06/02/2025
What to look for when trying to find a responsible breeder
✅ Registered with GCCF, TICA, or FiFE, those are the main and most common pedigree registries in the UK.
WCF is another but it's very new in the UK, UK club started this year and they currently run no cat shows yet I believe. LCWW aren't a officially recognised pedigree organisation yet but have ran shows.
A good breeder will happily share proof they're registered, such as a prefix/cattery name paperwork which should have the date they registered their prefix, breeder's name and their chosen prefix, some breeders are registered with multiple registries.
✅ Parents should be pedigree registered.
Again registered responsible breeders should be happy for you to see these.
The parents documentation should tell you their pedigree name, date of birth, parents names, breeder name, owner's name, colour, gender, microchip number and for some if they're active and have breeding rights or not.
Non-active means not for breeding and they should not be bred from because the kittens won't be eligible for registration.
✅ Parents must be genetically health tested for HCMmc, SMA and PK-def.
Results should be available to view from each parent, with parents pedigree names and microchip number listed on the results - it should match the parents pedigree slips. Ideally the results should be clear - neither parent should be affected.
Annual heart scans are another option.
There are hip dysplasia schemes available too but it can be difficult to find a UK vet willing to do correct positioned hip xrays for health screening purposes so unfortunately it isn't commonly done.
✅ Ideally the breeder should show or attend cat shows where possible.
Showing is important to understand the breed standard for their registry, especially for new breeders. Prove their cats are of breed standard, worthy to breed and continue the future of the breed by keeping to the breed standard. It's only natural to think you have the best cats, so having experienced judges to judge them at shows can be really helpful and insightful.
✅ Kittens should leave pedigree registered, fully vaccinated with vaccination card, microchipped, wormed and sometimes pet kittens are neutered before going to new homes too.
✅ You should receive all documentation - including pedigree registration when collecting your kitten. Should include pedigree registration, vaccination card, microchip registration/transfer info and typically four weeks free pet insurance.
Most registries state that pedigree registration shouldn't be withheld and must be given over at point of sale/collection.
✅ Kittens must be 13 weeks old minimum before leaving for new homes, 14 weeks old if FIFE registered. Breeders may also keep longer especially if ensuring pet kittens are neutered before going to new homes, these kittens typically leave at 15-16 weeks old.
There are no exceptions for a kitten to leave before 13 weeks old.
✅ You should be able see the litter together, unless over 13-14 weeks old and some have already left for new homes. You should see the mother of litter unless under extreme circumstances with very rare occasions like mum passing away but her pedigree registration and health test results should still be available to see and the breeder should be open and honest about what happened.
✅ The kittens should ideally be raised in a home environment so they're familar with typical household sounds. They should have access to clean water, food, litter trays and have toys around for them.
✅ The kittens should be comfortable in their surroundings to explore, play with toys, eat, sleep and just go about their usual routine. They might not be cuddly because you're a stranger and kittens are normally busy getting up to mischief, being playful, or eating and napping, they might initially be unsure but should come out after a little time or encouragement.
Red flags and things to avoid - especially if there's multiple red flags.
🚩 No pedigree registration.
🚩 Refusing to show pedigree registration, or health test results or making constant excuses not to show them.
🚩 Parents pedigree registration and health test results not having the same pedigree name, microchip number, date of birth etc so you're unable to confirm if it's the same cat.
🚩 Letting kittens go to new homes under 13 weeks old.
🚩 Selling kittens without full vaccinations and microchip.
🚩 Scammers are all over social media, and even free ads. Do not pay a deposit without seeing a kitten in person, having a video call to see the breeder and kittens, or meeting the breeder in person like at a cat show.
🚩 Charging extra for pedigree registration, there are no good reasons for a breeder not to register a litter.
🚩 Charging different prices for different colours or genders within the same litter, they all cost the same to raise.
Only price difference should be between pets (non-active) and potential breeding cats with breeding rights (active).
🚩 Lethargic kittens, emaciated kittens, runny eyes, regular sneezing, yellow/thick mucus nasal discharge, covered in faeces or severely urine stained, matted kittens, signs of fleas/flea dirt, signs of skin infections or ringworm.
🚩 Breeder always having multiple kittens available, all year round, especially if they have different breeds available at all times and there's other red flags too. Sadly there's still kitten farmers around or third party sellers that sell kittens typically from kitten farms as unregistered pedigrees for profit.
🚩 Sells any/all kittens as active regularly, most kittens are not breeding quality so if a breeder is willing to sell any, or all kittens from the same litter as active - it's likely because they can charge more, not that you are buying a quality potential breeding cat.
🚩 Maine C**ns shouldn't be Colourpoint (like Siamese, Ragdolls or Birmans for example) or Chocolate, Lilac, Chinchilla and they should not have blue or odd eyes unless pure white or for some registries very high white.
🚩 Avoid falling for marketing terms like "XL", "XXL", "Rare *insert country* lines" - especially if there are other red flags too! Breeders advertise kittens and want their adverts to be seen but you shouldn't be paying more for marketing terms.
Maine C**ns are an American breed, there's only the breed standard according to each registry and there aren't different types like XL because they don't get their own class at shows, they're all judged under the same MC breed standard of their registry.
Please walk away from an irresponsible breeder with multiple red flags - buying from them doesn't save any kittens, it simply financially supports them and encourages them to continue. If they couldn't sell their kittens, they'd soon stop breeding them.
Please try to support genuine responsible breeders that have a love and passion for preserving the breed, keeping to the breed standard and caring about their cat's welfare.
Maine C**n Cat Club website - www.maine-coon-cat-club.com
They're a GCCF affiliated club, lots of useful information and history on the website regarding the breed. They run the only UK Maine C**n Cat show in Tamworth, I think it's October 2025. They have a breeder's list and a regularly updated kitten list.
Cat shows are another great place to meet various breeds in person and have the chance to speak to breeders/owners.
GCCF show calendar - https://www.gccfcats.org/show-calendar/
TICA show calendar (filter for UK shows) - https://shows.tica.org/en/component/toes/shows
FIFE show calendar - https://www.felis-britannica.org.uk/showcalendar
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Hobby show breeder focusing on traditional type Maine C**ns - TICA registered and health tested.
