Frequently Asked Questions

         We specialize in breeding Maine Coon cats and follow the Code of Ethics as required by 

                                               The International Cat Association (TICA).

              Tahoe Maine Coons is listed on TICA’s website under BREEDER LISTINGS as a 

                                                 verified Maine Coon cat breeder. 

Our Maine Coons maintain a high standard of health and care, including adequate room for exercise, regular handling and grooming, comfortable living areas, adequate ventilation with natural light, a balanced diet serving Royal Canin  Mother Kitten mousse and kibble along with clean water, regular vaccines, deworming, Revolution and veterinary care.     

We choose Dr. Lindsey Sjolin, Veterinarian/Owner of Alpine Animal Hospital.

Her expertise in examining our Maine Coon kittens has gained our trust.

Kittens are arriving late Spring 2025.

If you are interested in adopting one of our gorgeous pure bred European Giant Maine Coon kittens, we encourage you to send us an email. We will then respond back to you with our Kitten Application. Once we receive your response, we will review your answers and respond accordingly with our Contract.

Stay tuned for our upcoming adventures here at Tahoe Maine Coons.

Kittens start at $2500. Serious Buyers only.

Buyers are required to complete the Kitten Application first, which we email to you directly.  
Send us an email at tahoemainecoons@gmail.com 

Please fill out the Application. We ask if you can respond in a humble fashion on the health care and living arrangements for the kitten.

We will only place a kitten/cat with a solid family or individual with trust.      . 

Once the Application is submitted, it will be reviewed for approval. Once approved, the contract will be filled in and submitted to you for review. You initial/sign/date for acceptance of terms and return it back to Tahoe Maine Coons by email or faxThe contract is confidential.

A non-refundable holding-fee of 500.00 of the adoption fee is required to reserve a kitten or cat within 3 days the contract is signed. Should the buyer decide not to adopt the kitten/cat listed in their contract, the holding-fee is either forfeited or transferred to a different kitten/cat, either in a current litter (if available) or a future litter on a first-come-first-serve basis.  

The remaining balance is required at least 2 weeks before pick-up. 

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Telephone conference calls along with video calls will be arranged so we can get to know each other and have the opportunity to ask questions.

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If you are a registered breeder in good standing, a trade may be an option.

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We look forward in having you a part of our Tahoe Maine Coon family.   

`Yes. We have done DNA genetic testing on each of our Maine Coons. Each parent is tested for HCM. SMA, PKdef, Hip Dysplasia, FIV, FeLV  and many other genetic variants.   

`Yes. There is a one year guarantee against genetic illnesses.

`Our kittens are vaccinated at approximately 8 and 12 weeks.. This vaccine is designed for kittens to provide immunity support against Feline Rhinotracheitis, Calicivirus and Panleukopenia. 

Rhinotracheitis (FVR), also known as Herpesvirus, causes upper respiratory disease and tissue inflammation around kitten eyes.

Calicivirus (FVC), is a highly contagious feline disease, causing mild to severe oral and respiratory infections. The virus typically starts at the back of the kittens mouth and replicates, spreading through the bloodstream to the organs.

Panleukopenia (FP) is a contagious and dangerous viral disease cause by the feline parvovirus, severely affecting kittens. FP invades, attacks and kills kitten cells.

`Immediately after birth, a kitten receives a temporary form of immunity through the colostrum, which is the milk produced by the mother cat shortly after birth, laden with protective antibodies. This first milk is produced only for a few days after birth and contains proteins called maternal antibodies. For about 24-48 hours after birth, the kittens intestine allows absorption of these antibodies directly into the blood stream. this passive immunity protects the kitten during its first few weeks of life when the kittens immune system is immature, but in order to remain protected against these diseases, the kitten must produce its own, longer-lasting active immunity.

Vaccinations stimulate active immunity, but they have to be given at just the right time. As long as the mother's antibodies are present in the kitten's bloodstream, they prevent the immune system from responding effectively to the vaccines. When a kitten is ready to respond to vaccinations depends on the level of immunity in the mother cat, the amount of antibody absorbed by the nursing kitten, and the general health and nutrition of the kitten.

Since it is difficult to know exactly when an individual kitten will lose is short-term passive immunity and be ready for immunizations, a series of vaccinations given at specific intervals increases the odds of stimulating active immunity in the kitten. The goal is to give at least two vaccinations in the critical window of time that occurs after the kitten loses their maternal immunity and before the kitten is exposed to infectious diseases. Giving a series improves the chances of hitting this window twice. Also, multiple injections are needed because a single vaccination, even if effective, is not likely to stimulate the long-term active immunity that is so important. 

Rabies vaccine is an exception since one injection given at the proper age is enough to produce lasting immunity. 

To keep up the cat's immunity through adulthood,, vaccines are repeated once every 1-3 years depending on individual circumstances and vaccine type.

`Not all kittens have worms (intestinal parasites), but most of them do. The same milk that produces nursing kittens from disease and provides nutrition also carries intestinal worms, so drinking mothers milk can transfer worms to young kittens shortly after birth. Infection, can occur even earlier - before kittens are born - because some intestinal parasites can cause severe illness, treatment needs to begin when the kitten is only a couple of weeks old.

A microscopic examination of a stool sample will identify which worms the kitten is infected with so a specific treatment plan can be prescribed. Since many kittens are infected with the more common intestinal worms, your veterinarian may routinely administer a broad-spectrum dewormer that is safe and effective against several species of intestinal worms. This medication, which kills adult worms, is given every 2-3 weeks to target the most susceptible stage of the worm's lifestyle. for other types of intestinal parasites, different medications and treatment intervals ae required.

Tapeworms, one of the most common intestinal parasites in cats, do not follow this developmental pattern. Kittens do not get tapeworms from their mother. Kittens become infected with tapeworms when they swallow fleas that carry tapeworm eggs. when the cat chews or licks her coat, she often swallows a flea. The flea is digested with the cat's intestine, releasing the tapeworm egg. The egg hatches and anchors itself to the intestinal lining. Cats may also get a tapeworm infection by eating mice or birds.

There are other less common parasites that can infect kittens, such as coccidia and giardia that require special treatment. Both of these parasites can be identified with a stool sample examined under the microscope.

Cats remain susceptible to re-infection with tapeworms, hookworms, and roundworms, so periodic deworming throughout the cat's life is recommended for outdoor cats.

Kittens are currently being dewormed at Alpine Animal Hospital with Pyrantel, a broad-spectrum dewormer between 6-8 weeks and after kittens weigh 2 pounds. Then again at 10-12 weeks before they leave to their new home.   

`No matter where you live, fleas may be a threat to your kitten and to your household. Fleas spend a short time on your kitten and then venture out into your home. Adult fleas feed on the cat's blood, then hop off their host to lay eggs in the environment. Eggs hatch and the emerging larvae live and feed in your home. Larvae mature into pupae, then eventually hatch into adult fleas. The entire flea life cycle can take as little as 3-4 weeks under ideal conditions. In unfavorable conditions, the cycle can take as long as a year. Therefore, it is important to kill fleas on your new kitten before they can become established in your home.

Many of the flea control products that are safe on dogs are dangerous for kittens, so consult your veterinarian before choosing a flea control product. there are many safe oral and topical medications that control fleas, treat intestinal worms, and prevent heartworms. These products are administered once a month, even in young kittens, and will protect both your cat and your home from fleas. 

Here at Tahoe Maine Coons we use Revolution Plus, which is a simple-to-apply, quick drying, small volume, monthly topical solution that protects against roundworms, hookworms, and heartworm disease plus kills fleas, ticks and ear mites. We do not use this product on kittens less then 8 weeks, during breeding, pregnant or lactating cats. 

Revolution Plus is our Veterinarians trusted choice in feline parasite and flea protection.

`Ear mites are tiny parasites that live in the ear canal of cats where they cause itching. The most common sign of ear mite infection is vigorous and persistent scratching of the ears and shaking of the head. Sometimes the outer ear canal will appear dirty and contain black debris.

Your veterinarian will examine the ear canal with an otoscope that magnifies the tiny mites, or will take a small sample of the black debris and examine it under a microscope. Although the mites may crawl out of the ear canals for short periods, they spend the majority of their lives within the protection of the ear canal.

Ear mites are easily transmitted between cats and dogs (but not humans) by direct contact. Kittens will usually become infected if their mother has ear mites. If one pet in the household has ear mites, it is advised to treat all of your pets. Successive applications of topical medication to the kittens ear or skin will eliminate ear mites.

Here at Tahoe Maine Coons, we use our Otoscope to carefully monitor our cats and kittens ears. Our kittens are guaranteed free from ear mites.

Declawing is the amputation of the last bone of each toe. It would be like cutting off your fingers at the last knuckle. 

Declawing can cause paw pain, back pain, infection, tissue necrosis (tissue death) and lameness. Removing claws changes the way a cat's foot meets the ground and can cause pain. Improperly removed claws can regrow, causing nerve damage and bone spurs.

Here at Tahoe Maine Coons, we do not allow declawing of our cats or kittens. Our contractual agreement on no declawing is enforceable. We recommend monthly nail trims on the kittens and as needed on adults, or nail tips to be applied.    

Each kitten is evaluated prior to leaving Tahoe Maine Coons Cattery to determine proper health and socialization before being turned over to the kittens new adoptive parents. This timeline may vary from kitten to kitten, but the approximate age of departure will be between 12-16 weeks of age. Don't worry there is still a lot of cute kitten play left to experience. Maine Coon kittens are slow to mature. They don't achieve their full growth expectancy until 4-5 years of age.

The International Cat Association (TICA) ethics state a breeder should keep their kittens till at least 12 weeks of age. This ensures the kitten will be emotionally and physically ready for the kittens new home. Allowing a kitten to leave younger then 12 weeks can compromise its emotional well-being and immune system for the kittens entire life. 

Here at Tahoe Maine Coons, we want our kittens to be emotionally ready for their lifetime adventure with you and your family.   

After the kittens have been weaned from their mother, we start our kittens on Royal Canin Mother + Babycat soft mousse, along with KMR on their plate. This is an ideal starter for kittens which helps transition from milk to solid food, with proven antioxidants, including Vitamins E and C, to help support the healthy development of the kittens immune system. 

We then transition to Royal Canin Kitten "Thin slices of Gravy" mixed into the mousse, along with Royal Canin Mother  Kitten kibble (dry food) in a separate bowl. Our adult cats continue with  Royal Canin wet and dry food.

Royal Canin is Veterinarian approved. We give our kittens a very healthy start in life.

* Strong Immune System: Supports the development of the kittens healthy immune system with the inclusion of clinically proven antioxidants, including vitamin E and C.

*Healthy Growth: At 4 months old, a kittens growth rate changes with rising energy to support growing bones and muscles. The formula contains an adapted level of protein, vitamins and minerals for the final stage of kittenhood until 1 year old.

*Microbiome Support: Combination of prebiotics and highly digestible proteins to help promote a healthy balance of intestinal microbiota for digestive health.

We also prepare homemade treats for our felines. Our recipes can be found under "Homemade Treats" - coming soon.