Finding a experience and professional breeder

Hi everyone, this is my first time on here and Im so glad i found this forum and I'm very confused..

I do hope someone can help me here.

I have been looking into now purchasing a maine coon for the last 18 months, i have been to some shows and have tried to speak to owners but they are not very helpful. I would like to find about professional breeders as i would like to show my cat. I have read on here and have heard horror stories that some people who have purchased a Maine, they wait so long for their kitten's papers and some cats have ended up costing loads at the vets because they became ill a few weeks after they had brought their cats home, and when they have contacted the breeder, they seem not to care (so iv been told by some people who have had some Maine coons.

My friend who has a fabulous huge maine coon got hers from a brilliant breeder (she says) in Scotland but no longer breeds.

I am asking you lovely people, can you please advise me of seeking out a professional breeder as I dearly would like the chance to eventually show. I have visited various websites of breeders and they hardly don't get back and the ones I have had a response tell me either they have no kittens for sale or they are not breeding anymore.

I am so frightened to buy a maine cone from someone i don't know anything about. and if i do purchase a cat, I would want their papers on the same day as I collect my cat but looking on here, some poor people never get the papers

I will travel anywhere to seek out a professional show or pet breeder - I live in Merseyside so there maybe one or 2 decent honest breeders close to home!!

Please……Can anyone help me or advise of anyone I can contact who they trust and has a spot on reputation of showing and breeding???

thank you so much

It is so sad that buying a MC has become a minefield , I would say mention some names & hopefully someone will pop up & say they have a babe from one of them & how they have got on with that breeder....... my breeder is also now retiring & I think it is sad that over the last year quite a few others have too.....
One way of finding out a bit is by attending a show & having a look round, at the FifE shows the breeders have their boards on the top of the pens which gives you a good idea what their respective lines are like.....xxx

as you are in the UK - check out the Home mainecoon club- we just got our kittens from an absolutely lovely breeder - we did not know any breeder before - and the paperwork was ready when we picked up our boys - I can't imagine that a registered breeder there would do otherwise

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Originally Posted by Clivia

as you are in the UK - check out the Home mainecoon club- we just got our kittens from an absolutely lovely breeder - we did not know any breeder before - and the paperwork was ready when we picked up our boys - I can't imagine that a registered breeder there would do otherwise

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Hello Clivia….Thank you for replying and yes iv looked at the MC Club and there are a few breeders on their and a good few kittens for sale. Iv contacted 4 and only one has come back to me upto now. The thing is, I just don't know anything about them and i can't go to any shows now till next year as I'm working 6 days a week for now. Its like pot luck isn't it. I want to know about the parents what sort of lines they have and how long have they been breeding, and i feel cheeky asking all questions….I think the only way around it is by word of mouth. I see you purchased 2 boys, how lucky you are and they will no doubt keep each other company, would you recommend your breeder at all? or you would rather not? please, I understand if you want to keep this to yourself……I would love 2 kittens and I'm in 2 minds whether to or not…thank you again for replying and wishing you lots of lovely hours with your beautiful boys……take care….Debi x

hi there….many thanx for replying - it was a long plea wasn't it lol…..it is a shame that some great breeders are now retiring and i agree with you, it is now a minefield looking for a reputable breeder who also has had success in the show world as then you have an idea what their offspring would be like…..as i mentioned, i don't know any reputable breeders, I have contacted 4 breeders from the 'maine coon site' and 1 has replied but again, i feel terrible asking them the questions iv mentioned. I am hoping to find someone on here who can recommend and they know of them! so hopefully I will get my kittens as I'm thinking of purchasing 2 of them….Im sure there is a show coming up in Birmingham soon….Im wondering if that is worth going to!! but again, I hope I am recommended by someone who has had their kitties from them and they are over the moon, as that will do for me lol……as there is not a lot of info on their breeders anywhere!….again, many thanx for replying……xxx

I sent you a pm... Don't feel cheeky asking questions, I'm sure the breeders would rather you show that much interest. X

There are a few fb pages you could take a look at, there was quite a few people on there who recommended the breeders I decided to go with. You can then check with the GCCF and tica to make sure that they are registered breeders with them and weren't just saying they are. X

hi Liverbird - yes I can highly recodmmend the breeder - will send you a pm with details - don't think they have an other litter this year - but maybe I am wrong - best to call them

and most of all - as Donna wrote - don't be shy to ask a breeder questions - it's your perfect right - ask everything you want to know about their cats and kittens

Hi Liverbird,

I was facing the same problem a couple of months ago.
Then we found Sif at an experienced and fantastic breeder, however we got aware whilst speaking with that lady that we also had contacted one of those dodgy breeders (MC kittens kept in cages, horrible hygienic conditions, breeder who was trying not to tell us their address.. a mess!). I reported that breeder to GCCF but I never got a reply, so not sure how they want to tackle the problem of dodgy breeders selling MC kittens in poor conditions.

On the same day we went to pick Sif up, we received all papers and a complete kitten pack (plus 4 weeks insurance).

On another note, visit the breeder before giving your deposit to anyone. Ask to see the parents and all the other kittens if there are any siblings! It was hard for us to deal with seven 5month kittens jumping all over us and munching our shoe laces but it was worth because we had an idea of the environment Sif was brought up in.
Last but not the least, BEWARE of any breeder who wants to sell you a MC (well or a kitten of another breed) before 12 weeks.

I hope you're going to find your kitten too!!

And I agree with Clivia, don't be shy, ask every single questions you have, even if you think it is silly. Sometimes it isn't ;)
Good luck!

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Originally Posted by SifTheWarrior

It was hard for us to deal with seven 5month kittens jumping all over us and munching our shoe laces...

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Sounds like my idea of heaven!! ��

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Originally Posted by PandK

Sounds like my idea of heaven!! ��

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mine too :smile:

Ok. I'm going to try and help by passing on our own experience. We got our first Maine Coons in July 2013, a mum and daughter, from 2 ladies who breed MCs in Yorkshire. Never owned Maine Coons before and first saw and fell in love with them at the Supreme Show in 2008. We have since got 2 more MCs from them (2 boys) and this evening we are bringing home our 3rd boy, again from the same breeders. So we have 5 coonies ranging in age from 2 years, 4 months old to 4 months old. These breeders are very experienced.

Whenever we've visited the breeders, we have seen lots of relatives - parents, aunts, uncles, siblings, sometimes grandparents depending on the lineage. The cats and kittens all play together and have loads of comfy beds plus a lovely cat run outside, and on every visit we've ended up cuddling all the cats (heck, I know them all by name now!!). Every time we have brought home a new kitten (always after 12 weeks), the paperwork was sorted and ready - GCCF registration card, pedigree, 4 weeks' free insurance, vaccination and vet record, contract, dietary information, along with toys, a food sample, a voucher and various bits and bobs. That's what you should be expecting from a good breeder. In addition, we have kept in touch with them and they have given plenty of advice, encouragement and generally been really supportive, answering all our many questions.

They have a number of cats who have been shown - one boy in particular is a very recognisable cat who got his Imperial title not long ago. We've visited several shows to get an idea of what's involved. With their encouragement, we have recently started showing and one of our girls got her 2nd PC at the Manchester show on Saturday - at only our 2nd show. We're entering both the North West at the end of Sept and the Yorkshire show in Oct. It's a steep learning curve but we've really enjoyed it so far!

Hope that helps!

Cheryl are you on about Elmcoon by any chance?? If it is, that is who I'm getting my boy from :)

Thank you guys for this invaluable advice…..i have contacted a few breeders but with working all hours at the mo, its going to be hard me going to see them but i promis I will try as i so want to! is there a possible chance please Sif, could you pm me that dodgy breeder so i will know to keep clear!

And can anyone please advise me, when i have enquired on the litters iv contacted about, (now i know the cost of the 2 baby boys I am after doesn't matter!) I have found out that the cost of the kittens range from £350 to £500, and they all advise they are wormed, vaccinated, 4 weeks insurance, full pedigree and GCC registered, a parent is a champion and can be seen but some don't neuter…..im not criticising, I just wondered why a big difference in price…..just wondered why this
is?? many thanx xx

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Originally Posted by Liverbird

Thank you guys for this invaluable advice…..i have contacted a few breeders but with working all hours at the mo, its going to be hard me going to see them but i promis I will try as i so want to! is there a possible chance please Sif, could you pm me that dodgy breeder so i will know to keep clear!

And can anyone please advise me, when i have enquired on the litters iv contacted about, (now i know the cost of the 2 baby boys I am after doesn't matter!) I have found out that the cost of the kittens range from £350 to £500, and they all advise they are wormed, vaccinated, 4 weeks insurance, full pedigree and GCC registered, a parent is a champion and can be seen but some don't neuter…..im not criticising, I just wondered why a big difference in price…..just wondered why this
is?? many thanx xx

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I'll PM you :) :smile:

Yes Sif! I think Elmcoon are fantastic, and with 5 cats from them, we've had plenty of dealings! When I work out how to put up pics in this forum, I'll load up some photos of our babies.

Liverbird I hope you got my private message reply. x

DonnaMD, which kitten? How exciting!! x

I'm not getting a current kitten CherylK. We were due to have a boy who has just been born in the last 2 weeks unfortunately hubby said no to red, and both boys that were born were red... So I asked Helen and Brenda if I could stay in their waiting list for a non-red boy... Bloomin' hubbies!!

Awwww no. :( Those are Sweetie and Morgan's kittens, half-brothers to our Poppy. My husband LOVES the red kittens especially, he thinks they are so cute. But with 5 MCs under 2 years 5 months, we'll have to wait for a red boy I think!