Questions to Ask a Maine Coon Breeder Before You Pay a Deposit

Paying a deposit on a Maine Coon kitten is the moment you go from browsing to committed — often several hundred to a couple thousand dollars, and usually non-refundable. That makes the phone or video call before the deposit the single most important conversation in the entire buying process. First-time buyers often walk into that call with a vague sense of what to ask, get charmed by adorable kitten photos, and wire money before they've verified the basics. Then problems show up months later: an undisclosed heart condition, a kitten that isn't actually purebred, or a breeder who ghosts the moment payment clears. This guide is written from your side of the table. Instead of just handing you a checklist of questions, it walks through what a solid answer looks like versus what should make you pause, hang up, and keep shopping. Whether you're buying from a cattery in Florida, Maine, California, or anywhere across all 50 states, the same principles apply. By the end, you should feel confident steering the conversation, spotting evasive answers, and knowing exactly when a deposit is a smart commitment versus a red flag waiting to happen.

Start with Registration and Pedigree — the Non-Negotiables

Before you get emotionally attached to a specific kitten, confirm the foundation: is this breeder actually producing registered, purebred Maine Coons? The first question to ask is which registries they belong to. In the US, the two that matter for Maine Coons are TICA (The International Cat Association) and CFA (Cat Fanciers' Association). Ask whether the cattery is registered, whether the parents are individually registered, and whether kittens come with registration paperwork.

A green flag answer sounds like this: "We're TICA-registered as a cattery, both parents are TICA-registered with full pedigrees going back at least four generations, and every kitten leaves with a signed registration application. I can email you copies of the parents' pedigrees today." The breeder offers the documents without being pushed. They may also mention CFA dual registration or specific bloodlines by name — reputable breeders are proud of their lines.

A red flag answer sounds like: "We don't bother with registration because it's just a piece of paper," or "The parents are registered but the kittens aren't." Also be wary of vague answers like "Yes, they're purebred" without any specific registry named. "Purebred" without registration is a claim, not proof. Another warning sign is a breeder who mentions registries you've never heard of — some backyard operations invent or use obscure registries to appear legitimate.

Ask to see the pedigrees before the deposit, not after. A breeder who says "you'll get all that at pickup" is asking you to commit blind. Long-established catteries such as Koontucky Maine Coons, which has been breeding since the 1980s, or AttyKats Maine Coon Cattery, operating since 1998, tend to have detailed multi-generational pedigrees they'll happily share early in the conversation. That transparency itself is a green flag.

Finally, ask what the registration status of the kitten will be — most pet kittens are sold on limited registration (no breeding rights), which is normal and expected. If a breeder is casually offering full breeding rights to a first-time pet buyer with no experience, that's a red flag about their overall standards.

Health Testing: Get Specific or Get Nothing

Maine Coons have a handful of well-documented genetic conditions, and any breeder worth your deposit tests for them. The three you should name out loud: HCM (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy — a heart condition), SMA (spinal muscular atrophy), and PKD (polycystic kidney disease). HCM is the big one and is tested two ways: DNA testing for the known Maine Coon mutation, and periodic cardiac ultrasounds (echocardiograms) done by a veterinary cardiologist on the breeding parents.

Ask directly: "What health tests have both parents had, when were they done, and can you send me the results?"

Green flag: The breeder rattles off specific tests without hesitation. "The dam had a cardiac echo done in March by Dr. So-and-so, results normal. Both parents are DNA-tested clear for HCM, SMA, PKD, and PK-Def. I'll email you PDFs of the results." They understand that DNA-clear does not equal echo-clear (a cat can be genetically clear and still develop HCM), and they do both. Many top catteries also test for hip dysplasia via OFA or PennHIP scoring, since Maine Coons are prone to it.

Red flag: "Our cats are healthy, we've never had a problem," is not an answer. Neither is "the vet checked them and said they're fine." A general vet exam is not a cardiac ultrasound. Also watch for breeders who claim their lines are "HCM-free" as an absolute — no responsible breeder makes that guarantee because HCM can appear late in life. What they can guarantee is testing and a health warranty.

While you're on health, ask what vaccinations and deworming the kitten will have before going home, and at what age the kitten will be released. Green flag answers: kittens leave at 12-16 weeks (not 8), fully weaned, litter trained, with at least two rounds of core vaccinations and a recent vet health certificate. Red flag: any breeder offering to ship a kitten at 8 weeks. That's too young for a Maine Coon, both developmentally and socially.

The Contract, Health Guarantee, and What Happens If Something Goes Wrong

Ask the breeder to send you a copy of their sales contract and health guarantee before you pay anything. Read it. This is the single most-skipped step by first-time buyers, and it's where disputes get won or lost.

A solid contract covers: the health guarantee period (typically 1-3 years for congenital and genetic issues), what the breeder will do if a serious genetic problem is diagnosed (replacement kitten, partial refund, etc.), a spay/neuter requirement for pet kittens, a return clause requiring the cat to come back to the breeder if you ever can't keep it, and clear terms on the deposit — how much is it, is any portion refundable, and under what circumstances.

Green flag: The breeder emails the contract without hesitation, walks you through it on the call, and answers questions patiently. They have a lifetime return-to-breeder clause (a strong sign they care where their cats end up). Their health guarantee names specific conditions rather than using vague language. Deposit terms are clearly written.

Red flag: No written contract. Or a contract full of conditions that heavily favor the breeder — for instance, a health guarantee that's technically void if you don't feed a specific expensive brand of food, or requires necropsy at your expense within 48 hours of death. Also watch for breeders who get defensive when you ask about the contract. "Don't you trust me?" is manipulation, not an answer. You're not being rude; you're being an adult about a four-figure transaction.

On the deposit specifically: ask what happens if the litter is smaller than expected, if your chosen kitten doesn't pass its final vet check, or if you decide you need to back out due to a family emergency. Green flag breeders have thought about all of these and offer options like rolling the deposit to a future litter.

How the Kittens Are Raised — Home vs. Cage

Maine Coons are famously social, dog-like cats, and that temperament is shaped in the first three months of life. Ask: "Where in your home are the kittens raised, and how are they socialized?"

Green flag: Kittens are underfoot in the main living area — kitchen, living room, family bedroom. They're handled daily by adults and, if applicable, children. The breeder mentions specific socialization experiences: vacuum noise, car rides, meeting other pets, being held on their backs, having their paws touched for future nail trims. Underfoot rearing produces confident, people-oriented kittens. Smaller programs, like Ruff And Tufts Cattery in Maine, often emphasize this kind of hands-on, in-home raising as a selling point precisely because it produces well-adjusted cats.

Red flag: Kittens raised entirely in a garage, basement, outbuilding, or stacked cages. Any hesitation about you seeing the kittens in their raising environment — either in person or via a live video tour. Reluctance to show the parents. "The mom is a bit shy so we won't bring her out" is sometimes true, but it's also a common cover for cats that are kept in poor conditions and aren't presentable.

Ask how many litters they have per year and how many breeding cats they keep. There's no universal magic number, but a red flag pattern is a very high volume of litters with very few staff — that's usually a sign kittens aren't getting individual attention. Also ask if you can visit. Even breeders who don't allow visits due to biosecurity (a legitimate concern with young kittens) should offer live video tours on FaceTime or Zoom. A flat no to any kind of visual access to their setup is a serious red flag.

Shipping, Pickup, and Buying Across State Lines

Maine Coon buyers routinely purchase from breeders in another state — someone in Arizona might buy from a Tennessee cattery, or a New Yorker from a Florida program. Ask how the breeder handles delivery and what your options are.

Green flag options include: in-person pickup at the cattery, the breeder meeting you at a regional airport, flight nanny service (a person who flies with the kitten in-cabin), or the breeder personally driving/flying the kitten to you. Some larger operations — for example, EuroCoons Maine Coon Cattery near Kansas City — regularly ship to buyers across all 50 states and have documented processes for interstate delivery, including the required health certificates. Ask what USDA/APHIS paperwork accompanies the kitten and who pays for it.

Red flag: Cargo-only shipping in the belly of a plane for a 12-week-old kitten, no live video meeting before shipment, or an unwillingness to provide a recent health certificate (issued within 10 days of travel is the standard for interstate).

Also ask about the transition: what food is the kitten on, will the breeder send some home with you, what litter, what routine? Green flag breeders send a "go-home kit" with food, a blanket carrying littermate scent, toys, and written care instructions. They also make themselves available by text or phone for the first weeks after the kitten arrives — some for the lifetime of the cat. That post-sale support is one of the clearest signals separating a real breeder from someone just moving inventory.

References, Reviews, and the Community Test

Finally, ask two questions that surprisingly few buyers ask: "Can I speak with two or three families who bought kittens from you in the past year?" and "Are you a member of any breed clubs or do you show your cats?"

Green flag: The breeder provides references without hesitation. Past buyers, when you actually call or email them, are enthusiastic and mention specifics — how the breeder answered questions post-purchase, how the cat's health has held up, what surprised them. The breeder also mentions showing their cats in TICA or CFA shows, holding titles, or being active in regional Maine Coon breed clubs. Show breeders are subject to peer scrutiny — their cats are examined by judges — which is an external quality check.

Red flag: Refusal or vague deflection on references ("my clients value privacy"). No show record, no club membership, no presence in the wider breed community. A brand-new online presence with no history you can trace. Reviews that all sound similar or appear in a burst on the same date. Also check for the breeder's real name attached to their cattery — established programs put their names out there.

Do an independent search too. Look up the cattery name plus words like "complaint," "scam," or "review" on Google and in Maine Coon Facebook groups. If you want a broader sense of what solid programs look like across the country before you commit, spend an hour browsing our directory of Maine Coon breeders and compare how different catteries present their health testing, contracts, and pedigrees. Patterns emerge quickly.

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