Coonshadow
Common questions
Here you will find helpful information to the most commonly asked questions about our Maine coon kittens and program, policies, and health information.
Are the cats in your program health tested?
Absolutely! All of our maine coons, past and present are genetically tested by DNA for:
*HCM ( hypertrophic cardiomyopathy – thickening of the muscle walls of the heart)
-SMA ( Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is an inherited disorder that appears similar to the disease of the same name seen in humans)
-PKD (inherited polycystic kidney disease. PKD is when they have many cysts or pockets of fluids in their kidneys.
We test all members of our cattery to help in the prevention of producing kittens with these genetic conditions.
Do you offer kittens with breeding rights?
“ No, we do not. Our kittens go to their new home under a contract that specifically states that the kitten is sold as a pet only, and not for breeding. Registration papers will not be provided to the owners until we are provided with a certificate of spay/neuter from the vet clinic that performs the procedure “
Can we come meet our new kitten when it’s born, or take a tour?
“ No, that is not possible. For the health of our kittens, we do not allow visits before going to their new homes. Kittens before the age of 7 weeks have not yet had their first vaccinations and it is a great risk for the kittens to have new traffic in and out of their home. However, if ( upon rare occasion ) there are unreserved kittens of 8 weeks old or older, in a litter and you are trying to decide between 2 or more available kittens, we do allow you to visit and select the kitten you like best of the non-reserved kittens. However, usually, our kittens are all reserved by 8 weeks of age.
Are deposits for kittens refundable?
No, deposit places for a kitten are not refundable. However if for some reason you were to come to pick up your new kitten and do not feel like the kitten would be a good fit for you, we can transfer the deposit toward another kitten in the future from another litter. ( we have not ever had this request, but it is our policy if the day would ever arrive that someone would wish to do so ).
How do I know that the kitten I’m placing a deposit on will be the right match for me?
With over 20 years of raising kittens, we have become very skilled at matching the requests of the personality of the kitten as well as the physical type of the kitten to the owner’s request.
Additionally, we are very rigid when it comes to the section of the cats we allow to be used in our program. Two decades of selections for our program based not only on a specific physical type, but equally or more so on friendliness, outgoing personality, and affectionate personality has assured us that we consistently produce this type of kitten. We simply do not allow skittish or unaffectionate cats in our program no matter how beautiful one might be. Our emphasis is on producing beautiful and LOVING pets.
How do I know your cattery is not a scam?
Unfortunately, in recent years there have been an overwhelming amount of scammers with all breeds of cats who look to take advantage of people. This is a horrible thing to do, but also unfortunately all too common. The good news is we are very real, and have plenty of very happy owners of our kittens and are willing at any time to provide you with references and contact information if there is any doubt you may have. Also, we have a Facebook page where other owners post pics of their kittens, and you can see a long history of our activity as a cattery.
You don’t currently have kittens available, or the gender or color I’m looking for, can I place an advanced deposit so I can be first in line for what I’m looking for?
Yes, we do take a limited number of advanced reservations. This is an especially common request for black smoke males. And checking out the page often for developments or placing an advanced deposit is encouraged as they do reserve very quickly.
How big are your cats and how big should I expect a kitten from your Maine coon cattery to be?
Males average from 16-22lbs
Females average from 9-14lbs
There’s a lot of exaggeration of the size of maine coons on the Internet. Yes, they are the largest domestic cat. They look heavier than they are. Much of this is because of their thick hardy coat, and square features, and extra long body and tail. Don’t worry, our lines always consistently produce very large Maine coons, and your cat will be plenty big. Please keep in mind that maine coons mature slowly over time and it takes 3 years for them to reach their final size.
