frequently asked questions

What kind of cats do you breed?

At Mountainview Maines Cattery , we specialize in breeding Euroline Maine Coons. All of our breeders were imported.

Do you breed other types of cats?

We do not breed other types of cats.

Can I purchase a kitten as a gift?

If the kitten is living in your home and it's a gift to the family yes they can be sold as a gift. If you plan to give away the kitten then no. The person who signs the kitten contract is the one who is responsible for the kitten. Kitten Health Contract is not transferable. This is a huge commitment for 12-15 years or longer.

If you need to sign for a parent, contact me further.

Do you sell breeding rights?

No, I do not sell breeding rights.

Do you stud out your males?

This could potently bring in viruses to my cattery and harm our cats. I will not stud out any of my males ever.

Does my kitten come with a Health Guarantee?

All kittens under the age of one will come with a health guarantee to their 2nd birthday. Please reference the kitten contract, on the "Available Kitten" page.

Visitor Policy

We are a closed cattery for the health of our cats. This is also our home as well. We have plenty of pictures and videos of the parents and kittens, cattery on this website. Our home is also our "cattery." Therefore, we do not conduct cattery tours, allowing the public onto our property and into our home "just to check out how large our baby kittens are" or "to see European Maine Coons for the first time". This would put our kittens at risk for outside diseases as they are not yet fully immunized. Although visiting kittens is fun, there is no health benefit or bonding that occurs from the visit. Your kitten will quickly bond to you and your family once you have them home. This also can bring on stress to our mothers when bringing strangers to see their kittens or almost due. My first priority is making sure my cats are in a stress free atmosphere. All of our cats/ kittens are well socialized with adults, children, cats, and dogs.

Who are you registered with?

We are registered with TiCA. Our cattery name is Mountainview Maines Cattery and my name is Sarah Rossman. You can call to confirm. Tica no longer allows you to look up Catteries on their website which is a great idea as to help prevent scams. The only catteries you will see on Tica are ones who pay for advertising. All other catteries you will need to call and confirm.

A note from Tica: Some individuals were using the cattery list to falsify documents to look like one of the catteries listed on TICA's website.

Are your cats DNA tested?

We test our cats through Optimal Selection. Optimal Selection tests for 40+ health genetics which our cats are all negative for. Our cats are also tested through our vet for Feline Leukemia (FeLV)/ Feline AIDS (FIV) and negative.

All Maine Coons in a breeding program should be DNA tested for Congenital HCM, PKD, and SMA. Congenital HCM is a congenital heart defect found in 3 out of every 10 untested Maine Coons. Do not let any breeder talk you into thinking that their adult cats do not need this DNA test. This is regardless of whether they had the ECHO. The ECHO only lets you know if there is a current heart issue, an ECHO will not reveal if they carry the gene for it and if they will develop it later or pass it down to kittens. Congenital HCM will show up between 1 and 4 years old (on average) and it is not curable. Both parents need to be tested to ensure that the kitten does not have the Congenital HCM gene. Have the breeder provide proof of DNA testing if needed.

Who is your Veterinarian?

I use more than one vet depending on our cats needs.

Kirtland Veterinary Hospital

Metropolitan Veterinary Hospital

Will the kittens eyes stay blue?

All kittens are born with blue eyes but none of ours will keep that color. It can take up to a year before your kitten's eye color to stop changing. Their eye color will be a gold or green. We do not have any breeders with the gene for the blue eye color.

How big will your cats get?

European Maine Coons usually stop growing around age 4 to 5 years old. It's based on their genetics how much they will weigh by then. Females can be around 15 lbs and males around 25 lbs. They grow extremely fast, but mature slowly. A male Maine coon kitten can double in size (not weight) from 1-8 months. It's really their length than weight that makes them large. Our breeders are not fixed so their weights are going to be different than a pets. Once our breeders are spayed/neutered it takes about 6 months for their fluff to come in. Some Maine Coons have a stomach pouch that hangs down from their bodies. This is normal and it doesn’t mean your cat is fat! Even some females exhibit this trait

What is a Maine Coon Cat?

They're big, and intriguing enough to consider them for your new pet. They originated in the state of Maine many centuries ago. It is believed they were brought to our country on ships that explored the new world (think Vikings, Christopher Columbus, etc.). Hence, the “Maine” part. Now, the “Coons” part did not come from cats breeding raccoons, despite the rumors. Maine Coons are similar to raccoons in a few ways, Maine Coons love water and like to play in it, they are very good with their paws, i.e. grabbing food and eating from their paws, and some classic colored Maine Coons have a “V” marking on the outside of each eye, similar to the bandit mask a raccoon has.
Throughout history, the breed has evolved to tolerate the cold...it was and is still cold in Maine! They have extra fur tufts of hair between their toes and on the tips of their ears. We call this lynx tips or brushes on their ears. Their coat is very thick as well as their tails. Their coat and tail reaches full thickness around 2 years of age.

What is a Maine Coon's personality like?

If you don’t want a cat that will be in your business, in your lap, and wanting to eat your sandwich, then maybe a Maine Coon isn’t for you. Maine Coons are very interactive with people, dogs, and other cats. Make time to spend time with your kitten everyday, and as they grow, they will be your best friend. If Maine Coons could bark, they would, because they are very similar to dogs. They are intelligent and most of them will fetch naturally, without training. They love to “talk” too. Even as young as 5 weeks, Maine Coon kittens begin to chirp or twill. This habit continues into adulthood.

Food

Food:

We use Purina ProPlanKitten food
I send home their food to help with any tummy issues. If you want to change to a completely different brand, slowly mix the kitten foods together for two weeks to help any tummy issues or diarrhea. I also feed other Tiki wet food for variety.
Maine Coon kittens need kitten food till about 18 months old. They are a slow growing breed and need the calories. It's best to free feed to make sure they are getting enough calories. They grow a ton and then slow down between 12 to 18 months old but continue to grow till about 4 to 5 years old. I also give our cats wet food daily. You do not have to feed them wet daily. That's up to you. When I'm introducing new kittens food, I start out with wet food.

Do you declaw your cats?

None of our cats we have are declawed. It's inhumane and can cause a lot of issues for the cat. I have suggestions of cat scratching posts, toys, etc under "Favorite Products." The contract that comes with your kitten will state it will not be declawed. If they are the contract is void.

Can my Maine Coon go outside?

Maine Coons have been bred for years to be an indoor animal. They can only go outside if you have them in a harness with a leash or a catio to stay safe. They cannot roam outside. If you plan to get one of my kittens to put outdoors you will need to look elsewhere. Reputable breeders will not let you have a kitten knowing you will let it roam outdoors.

How do I introduce my dog/cat to my new kitten?

When you get home it's best to have a room ready for your kitten to themselves. Have their food, water, litter, toys, bed, etc. in there with them. Everything is new and scary so expect the first few days to not be quite themselves. They can check each other out between the doors and then slowly introduce them to each other. Usually it's a quick transition for your kitten. It's much easier for them than an older cat to adjust.

Always quarantine a new pet away from other animals for a minimum of 10 days.