Maine Coon | Mumsnet

Whatdowehaveherethen · 2020-09-30T18:49:11+00:00

I've wanted one for as long as I can remember. We've been renting for so long and will hopefully be buying a house early next year. Is it wrong to get a kitten from an established breeder? I know the advice is to get a cat from a rescue but I really want a Maine Coon from it being a kitten. Is it wrong to be specific about the type of cat you want when there are so many that need rescuing? I can't work out what to do. When the time comes, I will go to a rescue centre first to see if they have any available and to see what my chances are of one coming available within a few months.

Toddlerteaplease · 30/09/2020 20:13

Try a breed rescue. I'm sure there are main cone rescues

Beamur · 30/09/2020 20:25

We have a mixture of cats from a rescue (as a kitten) and a specific breed that we wanted.
Research your breeder. Ours have come from hobby breeders or people who show cats. There will be kittens that don't meet the standards for showing that will be sold as pets. We've found kittens from these set ups have been well cared for, healthy and socialised. Not particularly being bred for profit..

whattodo2019 · 30/09/2020 20:31

We had a Mainecoon, he was beautiful but sadly got run over. I would definitely get another one. The breeder I used was on the Isle of Wight. She might be able to help with rescue Mainecoons or ones which need re homing.

MissClarke86 · 30/09/2020 20:33

We’ve have two Maine Coons and two rescue moggies - best of both worlds!

They are absolutely beautiful cats, big gorgeous snuggly things.

Original poster

Whatdowehaveherethen · 30/09/2020 20:37

Thank you for your replies! I was expecting the opposite. How do I research a breed rescue? I haven't had a cat since Mizzy died when I was 13.

I know they are expensive so I'm happy to pay. Even if it's a rescue and free I will definitely contribute the £800 I think it is to get a kitten.

I just want to do it right when the time comes.

OP posts:

Legit · 30/09/2020 20:45

The shelters round here are empty. Unlikely you find a kitten of any kind.

Toddlerteaplease · 30/09/2020 22:26

The cats in Breed rescues are not free. My Persians were £200 each. (Worth every penny)

Pegase · 01/10/2020 07:43

So you need to find the cat 'club' for that breed online which will have a list of all the registered breeders across the UK. Then you can check out their individual websites, see that they are established and members of the breeding associations like the GCCF, are performing the correct health tests etc. Then call round any you like the fancy of and get added to their waiting lists.

nettie434 · 01/10/2020 08:47

I remembered that thecatneuterer posted this link a few months ago:

www.catchat.org/index.php

She said that local rescues sometimes have greater availability than the big national charities. A friend of mine has a former stray that she is convinced is part Maine Coon. He certainly looks as if he is in terms of his size, coat and personality so if you could be happy with a part Maine Coon, you might even find a kitten outside a specialist rescue. Good luck!

Littlegoth · 01/10/2020 09:16

I have a Maine Coon, bought from a breeder as a kitten.

Rescues come up occasionally and can be found here www.maine-coon-cat-club.com/ or www.mainecoonbreedsociety.com/Rehoming.html

Most breeders have a clause in the contract requiring return to breeder if the cat needs to be rehomed etc so try individual breeder pages too.

OohKittens · 01/10/2020 18:27

They are beautiful, I considered a maine coon but went with a more robust in terms of health Norwegian Forest. Advice would be research breeders, ask to see paper work and health certificates. This is my 5mnth old weegie Falkor

NorskSkogkatt · 01/10/2020 18:43

@OohKittens Gorgeous! Can I be nosy and ask if Falkor is from a rescue or a breeder? I'm only curious as we rescued a kitten (abandoned stray ) which turned out to be a NFC. My NFC is essentially just a big pile of fluff with a teeny brain beautiful eyes like yours!

(Obligatory photo attached )

@Whatdowehaveherethen I also definitely recommend NFCs as an extremely satisfactory alternative to a MC (I had actually wanted a MC for years but we weren't actually intending on getting a cat at the point my cat adopted us..

NorskSkogkatt · 01/10/2020 18:44

Also love the Moomin

OohKittens · 01/10/2020 18:50

@NorskSkogkatt mine is from a very good breeder in pembrokeshire he did cost quite a lot (£700) but having lost a cat to hcm I wanted a cat who was health tested. Can I ask how you found out your cat is a Norwegian forest was there a dna test?

AfterSchoolWorry · 01/10/2020 18:53

@OohKittens

They are beautiful, I considered a maine coon but went with a more robust in terms of health Norwegian Forest. Advice would be research breeders, ask to see paper work and health certificates. This is my 5mnth old weegie Falkor

My favorite breed.

I'm getting one when I move house. Not easy to lay your hands on them.

NorskSkogkatt · 01/10/2020 18:59

I had never heard of NFCs It was our vet that told me! I just assumed she was unusually large/furry and had very unusual eyes, I didn't realise it was a "thing" if that makes sense. I'm trying to find a photo of her eyes on my phone but she is a bit awkward at photos She has extremely tufty ears, is exceptionally jumpy and very demanding. I love her so much. She has been a bit of a life saver this year. I'm so lucky to have her.

OohKittens · 01/10/2020 19:01

@AfterSchoolWorry there are a list of breeders on the nfcc.co.uk if you are in Wales my breeder is very good and well known in the community. I have always loved the breed. Lots of people do try to pass off any fluffy moggy as a nfc but once you know the breed they are very different in the face to other cats with a triangular face, large ears and quite pointy. Also their back is slightly higher when they walk. My boy is the sweetest thing he hardly cries just makes random trilling and chirping noises.

NorskSkogkatt · 01/10/2020 19:01

The fluff though! We have gone through so many hoovers, she even managed to break a Henry and a pet model Miele

Are Maine coons the same?

OohKittens · 01/10/2020 19:05

@NorskSkogkatt they do have the most beautiful eyes does yours look the same as mine in the face because they all look exactly alike with an angled face which goes straight from head to nose. The noises are brilliant, mine is very sweet he is so much friendlier than my ragdolls.

NorskSkogkatt · 01/10/2020 19:44

This is pic from the internet but my cat could literally be the twin of this cat. Her face is a like a little triangle with two big whiskered triangle ears on top and a giant neck ruff of fur

She is definitely the most demanding noisiest cat I have ever met. I have amused my parents throughout lock down by putting her on the phone and she miows to them very loudly - for as long as I would let her, I have to take the phone away from her! She is adorable.

Sadly she was rescued from a house where the occupiers did a flit and abandoned her (just locked in to starve - she was a tiny kitten) it was only by chance someone had to enter for an emergency repair and found her. They admitted it and the RSPCA did exactly fuck all

She landed on her very fluffy paws though...

OohKittens · 02/10/2020 08:01

They are a very quiet breed actually recommended to people who don't want a vocal cat. They make trilling and chirping noises rather than crying. One word of advice is don't list your cat as a breed on insurance because if you make a claim and don't have the supporting paperwork to clarify the breed this can leave your insurance void.

AfterSchoolWorry · 02/10/2020 08:20

[quote OohKittens]@AfterSchoolWorry there are a list of breeders on the nfcc.co.uk if you are in Wales my breeder is very good and well known in the community. I have always loved the breed. Lots of people do try to pass off any fluffy moggy as a nfc but once you know the breed they are very different in the face to other cats with a triangular face, large ears and quite pointy. Also their back is slightly higher when they walk. My boy is the sweetest thing he hardly cries just makes random trilling and chirping noises.[/quote]
Thanks for the recommendation. Wales would actually be handy as I'm in Ireland. There are one or two breeders here but the litters get booked up way in advance!

AfterSchoolWorry · 02/10/2020 08:25

@NorskSkogkatt

This is pic from the internet but my cat could literally be the twin of this cat. Her face is a like a little triangle with two big whiskered triangle ears on top and a giant neck ruff of fur

She is definitely the most demanding noisiest cat I have ever met. I have amused my parents throughout lock down by putting her on the phone and she miows to them very loudly - for as long as I would let her, I have to take the phone away from her! She is adorable.

Sadly she was rescued from a house where the occupiers did a flit and abandoned her (just locked in to starve - she was a tiny kitten) it was only by chance someone had to enter for an emergency repair and found her. They admitted it and the RSPCA did exactly fuck all

She landed on her very fluffy paws though...

I love this bicolour, I would like the same pattern but with a smoke coloured back instead of charcoal. Also I want the face to be completely white under both eyes and the blaze not to extend up so far on the forehead. I also like it when their 'eyeliner' is black and running a bit into the tear troughs!.

Beautiful cat!

OohKittens · 02/10/2020 08:26

I'm in pembrokeshire @AfterSchoolWorry there are two breeders in the county I got mine from talvarna if you google talvarna nfc. I would contact breeders in plenty of time before you are ready to purchase because nfc don't have overly large litters like ragdolls. Plus some people only want specific colours and nfc come in pretty much all colours but not cp.

AfterSchoolWorry · 02/10/2020 11:13

@OohKittens

I'm in pembrokeshire *@AfterSchoolWorry* there are two breeders in the county I got mine from talvarna if you google talvarna nfc. I would contact breeders in plenty of time before you are ready to purchase because nfc don't have overly large litters like ragdolls. Plus some people only want specific colours and nfc come in pretty much all colours but not cp.

Thank you for the tip. We are moving house soon, so it'll be a while!