors and patterns I want to see in the future. Then, I narrow down my choice to the color I’m seeking.

Choosing A Breeder to Buy a Kitten From

Just like you should do your research when it comes to choosing a breeder, so do I. I did make some fast decisions in the past, just randomly choosing a breeder based on how the kittens look. I’ve learned to be a little more diligent when it comes to where I buy a kitten from. There are so many factors to consider other than just how the cats look in photos.

What I started doing about a year ago is following the breeders on Facebook and Instagram. I just watch from a distance for months and months. I like to see how much information they share about their cattery and their cats. Transparency is commendable to me. There’s not a lot of transparency from cat breeders, so I find these highly valuable.

Breeders who share an enthusiasm for the Maine Coon Breed Standard are an absolute must for me. It’s hard to buy a kitten from a breeder who doesn’t share the same goals. This is especially true considering the “type” factor. What I mean by that is the fine details of the cat that creates the signature look of the Maine Coon cat. There are standards written by Cat Associations that detail these in writing. I want my cats and kittens to be as close to breed standard as possible. That means choosing cats for my breeding program that exhibit those features.

Price is irrelevant when it comes to a Quality Kitten

There are way too many other factors for me that are more important than the cost. In fact, the cost to acquire is the very last question that I ask if I’m inquiring about a kitten. I’d rather have a high quality, immensely pre-screened kitten over a “cheap” one.

Cheap is never good and good is never cheap.

Finding the Perfect Kitten for the Breeding Program

Looking for the perfect Maine Coon kitten is what takes the most amount of time. I have my favorite breeders saved. Once I’ve decided on a breeder, it means waiting. I’m waiting until they have a kitten that meets my criteria in both color and type. This could take months!

Now that I’ve narrowed down my choice of breeders to just a few, I watch for kittens. The color and pattern is already pre-determined, so I can ignore any other colors that show up. Yes, they’re distracting!! Patience is a virtue when it comes down to this part of the process. It’s easy to see one that is awesome in the photos and say “I’ll take that one”! That’s when mistakes are made and later it’s discovered that they don’t fit the requirements that I had in mind.

Front-facing photos are what I see first. To be honest, all kittens are beautiful from the front. But when you’re looking for very specific details, you have to slow down. As a breeder, you need to take notice of every little thing. Ears, eyes, head size, muzzle, bridge of nose, chin, and whiskers.

The profile of a Maine Coon is my obsession

I may look for a new kitten to add to my breeding program. One reason is to improve the overall look of my kittens.

When the profile is Breed Standard, it’s just a very beautiful picture to admire. It’s what makes the cat and kitten have the look that everyone so admires. The challenge is, it is VERY HARD to find a kitten and/or a cat with a perfect profile. VERY HARD. This is probably the MAIN REASON why I am so obsessed with finding cats for my breeding program. They must have beautiful heads. Their heads must look good no matter which way you turn or angle them.

The number one reason I decline 99% of every kitten I see is because of their profile. There’s several different “looks” when it comes to profiles but I prefer the ones that look like the photo below.

If you’d like to study the Maine Coon Breed Standard, then you can see it on the CFA or TICA website. You’ll then be able to see just how many details there are when it comes to producing a Breed Standard Maine Coon kitten.

It’s hard to notice minor details that may not qualify as a breed standard, but I’ve really trained my eye for it. And now it’s literally an obsession. If I don’t see Breed Standard or something VERY CLOSE to it, then I’m not interested in adding that cat to my breeding program. That would go against the goals of my cattery.

When I’m looking for a new kitten, I look at a minimum of 500-700 kittens before deciding on the best fit for me. This is why my “pre-qualifying” breeder research is so important. I don’t want to find the perfect kitten and then the breeder turns out to be a piece of shit.

Health Testing and DNA Genetics

Another reason for adding a new kitten to my cattery is to improve the overall health of my offspring.

Before any kitten is added to my breeding program, he or she must be DNA tested. This is to identify any genetic anomalies. Such anomalies could cause health issues for the cat or any future kittens. The main health concerns that are tested are HCM, SMA, PK and PK Def. I’m looking for N/N [Negative] Results on these. PK Def is the only exception. One parent can be a carrier of OK Def, but not both parents.

Once I get the kitten in my possession, I do my own DNA Genetic testing AGAIN. I test for 37 conditions.

All of these tests are performed. However, there’s still no way to guarantee that the cats won’t develop these or other conditions in the future. Thery’e not perfect animals, just like dogs, horses, or even humans. Things happen that we can’t prevent. But I do my best to pre-screen them before using them to produce offspring.

Health Checklist

A cat being considered for potential new breeding stock should be:

1. Free from signs of illness (such as upper respiratory infections, diarrhea,
   ringworm, etc.)
2. Tested negative for feline leukemia virus and feline immunodeficiency virus
3. Tested negative for intestinal parasites
4. In good physical condition: The coat is shiny and healthy. The cat has a healthy weight and strong boning. There are no obvious signs of stress.
5. Screened free from breed-associated genetic diseases, such as polycystic kidney
   disease, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, etc.
6. Blood typed, to ensure that the breeding with blood types is a good match.

Pedigree Research

I perform Pedigree research on the parents of the kitten. I’m looking for several factors in the Pedigree.

• At least four (4) Champions showing in Pedigree on both parents sides in four generations.
• Inbreeding coefficiency of no more than 12.5% on the actual kitten.
• Complete Inbreeding Coefficiency of no more than 25% when mated with my cats.
• Any information on cats in this Pedigree that participated in a health program. (This is where the health records of a particular cat are tracked and reported on the Pedigree.
• Research on ancestors to look for dominating features, how long the cats lived, and how many offspring they produced.
• Names of catteries that I am familiar with. They may or may not have been reported as a “Bad Cattery”.

Test Matings

I use a great website provided for breeders. I can do test matings with the potential prospect kitten. I can do test matings with all of the cats in my cattery. These are the cats I plan on mating with this cat. This means that my cats have to be in the database. This is something I do as soon as I get possession of the cat. So I can always do test matings and check for duplicate cats in the Pedigree as well as complete inbreeding coefficiency. [An inbreeding coefficiency that is too high can cause potential health issues].

Shipping of the Kitten

If all of the above requirements pass my tests, then I discuss the price and the shipment of the kitten. There’s not a breeder in my area that sells Maine Coon kittens. Therefore, shipping is always going to be part of the equation. All of our cats have been imported from Europe so they require an overseas shipment.

In the beginning, I used to ship the kittens cargo. I have found a few companies that provide courier service by an actual human being. I will never use anything other than that. I prefer that someone ride with my kitten and accompany them on the flight and travel home. It’s a long distance to travel and stressful enough as it is.

The Kitten Makes it Home

After a long, vigorous process the kitten finally makes it into the Sassy Koonz Maine Coon Cattery. He goes straight into Quarantine for observation. Soon, he/she will join a beautiful family. They will begin the work of producing the beautiful, happy little Maine Coon kittens that you fall in love with.

I have done all of the work to produce these majestic beauties. This way, the choice for you is an easy one. Rest assured. I’ve done everything in my power to ensure you have a healthy baby. It is as close to Breed Standard as I can get it. The beauty that you love and admire about Maine Coons is created by me. I work diligently and with care behind the scenes. <3

sassykoonz

My name is Tracy Caywood. I live in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and I'm the Guardian of the Sassy Koonz Maine Coon kittens. My goal and passion is to provide you with education, inspiration, and healthy, well-socialized beautiful Maine Coon babies that you'll love forever. My breeding journey started in 2017, and the cattery has flourished into one of the most sought-after catteries in the Untied States.

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