Looking for a show quality Maine Coon

[kai bengals]

My wife and I have been looking into getting a maine coon for awhile now. We're interested in a show quality cat, that we can show in alter class as an adult and of course provide a loving pet home to.
Anyone who is a breeder or knows a breeder, please let me know.
Thanks!

 

[rosehawke]

Willowplace Maine Coons bred my last Maine Coon boy (Willowplace Melichus, my avatar). At the time they were in Birmingham, Alabama and are now in South Carolina I believe. You may have seen the owner/breeder as she is a TICA all-breed judge mostly found in this region. Congocoon's is the breeder/cattery of my present two boys. Yahoo (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mcats/) has a Maine-Coon mailing list which is okay, definitely geared more toward breeders and showing, I've never been able to find a forum for MCs with the same outlook.

 

[goldenkitty45]

Since you already breed bengals I'm assuming you also show them. Why haven't you contacted breeders of Maine Coons at local shows?

Also you can search CFA's breeder referral for maine coon breeders in your area. I know several good MCC breeders in the Pennsylvania - Virginia area - not sure if they are still breeding but when I was showing, there were plenty of quality MCC.

 

[rosehawke]

Kai is TICA, not CFA, although I know Willowplace does (or at least they did 17 years ago

) double register their kits. Congocoons is CFA. Although I've been seeing mention that CFA and TICA is getting "closer" on the MC type, personally I still think they're different (albeit from a very uneducated eye.)

(Goldenkitty I don't think Kai has been in NC too terribly long, they moved from Hawai'i if I remember correctly.)

 

[kai bengals]

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

Since you already breed bengals I'm assuming you also show them. Why haven't you contacted breeders of Maine Coons at local shows?

I have. The purpose of this thread is to get some feedback from people who have already adopted a Maine Coon and have some quality things to say about a MC breeder. If I want to find just any breeder, I have the skills to do so. Just because a breeder is showing a cat doesn't mean they keep a clean cattery and are a good breeder.
Why are you always so salty when you comment on things? Lighten up.

 

[kai bengals]

Originally Posted by RoseHawke

Willowplace Maine Coons bred my last Maine Coon boy (Willowplace Melichus, my avatar). At the time they were in Birmingham, Alabama and are now in South Carolina I believe. You may have seen the owner/breeder as she is a TICA all-breed judge mostly found in this region. Congocoon's is the breeder/cattery of my present two boys. Yahoo (http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mcats/) has a Maine-Coon mailing list which is okay, definitely geared more toward breeders and showing, I've never been able to find a forum for MCs with the same outlook.

Thanks for the info! I know Barbara Ray, although not well. Did you visit her cattery at all? S.C. would definitely be in range for us. We would want to visit the cattery first before deciding on a kitten.

 

[goldenkitty45]

I wasn't trying to be salty or anything. Just that if you show cats, you have contacts with other breeders. I didn't know you were new to the area. Sorry. Anytime you are looking, it pays to visit the cattery. But you can learn who has the better MCC at shows and get to know the person to decide if its one you want to buy from.

There are rex breeders with quality cats that I would not buy from - not that they don't take care of their cats and have a clean cattery, but because of their attitude towards people. One thinks she's superior to anyone else and gets mad if a judge puts another rex over her cat. Her cattery is spotless but I would not buy from her.

You don't have to stick to one association either. You can visit other association shows and see what is there and make contacts that way.