MAINE CHARACTERS
A Maine Coon Cattery
About the Cattery
- Health first! Because Maine Coons can be prone to hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM), all of our breeding cats have had DNA testing done for the only gene known to cause the disorder, and have been found to be negative. All cats in our home have also been tested and found negative for feline leukemia and feline immunodeficiency virus. Kittens will go home with at least their first set of vaccinations, a vet check, and a health guarantee. Litter boxes are cleaned and sanitized weekly. The mother/kitten room is also sanitized weekly to prevent infection.
- Personality is easy with Maine Coons! They have great dispositions to start with, and only get better with good socialization. Kittens are handled and loved, by humans and their kitty mamas, from day one. They have their own room until they are gradually ready to join the rest of the household safely. They live with an aging Golden Retriever, several other cats, and occasionally, a toddler grandson.
- As looks go, we like the wilder, more feral look with boxy muzzles and prominent ear tufts and lynx tips. Three of our breeding cats are from Europe where this look is more common.
When I am not tending to cats, I work as a Registered Nurse. I've been a nurse for the past twenty-something years, and have worked with patients from birth to death, from the delivery room to hospice. Breeding cats is a lot of work, but I get at least as much from them as they get from me. Nothing beats a purring ball of fur on your lap or a kitten chasing a ball of fluff to soothe the stresses of life. And they make me laugh everyday, which can only be a good thing! I am a 'hobby breeder,' which doesn't mean that I don't take breeding seriously. It means that I don't do it for work, I do it for love!
About Maine Coons
Maine Coons are a natural breed native to north America, specifically to Maine. Their exact origin is a bit of a mystery, and thus surrounded by myth and folk tale. One such tale involves a daring attempt made by Marie Antoinette to escape execution in France. She loaded her most prized possessions, her Angora cats, onto a ship to make the journey to the United States. Though she never arrived, her cats safely made it to the shores of Maine where they bred with local short-haired cats.
Another theory poses that long-haired cats were brought to the shores of New England by Captain Charles Coon, an English seafarer. When long-haired kittens began appearing in the local population, they became known as "Coon's cats."
Other less probable (OK...impossible) theories are that Maine Coons are the result of breeding between domestic cats and raccoons, accounting for their bushy tails, or between domestic cats and bobcats, accounting for their tipped ears.
The most accepted theory is the one closest to the Captain Coon story. Long-haired breeds brought over by the English or Norse bred with local domestic shorthairs. It would account for the Maine Coon's resemblance to Norwegian Forest cats that traveled with the Norsemen.
However they got there, Maine Coons physically adapted to harsh New England winters. They have a light undercoat with a silky topcoat designed by nature for warmth and water protection. Their raccoon-like tails can be wrapped around the face and body for extra warmth. Large tufted paws act like snowshoes to keep them from falling through the snow and ice. Many Maine Coons love water, possibly due to their sea faring distant ancestors. Some will slap their water dishes, in an attempt to break a layer of ice on top (which is very amusing to watch, if a bit messy...).
These big beautiful cats have earned the nickname "gentle giants" for good reason. They are sweet, playful, and loyal. They are independent, and not clingy, but almost always present. They are happy to follow you around and help with your daily activities. (They are also happy to remind you of the error of your ways when you close a door leaving you on one side and them on the other.) Their gentle dispositions make them ideal around children, dogs and other cats. They communicate with chirps and trills far more often than with meows . The breed is highly social, and likes companionship from people and/or other animals. They remain playful and kitten-like throughout their lives. The boys tend to be a bit more clownish, while the girls have a bit more dignity. Both genders are affectionate and social. Maine Coons are also highly intelligent, and trainable. Many love to play fetch, and will walk on a lead. They are sometimes known as the dogs of the cat world. Personally, I think of them as the Maine Coons of the cat world, which is more than enough for me!
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Available Kittens
Please contact me via the Contact Page or Maine Characters Maine Coons Facebook page if you are interested in adopting a Maine Characters kitten.
Most our kittens are reserved prior to their birth, but on the off chance any are available, they will be posted here.
Please see the ‘Adoption ‘ page for waitlist/reservation info.
We have one last kitten available for adoption. This little guy (but not little for long) was born May 4th and is ready for his forever home!
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Available Adults
For better or worse, I’m retiring from breeding, at least for now. It’s bittersweet for sure. I will miss the new life in the house and all the joy kittens bring to me and others. But it’s A LOT of work, and hauling litter and food, cleaning incessantly, and scooping boxes isn’t getting any easier as I get older. After 30 litters, I’m ready for a break. It’s also bittersweet to rehome my adults as I have loved them all. The cats I choose to rehome are generally those that don’t tend to do as well with eight other cats around. They’ll do fine with another cat or two, but get overwhelmed with so much competition for time and attention. I understand their perspective. Sometimes I get overwhelmed with so many cats around! They are all spayed and vaccinated. My priority for these lovely ladies is that they have loving homes. I rehome them BECAUSE I love them, not because I don’t.
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Calamity Jane, 3 years old
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Calpurnia, 5 years old
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Havana, 6 years old
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Finnegan, 5 years old, is as yet an intact male. He is an active breeding male that would be a good addition to another breeding cattery. Please contact me if you are currently breeding Maine Coons. He is pictured on the Maine Characters males page.
Adoption Info
Kittens will be posted for adoption on the ‘Available Kittens’ page at 7-8 weeks of age should any be available at that point, which would be unusual as most are reserved prior to that time. The total cost of a male kitten is $1,200 and the total cost of a female kitten is $1,000 with a reservation/waitlist fee of $250.00 . The remaining $950.00 (male) or $750.00 (female) is due by cash, money order or cashier's check when you pick up your new baby.
I have recently changed the reservation/waitlist process, and am now taking a limited number of deposits ahead of litters being born. My sincere hope is to keep the waitlist at a year at most, hopefully less. If I think I can’t provide your new fur-family member in less than a year, I’ll close the waitlist until I’m caught up.
All of that being said, please understand that, while I may have breeding plans, my cats may have different plans! (I’ve tried to get them to tell me exactly when they’ll be in heat and how many kittens they’ll have. Genders, markings, and colors would be helpful too, but they’re not having it. Cats can be so uncooperative 😹.) I'm happy to give you my best guess as to a timeline, but bear in mind that it's a guess.
The wait for male kittens is going to be longer, as is the wait for specific colors or markings.
All kittens, with rare exception, are sold as pets with a spay/neuter contract. CFA registration paperwork will be sent with you at the time of kitten pickup.
Kittens are ready to go to their forever homes between 12 and 16 weeks, and will have at least their 1st round of vaccines, parasite prevention medication, and a vet check.
If you would like more than one kitten, a 10% discount will be applied. Why more than one? Maine Coons are very social, and they don't do well alone for long periods.
Prior to making a deposit, please email and tell me a little about yourself and your new kitten's environment. I don't mean to pry, but I am invested in knowing our kittens are going to good homes! Before they become your babies, they have been my babies.
Please be aware that the reservation fee is non-refundable, so be sure you really want to do this! Please also take a look at the kitten contractprior to reserving a kitten so there are no surprises. PayPal is preferred for deposits (see the bottom of this page for payment.)
Ready to reserve a kitten? MAKE MY DEPOSIT.
Contact
The "Jungle Book" Litter
Havana and McCourt
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