About Maine Coons
Maine Coons are what we like to call "puppy-cats". They are large, affectionate and very social cats. Our favourite features of a Maine Coon are: their wild look/expression, their gentle (and sometimes clumsy) nature, how adaptable they are and how they love being around other MC's, but also other species & animals. We've seen MC's alongside many types of friends - doggos, rabbits, birds, human kids, and of course other MC's!
They have long hair with a naturally shaggy coat (and an undercoat). It does need regular grooming to maintain. In their full winter coats, they are very luxurious. The silver colours can shed and tangle more. Their coat acts as protection from both cold and heat. They can tolerate a huge range of temperatures. Generally, shaving or short grooms are reserved for medical conditions. They do not need to be shaved in hot weather.
Females are usually around 4-9kg, and males can reach 6-12kg ++. Although they are the largest domestic breed - please remember that it's NOT all about size, or having the biggest male.
The temperament and health should be the first and foremost consideration for anyone - pet owner or breeder. A big cat is great, but keep in mind that the bigger the cat, the higher the risk of hip problems and other joint issues. Their growth needs to be in proportion to their skeletal structure.
Colours!
Base colours: black or red
Dilute gene: blue or cream (diluted from black/red)
Tortiseshell: mix of black/red or blue/cream
White: a masking colour, it lays over the top of their base colour, can be solid white, or partial white (often called bicolour)
Patterns: solid or tabby
Tabby types: classic, mackerel or ticked
Inhibitor gene: causes smoke (on solids) or silver (on tabbies). It's the same thing, just a different name according to the pattern. Any cat with silver/smoke requires a lot more grooming than those without. Just something to keep in mind.
Despite all the lovely colours and shades... this should always come secondary to health and type.
They are very intelligent and some like to be trained. Some of ours play fetch! Many of our kittens go on to be "adventure cats" with their humans. They visit beaches, parks, shops (like Bunnings where they are allowed), travelling and so much more! Most of them have a fascination with water. If taking them outside on a harness and lead catches your fancy, they have no problems with adapting to this, and it can be very enriching for them!
Not all of them are lap-cats (about 50% depending on their individual personalities). However, they will be your constant shadow, a supervisor to all your business, and a conversationalist! They are extremely chatty, and they'll meow and chirp along with you if you talk to them.
They can also become an addiction haha! It's hard to stop at one.
Maine Coon History
Mentorship and Special Thanks:
Gitte from DK Jungle Man in Denmark: Gitte has many years experience in breed & show. One of our first Danish imports was born with her in 2019, DK Jungle Man's Adelaide Maynetree aka 'Addie' a beautiful black smoke queen. Gitte is extremely knowledgeable about MC standard and genotype. She prides herself on being an ethical breeder. She performs DNA screening, heart scans and hip scores on all her breeding cats.
Kim & Chris from Coonmagic Maine Coons (also in South Australia). Kim has gifted us with stud males Coonmagic Yuki (upcoming) and Coonmagic Othello (proven stud male). It's an amazing show of trust to share Yuki and Othello's lines. They are one of the most ethical breeders I have the pleasure of knowing. They perform DNA, heart scans & hip scoring, along with BAER hearing tests on all solid white cats (including Yuki). Kim helped us get into the show world, and continues to share her invaluable knowledge. This helps us to remain true to the MC standard.
Zena from Shiningwater and Kittycourt Maine Coons in New Zealand. Zena and I were very fortunate to share our lines early 2022. We sent over Maynetree Chivas Regal PP aka Chevvy to become her next polydactyl stud male (health tests pending), and in return, we received Kittycourt Roisin P (Gaelic for 'little rose', her father is Irish). Roisin is one of our upcoming queens for 2022/2023 (health tests pending), and we're very excited to see her development.
We have connected with some other reputable breeders around Australia. As a result, we have a huge knowledge base to draw on. We're very grateful for this, and passionate about eradicating the old-school toxic mentality of 'being in competition'. We're all in it for the same goal: to enrich and preserve our wonderful breed.
How to screen for Backyard Breeders
I often get asked this question. It's encouraging, because it means more people are realising there's a difference!
- Find out if they are registered, confirm with their governing body
- Ethical breeding is SO much more than a reg number, they also need to engage in other things too
- Ask for health testing results - you can tell a lot by how someone reacts. if they become cagey or secretive, or they can't provide test results... it's okay to move on
- Health testing takes time, so if they don't have all the results yet, you should at least see a plan for their upcoming cats.
- A reputable breeder will be proud an happy to share results!
- Ask for real time pictures / videos / updates. Many breeders have restrictions on visitors to prevent disease transmission. An alternative to a visit is video calling in real time.
- There are SO many scammers about lately. They are feeding off the demand for people wanting kittens "now". Trying to sell kittens that don't exist. Taking "deposits" and then disappearing.
- Reputable breeders don't often have kittens on the ground all the time. They generally can't keep up with demand. Health testing, socialisation and vet work often take precedence over "having babies to make money". There is often a long wait for these breeders, because they're doing the right thing!
- We advise you to follow a reputable breeder (or three) and eventually a kitten will follow. Don't transfer any money unless you're absolutely sure. Ask around, the Maine Coon world is fairly small, and we can advise whether they are legit.
- You shouldn't have to hand over any money to be put on a wait list. Some breeders like us don't actually have wait lists. And if we did, we're not comfortable holding onto deposits (or any amount of money) for an undetermined amount of time. We only take a deposit on a kitten that's physically been offered.
You don't have to get a cat from us, but we do encourage you to seek this information from any breeder you choose to go with. The breeders we work alongside have the same view as us, and we are more than happy to recommend each other. We aren't in competition and we enjoy working together towards common goals.