Articles & resources for maine coon enthusiasts

Not all things in life are equal. When you buy a house, a car, or even a new pair of shoes, you know that more than likely, you’re going to get what you pay for. If you want something that looks good and that you can trust to perform reliably over time, it’s important to buy a trusted brand from a reliable source. The same is true of Maine Coons. If you want a well-bred Maine Coon kitten that will grow up to look and act like a stunning example of the breed, it’s essential to buy from a reputable breeder that works with quality materials…in this case, well-bred parent cats. So what makes a Maine Coon breeder reputable? And what makes a Maine Coon well-bred?

Let’s start by outlining the most important characteristics to look for in an ethical, reputable Maine Coon breeder.

1. An ethical, reputable Maine Coon breeder is one that is doing, and not just saying, all the really important things right. No one is perfect, and some things come down to personal preference and choice, but one thing that is always true of great breeders is that they work hard and invest heavily in providing better-than-average care for their cats. An ethical, reputable breeder will be very transparent about how many cats they have, where their cats live day in and day out, and what daily life is like behind the scenes in their cattery. Remember, a picture is worth a thousand words! People can say anything, but the proof is in visualizing the living conditions of your kitten and its parents. Ask questions about the amount of time they spend with their cats and pay attention to the bond they have with them. Are their parent cats truly their pets, or are they “breeding stock”? One clear giveaway is the quality of veterinary care and nutrition they provide. It’s completely reasonable to ask for a veterinary reference. You have every right to ensure the breeder you’re considering is truly breeding out of love and concern for the Maine Coon breed or if, perhaps, they are breeding for some other reason.

2. Ask about the price of their kittens and what is included. If their kitten price is low compared to the average price charged by other breeders in your area, that’s a major red flag. I say that because, if done correctly, breeding is a break-even hobby at best. Seriously. Profit is never the motive of breeders consistently producing well-bred cats, so a low price is just a warning signal that someone is cutting corners and hoping to win your business based on low price vs. quality. A bargain basement price on a pedigreed Maine Coon is one of two things: a complete scam or a poorly bred purebred cat.

3. A well-bred Maine Coon is born of parents that have had all the recommended health testing and vetting upfront. A breeder of well-bred Maine Coons is working on breeding away from the most common heritable illnesses that plague the breed. With so many choices in breeders, there’s no reason not to choose a breeder committed to the health and well-being of their kittens and future generations. Their testing regimen should include lab testing for infectious diseases like FeLV and FIV, DNA testing for genetic disorders, heart ultrasounds by a certified cardiologist to ensure no signs of HCM exist, and hip imaging and grading to avoid breeding cats at risk for developing hip dysplasia. Some breeders will provide plenty of excuses as to why they don’t need to do these things, but they are just excuses. I don’t care how long someone has been breeding or what they think they know about their lines; the only way you personally can know your kitten is at lower risk of developing future problems is to see their parents’ test results.

4. A well-bred Maine Coon kitten comes from a well-titled pedigree. A breeder that actively shows their breeding cats and kittens is very committed to breeding cats that are WORTHY of being bred. If your kitten comes from champion lines, you know their parents or ancestors have been evaluated by an unbiased third party, a judge expertly trained to know what excellent in a Maine Coon looks and acts like. Titles are not just bragging rights; they are proof that a breeder is working with Maine Coon lines where offspring are likely to conform to the Maine Coon breed’s written standard for physical appearance (called type) and temperament.

5. A well-bred kitten comes from a sire (King) and dam (Queen) that meet the breed’s written standard. Each pedigreed cat breed has a written standard that describes the conformation and temperament expected by every cat of that breed. These standards consider the breed’s origin story, including the climate in which it developed. It is part of what makes getting a well-bred, pedigreed cat such a great decision! When you adopt from a great breeder, you can rely on the Maine Coon displaying all the physical and temperamental characteristics that attracted you to this beautiful breed in the first place.

With a Maine Coon, you know to expect an outgoing, people-oriented, and friendly cat with a gentle disposition. You should expect a cat that wants to be where the people are, of high intelligence, that is both curious and affectionate. Someone producing skittish, aloof, or aggressive Maine Coons would not be breeding to the written standard.

The Maine Coon standard also outlines the ideal physical structure of a Maine Coon. Looking at a fully mature adult, you would expect a large cat of balanced proportions with substantial boning, a dense, shaggy coat, and an impressive tail at least equal in length to the body and tapered at the end with flowing fur. Expect tall, pointed ears tipped with Lynx tips, set roughly one ear-width apart, a broad, square muzzle, bumpless (non-Roman) nose, large, slightly oval eyes that appear round when wide open, and so on.

The more you learn about Maine Coons and the more well-bred examples of Maine Coons that you see, the easier it becomes to quickly differentiate a well-bred Maine Coon that is temperamentally and structurally correct and to standard from those that are not.

If you have more questions about this, please contact us. We would be happy to show you photos of well-bred Maine Coons compared to their backyard-bred counterparts to help you confidently understand the difference.

In summary, a Maine Coon is well-bred if it:

– Comes from a line of health-tested breeding pairs to prevent common diseases and disorders in Maine Coons from being passed on.

– Is bred with the utmost care to better the breed through extensive knowledge of pedigrees.

– Fits the standard of what is structurally and temperamentally expected of a Maine Coon.

Of course, there are other things to be considered, such as the health guarantee offered by the breeder, how friendly and helpful the breeder is when asked questions, the quality of post-adoption support supplied, and many other things. You, and your Maine Coon, deserve a breeder that does it all.