Alright, so I decided I wanted to find a Maine Coon cattery here in PA. You know, those big, fluffy cats. Seemed like a good idea at the time, something I’d been mulling over. My first step, like most folks, was just hitting the internet. Typed in the magic words, “Maine Coon cattery PA,” and waited for the results to pour in.
The Initial Search
And pour in they did. Or, well, trickle in, in some cases. Some websites looked like they hadn’t been updated since the dial-up days. Others were just, like, a name and a phone number. Made me a bit wary, you know? I’m thinking, if you’re serious about this, wouldn’t your online presence be a bit more… present?
I started clicking around, trying to get a feel for things. Some had lovely pictures, which is always a good start. But then you’d try to find information about health testing or their actual breeding practices, and it was like pulling teeth. Information was surprisingly hard to come by on some of these sites.
Digging Deeper
So, I knew I had to be more methodical. I started making a list. What was important to me? Well, healthy kittens, obviously. So I started looking for mentions of genetic testing – HCM, SMA, PkDef. Stuff I had to google myself, by the way, because it wasn’t always clearly explained.
Then there was the whole registration thing. TICA, CFA… more acronyms. I learned that these are good indicators, but not the be-all and end-all. It’s about the breeder’s ethics, really. I spent a good few evenings just reading up on what makes a cattery reputable. It felt like homework, honestly.
- Looked for clear health guarantees.
- Tried to find testimonials or reviews (which can be tricky, you know how online reviews are).
- Checked how long they’d been breeding. Experience counts for something, I figure.
Making Contact
After narrowing it down to a few potentials, I started reaching out. Sent some emails. Some got back to me pretty quick, others… crickets. One or two replies were super short, almost like they couldn’t be bothered. That was a bit of a turn-off. If you’re entrusting someone with a living creature, you want to feel like they actually care, right?
I did have a good phone call with one breeder. She asked me a ton of questions about my home, my lifestyle, if I’d owned cats before. That felt right. She was interviewing me as much as I was checking her out. That’s a good sign, I think. Showed she cared where her kittens were going.
She talked about socializing the kittens, what they feed them, the vet care they receive. It was all very open. We talked about visiting, but schedules didn’t quite line up immediately. The distance was also a factor for some places – PA is a big state!
What I Learned in the Process
This whole endeavor was quite the learning experience. It’s not just about finding cute kittens. It’s about finding someone responsible who is dedicated to the breed. I realized that patience is key. You can’t just rush into it.
The pricing was also something of an eye-opener. These cats aren’t cheap, and for good reason, if the breeder is doing everything right – health tests, quality food, vet care. But you definitely need to budget for it. It’s an investment.
Ultimately, this first pass was more about understanding the landscape. I didn’t end up bringing a kitten home right away from this initial search phase. It was more about laying the groundwork, figuring out what to look for, and what to avoid. It’s a serious commitment, and I wanted to be sure I was doing it right. So, the search continues, but now I feel a lot more prepared. It’s a journey, for sure.
