Maine Coon cats are favored by cat lovers because of their goofiness, affectionate personality, and because they are the gentle giants of cat breeds. If you’re thinking of getting a Maine Coon for a pet, be prepared to look hard and choose where to get one.
Maine Coon Kittens for Adoption
Some people prefer to adopt instead of shop for pets but the availability of a Maine Coon kitten through adoption depends on where you want to adopt.
Pet Shelters
It’s rare to find purebred cats in shelters but there are some that end up there. In the event that you do find a Maine Coon in a pet shelter, it might not be a kitten anymore. It might not also be at its healthiest or friendliest state, depending on what trauma or mistreatment it experienced before being rescued. If you’re specific about adopting a healthy Maine Coon kitten then you’d find better luck elsewhere.
Adoption Center or Pet Rescue Organization/Association
There are pet associations and organizations that shelter and rescue cats and dogs, both mixed and pure breeds. They differ from ordinary pet shelters because after rescuing the animals they rehabilitate and treat them. Should you find a Maine Coon at a pet rescue organization it would be healthy, somewhat rehabilitated, and groomed.
Direct Re-Homing or Adoption
The best way to acquire a Maine Coon kitten for free is to adopt from someone you know or someone who is looking for adopters. A lot of pet owners do this: set up the kittens for adoption and sometimes re-homing adult cats that they can no longer provide for or take care of. Pet owners usually do this when they are moving away and can’t take the cats with them. In any case, pet owners will have conditions that you’ll need to comply with before the adoption. Most pets put up for adoption by owners are vaccinated, healthy, and well-groomed.
Maine Coon Kittens for Sale
Buying a Maine Coon kitten is the more common way of getting one, as opposed to adopting.
Buying from a Pet Store
You may find Maine Coon kittens at pet stores that sell pure breed cats and dogs, but their availability varies for every store. A Maine Coon kitten is not one of the easiest to find or buy at a pet store, mostly because of its rarity in certain places and how expensive they can become.
Buying from a Breeder
The best place to buy a Maine Coon kitten is from a Maine Coon breeder. You may find breeders who sell Maine Coon cats without the papers that certify it is purebred. Main Coon cats with papers are generally more expensive. With or without such papers, Maine Coon kittens from breeders have complete vaccination and are old enough to be fed dry cat food.
Signs of a Trustworthy Cat Breeder
Assuming you’re going to buy a Maine Coon kitten from a breeder, there are ways to determine whether or not the breeder is trustworthy:
Does not have more than 1 Male and 2 to 3 Female Maine Coons
Cat breeders should not have more than 1 male cat and 3 female cats at a time. More male cats can usually mean more female cats, and that obviously means more kittens than one breeder should handle.
Knows About the Congenital Diseases of a Maine Coon
Every pet breeder should have knowledge about the animal they are raising. A Maine Coon breeder should know and be able to answer your questions about its congenital diseases and personality traits, etc..
Has Participated in or Attended a Cat Show
Pet breeders learn more about the animals they are breeding through animal shows and mingling with fellow pet owners. If the Maine Coon breeder is a member of a pet organization, it is a big plus.
Has Been Breeding for a Year or More
Experienced breeders tend to raise healthier Maine Coons and can provide kittens with distinctive patterns. They know which ones have a higher probability of growing larger than the average and which ones are petite for their breed. Unanswered questions and concerns are rare with an experienced breeder.