So you’ve
decided you want take the plunge and get a purebred, registered, bona fide
Maine Coon from a good breeder…awesome! Here are some suggestions on how and
where to look.
· Do your research on the breed by
visiting MCBFA, TICA, CFA & CFF.
· Search for breeders by visiting cat
shows and online with Pet Professor,
KittySites, Breedlist.com, Maine Coon Cat Nation or Google.
· Cat show calendars for shows near you
can be found on TICA.org & CFA.org
· Be persistent and patient. Maine Coon
cats are extremely popular and breeders are usually swamped with inquiries.
Basic
Criteria for a Responsible Breeder:
· Registered cattery with a major cat
registry such as TICA, CFA or CFF.
· Screen breeding cats for heart
disease (HCM) utilizing ultrasound, not DNA only. Proof of cardiac screening of
the kitten’s parents should be available.
· Kitten/cat should be registered. You
may be required to provide proof of spay/neuter as a prerequisite.
· Kittens not allowed to leave the
breeder until at least 12 weeks of age and two sets of vaccination received.
· Expect to be screened as a suitable
home.
· Expect to sign a contract for the
purchase of the kitten/cat which offers a health guarantee, prohibits declawing, letting your cat outside
and breeding without permission.
· The area where the kittens and cats
live should be clean and the cats appear healthy and friendly.
· Expect to be able to meet your kitten’s
littermates and parents (unless an outside stud was used). Be wary of being
asked to sit in one location while your kitten is brought out of another room to
you.
· No responsible breeder will sell
their kittens at a pet store or through a third party. We like to know where
our kittens are going!
For more detailed
information, read these blogs at http://dracoonfly.blogspot.com/2014/04/how-to-be-good-kitten-buyer.html and http://dracoonfly.blogspot.com/2010/11/cat-peeves.html
