maine coon cattery photos

My very first Maine Coon was Lucky Paws Finlay. He was bred by a lady named Lorraine and loved relatively close to me. I found her through tons of Google searches. She invited me to come to her home to meet the kittens, as well as the parents, and see if I fell in love with any.

At that time, I didn’t know of any other way other than to be able to visit a cattery, since this was my only experience. I remember being so excited to visit the cattery! Me, my husband, daughter and her friend all jumped in the car and drove to Green Cove Springs!

maine coon kittens florida
Finlay and Chichi

Being able to see how the kittens are raised, as well as the parents (especially the males) really had an impact on me. It was then I gained a new respect for Maine Coon breeders and realized how much time and energy goes into the process.

My next kitten came from a Maine Coon cattery in Georgia called Sonshine Coons. The cattery was too far away for me to go just to visit, so I never got the chance to. This particular breeder has a “no visitor” policy so even when it was time to pick my kitten up, I wasn’t able to see where he was raised. She met me half way at a gas station to deliver the kitten.

Having experienced both sides of this, I definitely had a preference for which experience was better for me. Naturally this was the one where I was able to visit. Being able to meet the Maine Coon breeder, visit the cattery, see the kittens in their comfortable environment, and see how the parents are housed helped make my experience one more trusting.

Things You Won’t See In Cute Maine Coon Kitten Photos

You may be wondering why any of this is important to you. I’m assuming that you’re reading it because you’re interested to see what the Sassy Koonz Cattery looks like. Right?

I’ve only been in the Maine Coon breeding space for a short amount of time, going on two years now. In that amount of time, I’ve seen thousands of kittens and cats through various channels. You could never imagine some of the living conditions I’ve seen people post. That’s why I felt inspired to write this blog post. To bring awareness to the public to address an issue that maybe they haven’t realized before.

Some things you may not see in photos:

  • Overcrowding
  • Cats in Cages
  • Unsanitary Conditions
  • Illness
  • Dirty Litter Boxes
  • Stressed Out Cats

How to Virtually Visit Any Cattery That Interests You

With the internet being the main place that people go to search for Maine Coon Kittens, you may discover a breeder that isn’t located anywhere near you. That may not deter you from wanting one of their kittens to call your own. After all, we fall in love with the kittens first. So it may not always be possible for you to just jump in the car and take a quick drive for a visit (if they even allow it).

This shouldn’t be a reason why you’re not able to experience the cattery yourself. With the use of technology there are so many ways to put yourself in any place at any time. Even in a Maine Coon Cattery. There are two main ways that you can and SHOULD request to see the inside of the cattery, not only to see how the parents of your kittens are living but the kittens as well.

Live Streaming Cattery Video

I try to demonstrate the living arrangements for all of my cats and kittens through my Facebook page using a lot of photos and videos. I also broadcast Live Kitten shows occassionally on Saturdays using Facebook Live (if I have kittens on the ground). This allows the Future Guardians see their kittens behaving in the environment that they’re growing up in. I also do it to build trust amongst the viewers, to assure you that your future kitten is being raised in a clean friendly environment.

Choose Your Favorite Breeder From More Than Just Photos Of Kittens

The first few months of your kittens life molds who they are. They are more than just a pretty picture (I love pretty pictures of kittens, too,) . I think that people don’t always think about this when they’re looking for a kitten. You may not realize that some important information might be missing that could help you make a decision.

If you’re considering buying a Maine Coon Kitten, then it’s not unreasonable for you to ask the breeder to do a Facebook Video call or a FaceTime call to walk you through their cattery in real time. Be sure to ask to see where Each one of their adults love, and ask to see them. Also ask to see where the kittens are born and raised. If you get any resistance at all to any breeder who denies this request, then RUN!

Maine Coon Catteries on Social Media

Facebook pages, if used by the breeder, are also great places to view photo albums and video albums, to look for specific photos of how your future babies are being raised. I always tell people if you can’t find any “behind the scene” shots, that might (but not always) be a red flag. This would be a good time to request a live Video call with the breeder.

A Virtual Look Inside Sassy Koonz Maine Coon Cattery (and Home)

If you are an Approved Guardian, you’re more than welcome to visit my home any time you’d like. I know that this isn’t always possible due to distance. For these reasons, I wanted to share this virtual tour of my home and the Sassy Koonz cattery with you in the photos and videos below. If, at any time, you’d like to see something specific, just let me know! I’m happy to share any part of my cats, kittens and cattery with you.

Here’s an article that I wrote when the first outdoor enclosures were being added to the cattery.  I’ve since made the enclosures even BIGGER!

maine coon cattery photos
October 2020- additional Psace added for boys

I had a licensed veterinarian come visit my cattery in July 2018 and do a complete inspection per the requirements of TICA, The International Cat Association. Here is the formal report that was submitted to TICA.

Cattery Inspections

TICA outstanding Cattery
Outstanding Cattery Inspection October 2020
maine coon kittens
Outstanding Cattery March 2022
outstanding maine coon cattery

Please leave a comment and let me know if you love my Maine Cooncattery setup. You can even leave a comment if you hate it, that’s ok too!

Research Slow, Decide Fast!

There are so many dynamics to choosing a Maine Coon Breeder that’s right for you.   Be sure to check out some other articles that were written just for you, to help you make an informed decision. While I’m hoping that you’ll choose Sassy Koonz Cattery to find your perfect kitten and companion, there’s no way that I can fill that demand.  I’m a very small Maine Coon cattery with only a few cats.  My breeding program is very small and intimate. But I can bring awareness to the community and hopefully help you make a good decision before you make a decision.

The best advice I can give you is to do your research and due diligence before deciding on a breeder to buy your Maine Coon Kitten from. There are plenty to choose from, and a lot of good people out there! (There are also some not-so-good ones). Don’t get emotional and quick to decide on a kitten based on availability. Most of the time, the breeders that have a waiting list are the ones that the most sought after.

Read some of the Sassy Koonz Cattery Reviews.

Starting Your Own Maine Coon Cattery

If you’re interested in starting your own Maine Coon Cattery, then I’d like to suggest educating yourself on the basics to breeding Pedigree cats. There’s so much more to it than just putting two cats together and having kittens. If you want to protect and preserve the breed, please learn more about your responsibilities as a breeder.

Similar Posts

4 Comments

  1. Hi Tracy. My name is Terrie Hollenbeck and I’m from a Wisconsin. My husband Fred and I have wanted to have a Cattery for awhile now. Now that we are empty nesters, we are truly ready. We’re so excited but have sooo many questions and like you, could use a mentor. I hope we’re able to speak with you and find our king and queen with you or through you. Please let me know if this is possible.
    Thank you kindly,
    Terrie Hollenbeck

  2. Hi! Could you please give me the dimension of your outside cattery. Also, do you have a 2 way exhaust fan in there? I am in the process of having one built. I am into cat rescue. Thank you very much!

    1. The outside cattery enclosure is 4 foot wide x 16 foot long x 6 foot high. I have window unit AC and Heat in the indoor part. 🙂

Leave a Reply to sassykoonzCancel reply

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.