A Complete Price Guide for Maine Coon Cats

One of the most gorgeous cats in the world also happens to be the largest: The Maine Coon. Not only is this a large cat, but it is also one of the most sought after. There are many reasons people are attracted to this cat, one reason may be its size, but there’s also their personality, intelligence and temperament to consider. In fact, there’s absolutely no doubt about it, this giant of the Northeast has proven itself to be a loyal and fun loving companion for any family who is suited to it and what it needs to flourish under their care.

If you think that a companion animal like this doesn’t come cheap, well you’d be right. These cats cost a pretty penny because they’re worth it. However, the Maine Coon cat price doesn’t just include the purchase price, as we’ll come to see, but a lifetime of expenses as well.

What Exactly is a Maine Coon Cat?

While most cat breeds we’ve come to know and love have a history involving foreign lands, the Maine Coon does not. In fact, it’s totally an American breed, through and through. They are called ‘Maine’ Coon cats because it is believe that this is their origin. As such cats were not native to this continent, it’s been suggested that they were probably mousers on the sailing ships of old.

One thing is for sure, that they Maine Coon’s development came as a result of various types of cats mating in the countryside. We said, ‘cats’. There is no scientific evidence that backs up the decades old claim that the Maine Coon was the result of cats and raccoons mating. Taking on a pet is a big responsibility. Once you adopt or pay for an animal to be your companion, you’re in it for life–or you should be.

Sadly, way too often someone will look at a photo of an animal, or see a friend have one, and on the basis of that alone, purchase one for themselves, only to find they don’t want it, so abandon it. Such a thing happens all too often, and the Direwolf from Game of Thrones fame is one example. According to this news story, some fans of the show wanted to get a Northern Inuit, the dog that portrayed the Direwolf.

However, people soon found out they were a handful and began to abandon them. So, just to make certain that you’re familiar with the needs of the Maine Coon cat, we’ll just go over some of the particulars. After all, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, after reading this you’ll either decide that the main coon is the cat for you, or respectfully change your mind.

Overall Size of the Maine Coon

In 2016 some neighbors swore they saw a bobcat lurking about. Turns out, that it was just Spock, a local Maine Coon cat who just happened to weigh in at 27 pounds. Another occurrence happened across the pond, in Essex, England. An alert neighbor notified police that she spied a large animal. They named this animal the “Essex Lion”.

As it turns out, this ‘lion’ was nothing more than a sweet, lovable Maine Coon cat named “Teddy Bear”. Before you go out and get a Maine Coon kitten, lets make one thing perfectly clear: Unless you’ve heard about it before hand, these Maine Coon cats can get pretty big. In fact, that world famous publication, the Guinness Book of World Records knows this breed all too well. Years past, the Guinness book of world records gauged the largest cat by weight only. Today, that’s all over with.

Today, they judge size by the length and height of the cat. On May 22, 2018, a Maine Coon named Barivel became the next Guinness World Record holder for the worlds largest cat. Barivel hales from Italy and measured a grand total of 3 feet, 11 inches long. At present Barival lives with his human companions, Cinzia Tinnirello and Edgar Scandurra in Vigevano, Italy. Just a friendly reminder, if you are only interested in the Maine Coon Cat because you love the large size, then only find an adult.

This is because not all Maine Coon’s get to be massive in size. While many do, there are also some that attain the size of a standard large cat. Therefore, if size is what you want, get a Maine Coon who’s already large. If you just purchase a kitten, you’ve no way of knowing the size they’ll grow into.

Temperament and Personality

That’s right. This isn’t some gorgeous, snobby cat. Nope,the Maine Coon enjoys the family life, and if socialized properly around other pets, will enjoy their company as well. In fact, they have a lovely knick name which espouses this trait: The dogs of the cat world. So, you say you’re looking for a ‘buddy cat’? A cat which will be your best friend on rainy Sundays, sit next to you on your couch as you sip hot coco? Well, this very well could be the breed for you. Not only are they affectionate, but they’re loyal as well.

All together, not a bad companion animal for home or apartment. Their sweet temperament make them the gentle giants of the cat world, their love of the social life makes them the ‘dog of the cat world’. These are huge cats, with lots of love to share so need an owner who can give them that love. If you’re searching instead for a more aloof and independent breed, one that keeps to itself, know that you need to look elsewhere for a feline friend.

That’s why it’s strongly suggested that if you plan on getting a Maine Coon, then plan on getting two while you’re at it. It seems that Maine Coons love to have a kitty friend around. This is especially true if you happen to be a busy person. By getting your Maine Coon a buddy, you know they’ll always have someone around, which is terribly important as being sociable is part of their innate character.

However, if you do decide on getting your Maine Coon a pal, remember on doubling your purchase cost and expenses! But there’s more. It seems that their sociable nature isn’t the only reason that Maine Coons are like dogs, but it’s also their intelligence and ability to learn tricks. In fact, playing fetch is one game that Maine Coons are said to enjoy, and will even teach it to themselves.

Maine Coon Kittens Take a While to Mature

If you love kittens then be you’re in luck, because the typical Maine Coon Cat takes a good 3 to 5 years to reach maturity. That’s right, you’ll be able to enjoy kitten hood a stitch longer than people who own different types of cats. For instance, when a different breed reaches 1 year old, they are well on their way to mature. However, when a Maine Coon Cat hits 1 year of age, you’ll see growth in the paws, but they’ll still be acting far from a mature adult cat. By the time your Maine Coon reaches maturity at around 4 to 5 years old, you’ll become aware of their now thickened coat, lovely coloring and markings.

Care and Feeding of Your Maine Coon

You may be surprised to know that the Maine Coon is actually a low maintenance companion animal. These sweet natured cats don’t require much in the way of grooming. Though their fur is lustrous, they just need basic brushing a few times a week. As such, there are a few pointers when it comes to grooming your Maine Coon, so we’ll take a look at them right now.

Your Maine Coon will require minimal maintenance with grooming. However, it’s important that the brush you purchase has soft bristles. Not only that, you need to use a light hand when brushing. It won’t matter if the bristles are hard of soft if you have a heavy hand and dig down into the fur to the point where you scratch the skin.

Scratching the skin just once may be enough reason for your Maine Coon to run away when they see the brush, which could add a future expense to the list, as you’ll have to pay for a professional groomer to tend to the coat. According to Thumbtack, it can cost around $60 per visit to groom your cat Food for your Maine Coon is relatively inexpensive unless you opt for a gourmet brand. Keep in mind this is a big cat, so will need more food in its plate than your grandma’s tabby. Again, depending on the brand, you can look at a range of $500 to $1000 per year for a food bill.

Pricing Your Maine Coon

Now that you’ve a good idea of the care, feeding, basic characteristics and overall size, you can ask yourself if thus is the breed you want, and can handle. If so, then lets get down to business with regards to the Maine Coon cat price. First, we’ll take a look at breeders. From there you can gauge just how much select breeders are selling their kittens for.

What to look for in a Maine Coon Cat Breeder

Congratulations for deciding on the Maine Coon as your companion animal. Now, it’s time to find the best Maine Coon breeder for you. First, we’ll visit The International Cat Association. The TICA is a reputable all-breed cat association which hosts breeders on their page. Before a breeder can be listed on their page, they must abide by their TICA Breeder Code of Ethics.

Once they sign the code, they can list their business. Once at the Maine Coon cat breeder page, you can begin to look for breeders based on your state. Even though they are listed here, it’s still a good idea to keep watchful. For instance, a good breeder will guarantee that the kitten/cat you’re interested in is in good health. If your kitten is not of show quality, a responsible breeder will make sure you fix your cat if they have not already done so. Read the sales agreement carefully to make sure you can fulfill the requirements the breeder listed.

Before you make your final decision, play with the kitten to ensure it’s properly socialized and take it to a vet of your choosing to have it examined again. Once you’ve made up your mind on the breeder and picked out your kitten, you may have to wait a bit until the kitten is weaned, vaccinated, litter trained and socialized. This should happen around 14 weeks of age. Check with the sales agreement that the breeders will write up for you, don’t get gypped. Make sure they’ll pay for certain things they told you about verbally. If they told you they’ll pay for the spay/neuter, make sure it’s in writing before you sign, and so on.

How Much Should I Pay for a Maine Coon Kitten/Cat?

There’s no one general answer regarding the Maine Coon cat price. The reason being the number of variables involved, such as parentage. However, one can expect to pay from between $1000 to $2000 for a kitten. That may seem a lot, but keep in mind a good breeder wants to perpetuate the breed in a positive way, and only serious Maine Coon cat fanciers will pay up to $1000 or more.

For instance, At Last Cats is a Maine Coon Cattery located in New Hampshire, USA. When they have a litter, the kittens are priced at $1500 each. You can also read about their purchasing process here where they are quite detailed as to what is entailed in the process. Adult cats usually go for less, unless its a champion that’s being used to breed, such as an award winning stud. Kittens from mixed parentage will probably go for $250 to $500, more or less depending on the parentage, age, and breeder. If an adult cat is no longer good for breeding, they can be purchase for around $500 to $700 dollars.

Maine Coon Adoption/Rescue Agencies

While it’s nice to purchase a kitten from a reputable breeder, know that there are hundreds of homeless Maine Coon cats that you can get right now, who are living in foster homes and shelters across the country. The adoption fees for each rescue will vary. Some will charge a $100 adoption fee, while others may go as high as $200 or so. The only way to know is to investigate for yourself.

Possible Future Health Expenses

Maine Coon’s health can vary from cat to cat. However, there are certain illnesses Maine Coons are more susceptible than others. So, before buying one of these gorgeous cats, make certain that you are aware of any possible ailment your cat may get:

• Spinal Muscular Atrophy
• Stomatitis
• Periodontal Disease
• Hip Dysplasia
• Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
• Polycystic Kidney Disease
• Obesity

You may consider purchasing pet insurance for your Maine Coon. For most cases you should expect to pay around $25 per month for pet insurance.

Hidden Expenses

The purchase price of your Maine Coon cat isn’t the only cost to consider. In truth, you must look down the road to consider the hidden costs. Being a pet owner isn’t always cheap, so lets look at what is entailed. Below is a list of hidden costs that you may not have figured into your “True Cost” of owning a Maine Coon cat:

• Food
• Veterinary expenses
• Bedding
• Toys
• Boarding if necessary
• Replacing any furniture that may get damaged
• Scratching post(s)
• Travel Expenses if you intend on traveling
• Micro-chipping

Final Thoughts

How about those massive, sweet and gentle giants? We just knew you’d love them, as do we. However, when it comes right down to owning a companion animal, just adoring them is not enough–you have to pay for them too. The cost of a kitten isn’t the one and only factor here. The true cost of owning a Maine Coon considers not only the purchase price, but all the expenses that go into owning a Maine Coon, for the rest of its life. That’s right, the true cost involves the present expenses as well as estimating lifetime expenses. Once you do that, you will know if you can afford one or not, and that’s just how it should be.

You can also read:

• 20 Maine Coon Cats That Will Make Your Cat Look Tiny
• 20 Things Only Maine Coon Cat Owners Would Understand