FAQ

For the health and safety of our cats and kittens, Charlie & The Maine Coon Cattery is a closed cattery and we do not allow in-person visitors.

Young kittens have developing immune systems and can be especially vulnerable to viruses, bacteria, parasites, and other illnesses that can unknowingly be carried in on hands, clothing, shoes, or belongings. With multiple cats and litters in our home at different stages of development, protecting their health is always our first priority.

Being a closed cattery doesn’t mean you can’t be part of your kitten’s journey! 🤍 We are happy to arrange live video chats where you can meet the kittens, see Mom and Dad, ask questions, and get a feel for their personalities. Once you have selected your kitten, you’ll also receive regular photos, videos, and updates as they grow.

We know how exciting it is to welcome a new kitten, and we want our families to feel connected while also maintaining the safest possible environment for every cat and kitten in our care. 🐾

100% yes! Health testing is an essential part of our breeding program.

All of our breeding Dams and Sires undergo comprehensive health testing before being approved for our breeding program and yearly after. This includes:

• HCM — Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
• PKD — Polycystic Kidney Disease
• PKDef — Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency
• SMA — Spinal Muscular Atrophy
• Hip screening for Hip Dysplasia
• Echocardiograms for HCM screening

We believe responsible breeding goes far beyond simply producing beautiful Maine Coons. Our goal is to breed healthy, well-tempered Maine Coons while preserving and respecting the breed standard.

Health testing does not guarantee that a cat will never develop a health condition, but it allows us to make informed and responsible breeding decisions and reduce the risk of passing known hereditary conditions to future generations. 🐾❤️

Maine Coons are one of the largest domestic cat breeds, but there is no way to guarantee exactly how big an individual kitten will become.

As a general guideline, adult females are often around 12–15 lbs, while adult males are commonly around 18–25 lbs. Some Maine Coons will be smaller or larger than these averages, and occasionally males can reach 25–30 lbs while remaining healthy and appropriately proportioned.

Genetics plays an important role, so the size and structure of your kitten’s Dam and Sire can give us some indication of what to expect—but even kittens from the same litter can mature very differently.

Maine Coons are also slow-maturing cats and can continue developing in size, muscle, coat, and overall structure until approximately 3–5 years of age.

At Charlie & The Maine Coon Cattery, we do not breed for extreme size or exaggerated features. Our focus is on producing healthy, well-tempered Maine Coons that conform to the proper breed standard. Bigger is not necessarily better—health, temperament, structure, and breed type will always come first. 🐾

Our kittens are very rarely available outside of our waitlist. Joining the waitlist is the best way to secure the opportunity to welcome a kitten from Charlie & The Maine Coon Cattery into your family.

We breed thoughtfully and responsibly, which means we do not produce kittens simply to meet demand. Our litters are carefully planned around the health, wellbeing, and readiness of our breeding cats.

Our waitlist allows approved families to choose from upcoming litters in the order they joined, while still giving you the flexibility to wait for the kitten that feels right for your family. You are not required to choose from the first litter offered to you.

It also means you get to be part of the journey! 🐾 Our waitlist families receive updates about planned litters, pregnancies, births, and growing kittens before they become publicly available.

There is a $500 CAD administration fee to join the waitlist, which secures your position. This fee is fully refundable should you decide to leave the waitlist before selecting a kitten.

We want choosing your Maine Coon to be an exciting experience—not a rushed decision. Our waitlist helps us give each family the time, information, and opportunity to find the kitten that is right for them. 🤍tem description