If you’re searching for the best Maine Coon breeders, you may find yourself wondering how to choose the best one. In a very noisy space, it could become overwhelming trying to decide who you should do business with.
Why Choosing a Reputable Breeder Matters
When it comes to breeding Maine Coon cats, reputation is everything. A good reputation will spread as quickly as a bad one. Most people will leave a negative review long before they’ll leave a positive one. Take that into consideration when you’re doing your research on a breeder.
You want to find the breeder you’re most comfortable with. Choose the one you feel is doing the best job in their breeding program and raising your future kitten. It’s perfectly ok to be diligent and ask questions of the breeders, expecting answers and documentation. This is what makes a reputable and responsible breeder.
Before you buy a Maine Coon, feel confident in your choice
Key Qualities of a Reputable Breeder
Every breeder will establish a protocol for their cattery. There are core standards that help build the reputation that creates happy clients.
Genetic Screening for Common Conditions
Most Pedigree cats have their own set of issues that are specific to their breed. A reputable Maine Coon breeder will perform genetic tests on all of her breeding cats. She will screen for these genetic defects prior to breeding them. In the Maine Coon, these are the common genetic tests that should be performed.
- HCM – Feline hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is a disease of the heart muscle. In this condition, the walls thicken. As a result, the heart enlarges.
- If you don’t see test results for the parents listed on the breeder’s website, ask for a copy of them. If they can’t produce negative test results for HCM, you should consider finding another breeder.
Ask your breeder to share the genetic tests and their health records. Don’t be afraid to ask for records, and be wary of anyone who doges the bullet.
View all of our Maine Coon Queens and Sires, along with their health records.
Veterinary Care and Vaccinations
Every cat that is participating in any breeding program should have up-to-date health records. They should be able to provide you with documentation showing that their cats have a clean bill of health.
Sassy Koonz keeps the profile of each of our breeding cats updated with health records and genetic testing. You can review the testing done on each breeding parent on their individual profile pages.
Maine Coon kittens are born with no immune system. They get antibodies in the milk from nursing their mother. These antibodies help protect against infectious disease until the kitten’s own immune system develops. Vaccinations also give them added protection against certain feline diseases.
Kitten Vaccination and Deworming Protocol for Sassy Koonz
- 8 weeks old: FVRCP Vaccine
- 4, 6, and 8 Weeks Old Preventative De-worming
- 10 Weeks Old: Flea, Tick and Heartworm Prevention
- 11 Weeks Old: FVRCP Booster Vaccine
- A final set of vaccinations will be needed for your kitten when he/she comes home. Be sure to see your vet and take along the vaccination records when your new kitten comes home.
Health and Replacement Guarantees
Purchasing a Maine Coon kitten is a big decision. We all want to know that our new kitten is happy and healthy. The best Maine Coon breeders take every precaution to avoid genetic defects and diseases. A reputable Maine Coon breeder will also happily offer a health guarantee. No one in the universe can predict the future. They can only predict how they will react if something happens.
Sassy Koonz Offers a 7 Year Health Guarantee on every kitten that leaves our Maine Coon Cattery.
Proper Kitten Socialization
Kittens need proper socialization with humans in order to live in harmony. One of the roles of a breeder is to make sure that her kittens leave with confidence and socialization skills. This is done through daily handling, meeting new people, and seeing new environments.
Cats are skeptical by nature. Every bit of socialization by the breeder helps shape your kitten. This ensures a wonderful family pet that can thrive.
Transparency and Communication
Transparency is always the best policy, even if the news isn’t something that you want to hear. For example, if you have a kitten under reservation and it develops a virus. It is always better to be aware of this situation. Understand the process beforehand rather than get he kitten and discover this later.
Sassy Koonz believes in effective communication throughout the entire process. It’s one of the core values of our cattery.
Maine Coon Breeders house their cats in different ways. Some let the cats live in the house with them. Others choose to have a dedicated cattery where the cats live. Some also have wonderful outdoor enclosures for their cats.
Providing Documentation and Contracts
Before your kitten leaves the cattery to come home, you should have documentation of health records. These should include at least two sets of core vaccines (FVRCP), and a wellness examination by a licensed veterinarian.
Most importantly, everything that is promised to you should be in writing. Make sure that the breeder you decide to work with has a written contract that both of you sign. Some of them will have the contract posted on their websites, others will present it to you upon request. Read over the contract carefully, looking for details on health guarantee, and replacement guarantee.
Openness About Breeding Practices
Have you ever heard anyone say “that’s too many cats”? I’ve always wondered what number would justify giving someone this label? Then I saw the best answer ever on social media and I’ve never forgotten it.
“Too many cats” is when you’re no longer able to provide a clean, spacious, nurturing, loving environment for your animals. It also means compromising the health and/or welfare of your cats or yourself.
As a Maine Coon breeder, I know my limits with housing, care, maintenance, and cleanliness. I also understand my limits regarding costs and socialization, based on the space and time I have right now. That is certainly going to be different for another breeder. They are able to house and care for many more cats than I can.
We post photos, videos, documentation, and inspection reports to provide full transparency about how our cats live. You can also follow us on social media. You will get a true “behind the scenes” look at our every day practice.
Steps to Find a Trustworthy Breeder
Researching Breeders Online
Social media is a wonderful place to monitor the behavior and patterns of Maine Coon breeders. Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and TikTok are common platforms to find breeders. You can engage with comments, ask questions, and send inquiring messages. Pay attention to the tonality and the speed of the replies. Professionalism is found everywhere, not just at the time of sale.
Checking Reviews
When you go to a restaurant and you absolutely hate it, do you leave a negative review? What about if you love it? The most common reaction to a negative experience is to leave a review.
Customers are very quick to leave negative reviews! It’s a bit harder to get a positive review. Do your due diligence and research the reviews of every breeder you’re considering.
Verifying Affiliations with Cat Associations
Every Maine Coon breeder that you’re considering should be registered with a recognized Cat Breeder Association. The two mains are CFA and TICA (the International Cat Association).
The breeder must be registered with one of these associations to provide paperwork for a Registered Pedigree Maine Coon. You’re able to search on each association’s website to verify the validity of a breeder. but BEWARE! Anyone can register a cattery, and there are some scammers that find their way into the registries.
Maine Coon Community and Groups
Join some of the Maine Coon groups on social media, and start asking for recommendations for breeders. If anyone has had any experience with them, they’ll certainly speak up. Remember, the negativity always speaks louder than the positive! It might take a few weeks of posting and vetting responses. You should be able to get feedback on most of the Maine Coon breeders. You’re interested in buying a kitten from them.
You can also do a Google search for their cattery name. Put the cattery name in “ quotation marks” and then add “Reviews”. This tells Google to only show results that match that cattery name only, with their reviews. Do the same thing with the breeder’s personal name. You can find out a lot of information by using Google. If someone isn’t running a great breeding program, the news will eventually surface on social media.
Understanding Pricing and Costs
Pricing for Maine Coon kittens can vary from breeder to breeder. There’s no “set” cost. Most of it is based on supply and demand, or breeder reputation. Here’s an article written about the pricing strategies of a Maine Coon Kitten to help you better understand.
Remember: Cheap is Never Good and Good Is Never Cheap.
Maine Coon Breeder Code of Ethics
The Breeder Code of Ethics plays an important role in every cattery. It provides minimal guidelines for every Maine Coon Breeder. Here’s the Code of Ethics that I voluntarily agreed to when I registered my cattery with TICA.
Outstanding Cattery Awards
The International Cat Association awards elite titles to catteries that have proven to have excellent standards. Sassy Koonz is proud. It is one of the VERY FEW catteries in the United States that hold this badge of honor.
Choosing a Maine Coon Breeder
Beginning your search for a Maine Coon Breeder can be overwhelming at first. Once you start the journey of finding the perfect kitten, so many different things will happen. You’ll quickly get sucked into the world of looking at kitten pictures all day! Maybe even all night!! Then you’ll start to realize that although they’re just tiny babies, most of the kittens have already been reserved. Then you start to dig deeper, looking for a breeder who has available Maine Coon kittens!
That’s when you realize that you will most likely need to get on some waiting lists. This is the best way to get the opportunity to see available kittens first before they’re offered to the public.
Everyone handles their “waiting lists” differently, so read about their processes on their websites so you know what to expect. We send kitten announcements to our blog subscribers,
Choosing a Maine Coon Breeder to help you find your precious kitten needs careful consideration. The decision should be based on your comfort level. This comfort comes after you’ve done your initial vetting. Don’t miss out reading the Ultimate Maine Coon Kitten Buying Guide.
🐾 My Journey to Becoming a Maine Coon Breeder
I’ve had cats my entire life, but discovering the Maine Coon changed everything. Their size, personality, and charm were unique. I quickly fell head over heels for the breed.
Growing up, my cats were always outdoor pets—a compromise since my parents weren’t fond of animals inside. I’d sneak them into my room on cold nights, only to quietly let them out in the morning. Fast forward to adulthood. My first indoor cat was Jack Frost. He was a Himalayan kitten my husband gifted me at Christmas. Jack was my constant companion. He traveled with us and raised our kids alongside us. Jack lived a long, full life until he passed in 2012 from Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy at 14 years old.
A year later, I was ready for another kitten, but I wanted something different. My son Derek, a fellow cat enthusiast, suggested a Maine Coon. I saw a photo, and I knew that this was my new obsession.
My passion for Maine Coons isn’t about the business. It’s about sharing this incredible breed with families. I want them to cherish these cats as much as I do. Health, temperament, and quality are my top priorities, ensuring every kitten grows into a happy, healthy, and stunning Maine Coon.
If you want to follow my journey, subscribe to my blog for updates. Also, check out our Maine Coon kittens for sale to see what’s available.
Conclusion: Making an Informed Decision
No matter what road you take to reach your destination, the journey should be a smooth one. It shouldn’t feel like an uphill battle when working with a breeder. Find a breeder who:
- Provides an adequate amount of information about the breed
- Does appropriate genetic/health testing on their breeding animals
- Socializes their kittens and prepares for life in their new home
- Provides a clean and healthy environment for their cats and kittens
- Provides health records and documentation for their kittens
- Is Registered with a Cat Association and registers their cats and litters
- Has a Health Replacement/Guarantee for their kittens
- Uses transparency and communication as a core value
- Has at least a 97% positive review status
- Has a quick response time with online inquiries
- Is passionate and enthusiastic about the breed and being a breeder
- Most Importantly: Makes YOU feel comfortable and confident in your decision
This is one of the best guidelines on buying a Maine Coon kitten and learn howthe process goes and what to expect!
Just lost my Maine Coon I had him for 12 years, my heart is broken I need to purchase another one.
This is a very informative and clear guide which has been invaluable as a first time buyer. Thank you.
We just lost our 2 yr 9 mo old Maine Coon to HCM, I am heartbroken.
We rescued him, gave him a great home, he loved us, we loved him.
I never knew anything about a Maine Coon, it’s like having another adult in the house.
I would have another in a heart beat, I’m nervous about the issues that can come with them.
Your info is great, thank You
Bill, New Jersey
Yesterday I lost my beloved Tom, a 15 yo Maine Coon brown tabby. The love of my life! I am interested getting a new baby. Already filled out the guardian form!!