Looking to become a Maine Coon breeder 😊

[Sealmittens]

I have known about and loved Maine Coons for a long time, but I have yet to meet one in real life as they are not available in my country, Pakistan. I know all the genetic illnesses, colors, development, weight, size, lines, genetics, etc and I have plenty of time to research even more before I import my very first Maine Coons. I want to get the ones with the 'feral' look. I know that you usually start out with a neutered cat and show that cat and develop trust with other breeders, but there are no 'serious' cat shows here because my country is full of unethical Persian breeders with no animal laws. Another issue is that you cannot neuter a kitten before the age of 6 months, but i'm pretty sure the rule is that the cat must be 2kg to neuter, and from talking to popular breeders, Maine Coon kittens usually gain a kilogram per month, so maybe I can get everyone neutered before they go to new homes (I don't want Maine Coon mixes showing up in my country!). One thing I know is that you can at least register your cattery in Pakistan. Anyways, I have questions:

If I cannot get the kittens neutered, how do I make sure they will be neutered by their new/future owners? Do I have to make them sign a contract, but how will I make sure they follow the contract in a country with no enforced laws?

A few rare catteries here imported their Exotic Longhairs and British Shorthairs with breeding rights, without showing a previous neutered purebred cat. How did they do this since breeders prize their intact cats?

Stud cats. I'm planning to get two to three studs with two to three females all from different breeders. I know stud cats need special rooms/cages, but how does that work? I can understand the rooms, but I don't really understand cages. Maine Coons are very big cats, and I'm planning to get cats from catteries that breed the extra large ones. and whole males need space to roam. Wouldn't you need really massive cages that can fit a scratching post?


Thank you all.

 

[lutece]

What are your goals as a breeder? What do you hope to achieve by breeding Maine Coons? Do you hope to show your cats (perhaps by traveling to other countries if needed)? Or are you just planning to breed them and produce kittens to sell as pets?

 

[di and bob]

Why don't you just get one or two at first and make sure that is what you want to do. What you are proposing sounds like a HUGE undertaking. Stud males are very annoying with their spraying and yowling, just as the females are when they come into heat.

 

[sivyaleah]

I'd suggest getting a Maine Coon as a pet first and see if you are so enamored with the breed after caring for it for a while. Maine Coons have different needs due to their size, slow rate of maturity, coat grooming etc.

Breeding in general is a huge undertaking on so many levels especially financial as one needs to have a lot of money on hand for emergencies and normal care. Let alone all the medical testing needed to be sure the parents aren't carrying serious illnesses which can pass to the kittens. Maine Coons have a high incidence of heart and hip problems.

Add in you have no idea what you're doing yet and will need a mentor. Reading about everything is far different than actually doing something. It doesn't sound like this is possible where you live if you say there are no Maine Coons there to begin with. Honestly I don't think you'll get a reputable breeder to even allow you to purchase their kittens with no history behind you.

If you are doing this to make money, find another hobby. Every breeder I've spoken to doesn't make much if anything. All the money goes right back into caring for their kings, queens and kittens. It comes with great joy but also heartbreak at times. You have to be prepared for both.

 

[T.O.]

I lived this. I grew up with it. It’s not what you think it is. The breed is wonderful. Beautiful. The kittens are stunning. The things that go wrong. The kittens that die because of mistakes you make. The queens who don’t mother. The sires that spray and the queens. The bad genes and premature litters. The cats that come with viruses you never heard of and you never get rid of.
It is a bigger commitment than showing and selling kittens. Personally after living that, I’d rather stick to fixed domestics.