Breeding stunning Maine Coon Cats for health, temperament, and joy
All About Getting a Kitten as a Pet
Here is where you will find in-depth information on my business practices for my Cattery. This entire page and my contracts are required reading before you can move on to join my waitlist or reserve a kitten. While going through this information is on the honor system, going through it will save us both a lot of time, trouble and miscommunication so we can start our relationship on the right foot. At the bottom of the page you will find the link that will take you to my contracts.
Communication
Communication is something that is very important to me. I put a lot of time and love into raising my kittens, so I want to be sure I am able to stay in contact with you and receive updates on the kitten you get from me, for the kitten's entire life. When you bring one of my kittens into your home, you are joining the New Mercies Maine Coon Cattery Family. And like a healthy, loving family should, we communicate!
According to my contracts, you will be required to send me yearly updates, pictures and health information on your kitten, each year on his/her birthday. This is very useful information to me as a breeder, but also warms the heart of me and my family.
Your communication with me can qualify or disqualify you from getting a kitten from me right from the beginning. Those who quickly respond to my emails will be much more likely to be approved for a kitten than those who do not. Furthermore, if communication stops, or you are no longer communicating with me in a timely manner, I do have the option to void all our contracts and refuse to let you have one of my kittens, even after your kitten has been reserved. Refunding any money you have paid for a kitten up to that point is decided on a case by case basis. I do understand that life happens and there are periods of time that communication is less than great. I have gone through periods of time like that in my own life as well. But all I ask is that you let me know what is going on. That way when it takes you days to reply to my emails or texts, I do not worry that you have suddenly decided to stop communication with me out of the blue.
Quality & Colors
All cats in my breeding program are pedigreed, or also called “purebred”. This means that I can trace their lineage back for a minimum of 5 generations and there are only other pedigreed Maine Coon Cats in their family tree. I also strive to have cats in my breeding program that meet the Maine Coon Breed Standard.
I produce about 50% dilute kittens (blue, cream, blue tortie) and 50% full-color kittens (black, red, blue tortie). Almost all of those kittens are smokes and solids. I only have 1 female (Gerbera) who produces tabbies, so tabby and silver tabby kittens are my most limited ones.
The Waitlist
As soon as you have gone through this information, filled out and returned any applicable questionnaires or applications, and I have talked with your references (if necessary), you will either get your final approval, or be denied. If you are denied we may need to talk further so you can be approved, or I may just feel that my kittens will not be a good match for your home.
If you are approved, you will immediately be able to join my official Waitlist. I will email you the Waitlist Agreement with instructions on how to sign it and pay the waitlist fee. I require a $500 fee to join my Waitlist. I do this because I want to know I am working with dedicated families who believe in me and my cats. I do not want to waste my time contacting 20 people when I have kittens, only to have 19 of them tell me they are no longer interested or got a kitten somewhere else. That $500 fee does though, go towards the total price of the kitten.
You may join my Waitlist for a maximum of 3 kittens, however they must come from at least 2 different litters. I will never sell more than 2 kittens from the same litter to a family. You also have the option to join my Waitlist or reserve a retired King or Queen at the same time as joining my Waitlist for a kitten. A $500 Waitlist fee must be paid for each kitten you join the Waitlist for. This means, if you join the Waitlist for 2 kittens, you will be required to pay a $1,000 Waitlist fee. Joining the Waitlist for a retired King or Queen is done on a case by case basis, and Waitlist fees might not be required.
Your Waitlist Agreement will have your official number in line on my Waitlist, listed on the bottom of the Agreement. The Waitlist Agreement must be signed, returned to me, and the Waitlist Fee must be paid within 3 days, otherwise you risk being pushed back farther on my Waitlist. And there is always the possibility that I change my mind and decide that I no longer want to work with you altogether and void your contract.
You can click here to see how many people are currently on my Waitlist.
Once you have signed the Waitlist Agreement, sent it back to me, and paid the waitlist fee you will officially be on my Waitlist! Usually, you can expect it to be 6-8 months before I will be able to get you a kitten. However, from time to time that may change, so feel free to ask if the wait will still be 6-8 months when we are getting ready to sign the Waitlist Agreement. People will remain on my Waitlist until their kitten arrives home. Which means, your number in line may be lowered by several places when my current litter leaves.
Once you are officially on my Waitlist, I will contact you when the Queen you will likely get a kitten from is close to giving birth. I will then contact you again 1-3 weeks after the kittens are born, and give you a little better idea of if you will have the option to get one of those kittens. If you do not want a kitten from that particular litter for one reason or another, you do have the option to pass. Your name will remain on my Waitlist, behind anyone else who passed before you, and you will be contacted when the next litter is on the way. You must pick a kitten within 4 litters though, otherwise you will be removed from my Waitlist and your Waitlist fee will not be refunded. Passing on 4 different litters shows you are not serious about committing to a kitten, or you will not be happy with any kitten in my cattery. Only under special circumstances can a person stay on my waitlist longer than 4 litters.
If there are not enough kittens in the litter for you to have a chance to pick a kitten, your name will remain on my Waitlist, and I will be able to tell you what your new number on my Waitlist is.
**Once you have joined my waitlist, you no longer have the option to join my Emotional Support Maine Coons Program at any point now or in the future.
Timeline
Every person who joins my Waitlist, whether for a pet, breeder, or in the Emotional Support Maine Coons Program, goes on the same waitlist. They join in the order complete the application process and sign and return the Waitlist Agreement. This is the same order everyone gets to pick their kitten. The sooner you join my Waitlist, the sooner you will get your kitten.
The only acceptation to this is for breeders, or military/first responders in the Emotional Support Maine Coons Program. Breeders or military/first responders in the ESMCP can jump to the top of the list to get their kitten sooner. However, they will still be behind anyone who has jumped to the top of the list ahead of them.
I do not like to keep a long waitlist. So, I cap my waitlist when I feel like it will be longer that 10 months before I can get someone a kitten. To give you an idea of what this means, I first have to wait for my Queens to be ready and healthy enough to breed. This usually means I do not breed a Queen for the first time until she is 12 months old. An active Queen I usually do not breed for 3-5 months after her last litter has left. Once a Queen can breed, if the mating is successful, she will be pregnant for 9-10 weeks. Then once she gives birth, I keep the kittens until they are 14 weeks old. So, that means it will be a minimum of 5 months for the first person on my waitlist, assuming they joined at the time of mating.
My Queens tend to have 4-6 kittens in a litter. So, looking at the breeding timeline, which Queens I will be breeding and how many kittens I can expect from each of them, I can usually give a fairly accurate timeline to when you can expect to bring your kitten home.
Most people join my Waitlist for a black or blue smoke, or a tabby male kitten. Those wanting that specific kitten are going to have a longer wait time. Someone wanting a female kitten in just about any color/pattern will have a shorter wait time.
Reserving a Kitten
When the kittens are 6-8 weeks old, kittens will be opened for reservation. Certain kittens may be set aside for one reason or another, and those kittens will not be available to reserve at that time. The first person on my waitlist will have 3 days to tell me which kitten they would like to reserve. I will then send the Sales Contract for that specific kitten, and the person will have 2 days to sign the contract, send it back to me and pay the reservation fee. Once the first person has completed the reservation process, the 2nd person on my list will go through the same process, and so on down my waitlist until all of the kittens have been reserved.
Since the ultimate goal of breeding is to further the Maine Coon Breed, breeders get 1st pick of all kittens. Those on the Waitlist for a pet kitten will be able to pick their kitten after the breeders on our Breeding Waitlist have picked their kitten, regardless of your number on the Standard Waitlist. Breeders must join the Breeding Waitlist before the litter is born to get priority picking.
When it is your turn to pick your kitten, you do have the option to choose a kitten that is a different gender and/or color/pattern from what you joined my Waitlist for.
If you decide at the time of reservation that you would like 2 kittens, but only joined the Waitlist for 1, you may have the option to reserve a 2nd kitten along with your 1st kitten. However, everyone else on my Waitlist must pass on the kitten first.
Once your kitten has been officially reserved, you will receive weekly pictures/videos and updates on your kitten. You will also have the chance to name your kitten.
During this time, you will be preparing for your kitten to arrive in your home. My website has a page with all of the things I give, feed and use on my cats and kittens, along with links to where you can buy them. That way you will be able to have everything ready for your kitten before he/she arrives. This page will be especially important for you since I require you to keep your kitten on the same food I feed, and same litter I use for the first 30 days your kitten is in your home. This will help your kitten adjust easier and be a little less stressed.
Please make sure you read the “Instructions for Acclimation” section in the Kitten Care Agreement. This is especially important because those instructions are what you should/should not do with your kitten when he/she first gets to your home. These instructions will help set you and your kitten up for success together. The Kitten Care Agreement is not signed until your kitten is 13 weeks old, however, you have a copy of it in this packet and can also find a copy on my website.
After your kitten has been reserved but is still in my care, the kitten is still mine. I call all the shots and do what I feel is best for the kitten with the advice of my veterinarian. Until the kitten is in your home, you do not have the option to make decisions for the kitten. I do have the option to void the Sales Contract, refund your reservation fee (possibly), and find a new home for the kitten if you become difficult and demanding.
Visiting
If you are close enough to come visit, I do allow 1 visit after the kittens are 9 weeks old and have had their second set of vaccines. Visits are also not allowed unless you have already reserved your kitten or are coming to reserve your kitten. This is for the protection of all my cats and kittens. My cattery is not a petting zoo.
If you are close enough that you would like to come a pick out your kitten in person, I can make arrangements that as well. However, that will likely be before the kittens are 9 weeks old. So, in those cases you will be able to see the kittens, but you will not be able to touch or handle them. I will pick up each kitten and point out their unique features so you can get a good look them.
If you have children you would like to bring with you on your visit, that is allowed. However, children under 10 years old are not allowed to pick up any of the cats or kittens in my cattery, including your reserved kitten. Once again, this is for the protection of my kittens. Playful kittens are often very squirmy and have sharp claws, even if they have recently been trimmed. Children often do not react well in those situations, even if they have handled kittens before, which could result in the kitten being dropped and then potentially hurt. So, in order to keep my kittens safe, it is my blanket policy that children under 10 years old can only pet the kittens, not handle them. I need to ensure my kittens are kept safe for their families, and even your reserved kitten is mine and my responsibility until he/she is old enough to leave my home and join yours.
Visits are limited to 30 minutes. I do this because a visit can be stressful on all of the cats and kittens in my household, but also my family. You do have to remember when coming to visit that you are not entering a business, but a home. Please remember that my husband and I have 5 children, 3 dogs and many cats. My children and dogs may be present and there will likely be some noise and clutter as we are a busy family. Being gracious and understanding when you come to visit is much appreciated.
During your visit you will be able to see your kitten, his/her littermates, mom, and the nursery. Dad may or may not be available to you to meet, depending on if mom is in heat, or could come into heat soon.
Leaving the Cattery
Kittens can leave the cattery when they are 14 weeks old. They leave with their first 2 sets of vaccines and have had at least 2 vet checks. You will need to get your kitten his/her rabies vaccine at 16 weeks old, and then the 3rd and final core vaccine at 18 weeks.
When your kitten is 13 weeks old, the Kitten Care Agreement will need to be signed and the remaining balance needs to be paid. After your kitten's final vet check, somewhere between 13-14 weeks old, you will sign his/her Health Contract with Spay/Neuter Agreement. I do this to make sure your kitten is completely healthy and ready to leave. It also gives me a chance to add anything to the Health Agreement should something out of the ordinary need to be noted in the Health Contract. I will email you everything when it is time.
Occasionally, depending on the situation I will let a kitten leave early. But kittens will never leave before 12 weeks old. Generally, I will schedule the bigger kittens to leave first, maybe even a couple days early, and then schedule the smaller kittens to leave last to give them a little more time put on some weight. Sometimes the bigger kittens will push the smaller kittens away from the food bowls so they cannot get as much food. Having the bigger kittens leave first and then the smaller kittens leave 4-5 days later gives those little ones a chance to eat and not have to fight for the food. I do not like to let kittens leave when they weigh less than 5lbs. Luckily, those smaller kittens usually put on some weight quit quickly so they are close to 5lbs if not over.
Your remaining balance must be paid 4 days BEFORE your kitten's scheduled leave date. The money must have time to process through the system and be deposited into our bank account BEFORE the kitten leaves. If the remaining balance is not in my bank account the morning your kitten is scheduled to leave, the leave date will be rescheduled. I do accept cash for those wanting to pay the remaining balance in cash at pickup. However, those arrangements must be made when the kitten is 12 weeks old so the changes can be made to the Kitten Care Agreement.
If you would like to come pick up your kitten in person, you have that option. Pickups are limited to 30 minutes. I do this because any stranger coming into our home can be stressful on all of the cats and kittens in my household, but especially for your kitten. We will schedule your pickup time when your kitten is around 12 weeks old. I do not schedule overlapping appointments with other families and only allow 2-3 pickups a day. So those appointments are scheduled on a first come first serve basis.
If you would like to fly your kitten home yourself, that is an option. We will happily meet you at the closest airport to us and bring you your kitten for no additional charge. You may only fly your kitten with you in-cabin and are responsible for booking all travel. You must however, clear the travel arrangements with us before booking. Kittens flying are not able to leave until they are 14 weeks and 5 days to ensure they are healthy and at a good weight.
My Pet Nanny Service...
If you would like your kitten brought to you, I have pet nannies that can fly your kitten to you. These pet nannies are my personal, trusted friends and family members who love cats and flying. So, the pet nanny will fly the kitten, in-cabin, to your airport of choice. You will then meet the pet nanny at the airport and pick up your kitten there.
To ensure the safety of the kitten, I require you to let me know who will be meeting the pet nanny at the airport, their name and cell phone number. This information will be passed onto the pet nanny, and she will require the pick-up person to show their ID before the kitten is turned over. You will also receive information on your pet nanny, along with a picture so you can get to know her a little.
To arrange to have the kitten flown to you, you will need to sign my Travel Agreement. That explains all of your responsibilities and allows you to tell me what airport you want the kitten to fly to, what dates work best for you to pick up the kitten, and how much you want to spend on the flights. I then find a pet nanny and book all of the travel myself. When I have everything booked, I will send you a bill for the total amount and you will be required to pay that within 3 days. If the bill is not paid within 3 days, there will be a 20% fee added to the total amount of the bill, and that amount will be added to the balance due for your kitten. When your kitten is 13 weeks old and you are paying the remaining balance, you will also be required to pay the travel bill. The remaining balance and travel bill must be paid in full before the kitten will be allowed to leave with the pet nanny.
The travel expenses include: the airline tickets to and from you for the pet nanny, travel insurance, the airline pet fee and an airline approved kitten carrier. Those things will all be included in the bill, and the bill will have an itemized breakdown of exactly how much each part cost. Finally, when the kitten is delivered to you at the airport, you will give her $300 in cash for her services.
Kittens flying with a pet nanny are not able to leave until they are 14 weeks and 5 days to ensure they are healthy and at a good weight.
*Kittens that are being delivered by a pet nanny are not able to leave with canned food. Airlines do not allow canned food in the cabin.
Health Agreement
The Health Contract with Spay/Neuter Agreement is the final contract that is signed. I cover a wide array of health problems, including genetic and general health issues, as well as sudden death of the kitten. If your kitten has any sort of health-related issues, they will be listed in the Health Agreement. (The only health issues I have had to put into a health contract have been an undescended testicle, umbilical hernia, and constipation). Again, the Health Agreement will not be signed until after your kitten's final vet check. This ensures we both know that the kitten you are taking home is completely healthy. Should the kitten not be completely healthy for some reason, we will update the Health Agreement and go from there so everything is done for the benefit of the kitten and all parties involved. Most of the time it only requires the kitten to stay in my cattery a few days longer for some antibiotics, and then he/she can join your family.
Spay/Neuter Agreement...
Starting in October 2023, all pet kittens will go home with a spay/neuter agreement with SpaySecure. SpaySecure is a 3rd party entity who partner with breeders to ensure their kittens who do not have breeding rights are spayed/neutered as expected. This is done at no additional cost to you, as the cost for SpaySecure is built into the price of each kitten. If you would like more information on SpaySecure, you can click here.
Growth...
Many people think that spaying/neutering a Maine Coon before 2-4 years old will stunt their growth or cause problems with their bones down the line. But really there is not enough solid research to support this. Truthfully, the research shows that Maine Coons who are spayed/neutered are larger and have longer, fluffier hair than those who are not spayed/neutered. Bone/join issues is a slight possibility. The research is mixed on if spaying/neutering early is good or bad for bone/joint growth. However, spaying/neutering a Maine Coon at 1 year has much less chance of causing bone/joint issues that spaying/neutering at 6 months or earlier. Spaying/neutering your kitten no later than 1 year old also prevents you from dealing with some really annoying behavioral issues, that may or may not resolve after you have the cat spayed/neutered.
Male Cats Spraying...
I have many people concerned about their male kitten spraying if they wait until 6 months to neuter him. But spraying is something most people are vastly uninformed about. Yes, most male cats spray if they are not neutered. However, spraying is an instinctual habit driven by the desire to breed. This will not happen until the male has reached sexual maturity and his breeding drive has fully kicked in. Especially if you do not have any female The likelihood of your male kitten spraying before he turns a year old is very small. Therefore, you will be perfectly safe to wait until your male kitten is even 10 months old to have him neutered.
Registration
All of my cats and kittens are registered with TICA. However, I keep the registration papers for the kittens until you send me proof that your kitten has been spayed/neutered. If you would like to see proof that you will in fact, be able to register your kitten, I can provide you with the necessary documentation. Litters are not registered until they are around 12 weeks old so I can be sure of their color, pattern and eye color. This information is necessary to have at the time of litter registration, and it is important the information is accurate. Once the litter has been registered, I will be able to show you a copy of your kitten’s registration papers, but until then I do have the registration papers for your kitten’s parents, as well as my Cattery registration that I can show you copies of.
Once you send proof that your kitten has been spayed/neutered, I will complete your kitten's registration. You will be sent a link to TICA’s website, and you will fill out your name, address, phone number and email address. I will then use that information to register your kitten with TICA under your name. You will still be able to register your kitten under just about any name you would like, but there are a few stipulations TICA puts on registered cat names. When it is time to register your kitten, I will send you the necessary information so your kitten is registered under the name you want and will be happy with, in a timely manner. After I have registered your kitten with TICA, I will email you a copy of her official TICA registration papers.
Registering your kitten is not optional and is important to have done. Even if you are not going to be breeding or showing, registering your kitten is your proof of ownership. TICA can also have your kitten's microchip number on file and be of assistance if your kitten is ever lost. If you were ever to have a crisis and not be able to afford basic care for your kitten, or are in area struck by a natural disaster, TICA has some programs in place that can help you. So, there are many advantages to registering your kitten, even if you are not breeding or showing.
Registering your kitten also will not cost you anything other than a few minutes of time. I pay the registration fee out of your final payment and take care of all the paperwork. Once I receive the official registration papers from TICA, I send them to you. All you need to do from there is print or save the PDF in a safe place in case you ever need them. If you need to return the kitten to me at any point in his/her life, you will be required to sign the registration papers to turn ownership back over to me.
Breeding & Showing
Breeding rights and Showing rights are 2 things that must be given by me in order for you to do with your kitten. When a litter is registered, I have to decide at that point if I am going to give breeding rights or showing rights to each individual kitten. If you are wanting a breeding kitten or showing kitten, I must know that when you join my Waitlist.
Breeding Rights...
Kittens are not automatically given breeding rights. Just about all of my kittens are sold as pets without breeding rights, but occasionally I will sell a kitten with breeding rights. If you are interested in breeding rights, let me know before the Waitlist Agreement is signed. You will however need to be an active breeder or someone actively working to start breeding.
If you breed your kitten without having breeding rights, they will not be able to be registered, even if you breed the kitten with another registered Maine Coon. You also will be in violation of our Health Contract and subject to legal action.
Showing Rights...
Showing your kitten is something that almost anyone who gets one of my kittens can do. Your kitten being spayed/neutered does not disqualify them from being shown. Age also does not disqualify them, so you can show them at any point in their life, after they have been spayed/neutered, you have the registration papers from me and have successfully submitted them to TICA.
To show your kitten, you must have show rights from me. I watch all of my kittens as they grow and decide which ones I feel will make good show cats. The kittens I feel will be good show cats will get show rights, even if you do not ask for them. Kittens I do not feel will make good show cats will not be given show rights. I make this final decision when the kittens are 10-12 weeks old based on their physical characteristics. If you know from the beginning that you would like a show cat, please let me know right away. I can usually pick out at least a couple from every litter that I think will be beautiful cats and perfect for showing when they are about 8-10 weeks old.
Kitten Care Agreement
The Kitten Care Agreement is one of two final contracts you will sign before your kitten leaves the Cattery. This Agreement has all of my instructions for how to care for your kitten, including taking your kitten outdoors, declawing, food and litter brands and instructions for acclimating your kitten to your home. If you have a question on the best way to care for your kitten, it will likely be addressed in the Agreement. It is very important that this Agreement is followed for the health of the kitten, and to help you start your relationship off right. My ultimate goal is to set the two of you up for success!
The following are just a few of my Rules for Acclimation that must be followed to honor the Kitten Care Agreement and Health Agreement...
-The kitten must remain in your home and cannot be taken/let outside, in an outdoor enclosure, or be taken to another residence or facility for the first 7 days after entering your home. You may take your kitten to a licensed veterinarian, and I recommend you do so within the first 5 days of having your kitten home.
-Your kitten is not to have run of the house and needs to be kept in a single room for the first 7 days of having your kitten home. You also must be quarantine your kitten from all household pets for the first 7 days of having your kitten home.
-Your kitten must be kept on the same food and litter I use in my Cattery for the first 30 days.
-You cannot bring a new animal into your home shortly before or after the kitten you get from me enters your home.
-Children must be closely supervised with playing/handling the kitten. The kitten must have a space where he/she can retreat if necessary.
Pricing
Our kittens are $2,500 for PET ONLY. For detailed information on our pricing, as well as what every kitten goes home with, please click here.
