If you have set your heart on owning a Maine Coon kitten, you might be in for a shock when you ask a breeder how much do Maine Coon kittens cost.
This is because Maine Coons kittens are one of the most expensive cat breeds you can buy!
Buying a purebred Maine Coon cat is expensive. In the United States, Maine Coon kittens from reputable breeders cost between $400-$2000, compared to £325 – £1623 in the UK. A kitten’s price is determined by its quality, age, health, pedigree status, and vaccination history. Maine Coon cats purchased for show purposes cost significantly more.
This increasingly popular cat breed has a reputation for being extremely docile, gentle, and loyal.
They make great family pets and are ideally suited to families with young children due to their calm, non-aggressive temperament.
How Much Does A Maine Coon Cat Cost?
Maine Coon kittens have become increasingly popular over the last few decades, and have an expensive price tag to match their huge popularity levels.
As one of the most expensive cat breeds to own in the world, potential owners should be prepared to pay an average of $400-$2000 US dollars per kitten.
This is equivalent to between £325-£1623 in the United Kingdom.
Whilst this price range may initially appear somewhat broad, it is important to understand that a Maine Coon kitten’s price tag varies significantly, depending on eight key factors.
Maine Coon Kitten Price By Country
How much do Maine Coon kittens cost, will ultimately depend upon the country in which you reside.
The table below summarises the average cost you can expect to pay for a Maine Coon kitten, in a few countries across the world:
| Country | Average Cost |
|---|---|
| UK | £325 – £1623 (GBP) |
| US | $400 – $2000 (USD) |
| New Zealand | $1500 (NZD) |
| Australia | $1000 – $3000 (AUD) |
| Africa | R8000 |
How Much Does A Maine Coon Cat Cost In The UK?
You can expect to pay between £325 – £1623 GBP for a Maine Coon kitten in the UK.
The Maine Coon price is dependent both upon pedigree status, condition, and where it is purchased.
How Much Does A Maine Coon Cat Cost In Canada?
So, how much does a Maine Coon kitten cost in Canada?
Canadians can expect to pay in the region of $2,000 – $6,000 CAD for a Maine Coon kitten.
Once again, the kitten’s price in Canada will be affected by the kitten’s individual pedigree status, medical history, and quality.
How Much Does A Maine Coon Cat Cost In Australia?
Potential Maine Coon cat owners in Australia should budget an upfront spend of anywhere between $1,000 – $3,000 AUD.
How Much Does A Maine Coon Cat Cost In South Africa?
If you are looking to purchase a Maine Coon cat in South Africa, be prepared to pay approximately R8,000.
How Much Does A Maine Coon Cat Cost In NZ?
For those of you living in New Zealand who want to purchase a Maine Coon kitten, you can be expected breeders to charge you $1,5000 NZD.
How Much Does A Maine Coon Cat Cost In India?
Indians looking to purchase a Maine Coon cat should be prepared to pay a minimum of 29,000 – 30,000 rupees.
This price will significantly increase if you are purchasing a high-quality kitten (source 1).
8 Factors Affecting Maine Coon Kitten Price
There are 8 key factors that are responsible for varying the price of a Maine Coon kitten:
- Quality
- Health Record
- Vaccination History
- Purebred Status Certification
- Breeder Status
- Country purchased
- Color
- Spaying and Neutering
Although cheaper Maine Coon kittens might initially appear like bargains, potential owners should be aware of hidden health issues.
Unknown health issues could cost owners significantly more money in the long run.
1. Quality
The cost of a Maine Coon kitten is dependent upon the quality of the kitten purchased.
High-quality kittens with impeccable health records, a full and completed vaccination history, and all-important official purebred pedigree certifications will be charged at a higher rate.
Individuals interested in purchasing kittens for breeding, or show purposes should expect to pay towards the top end of the Maine Coon kitten price range.
This is because breeding and showing kittens are high-quality examples of the Maine Coon breed.
Their pedigree status is also well known, and their health records are immaculate.
2. Health
No one wants to buy an unhealthy Maine Coon kitten that will need extensive medical treatment during its lifespan, and cost an owner significant vet bills.
Consequently, buyers should expect to pay significantly more for Maine Coon kittens that have a great health record.
Thankfully the Maine Coon cat breed is known for being relatively hardy, however, they are still predisposed to the following health conditions:
- Hip Dysplasia
- Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy
- Spinal Muscular Atrophy
- Stomatitis
- Periodontal Disease
- Polycystic Kidney Disease
- Obesity
For more information on Maine Coon Health Issues, read my article top 7 Maine Coon health issues.
Before buying a Maine Coon kitten, make sure that:
- A veterinary professional has given the kitten a clean bill of health. (Buyers should expect to pay more for kittens with a proven health record).
- Request evidence that breeding cats were scanned for genetic diseases, before being allowed to produce offspring. This is particularly important since buyers need to ensure that their kitten is not a carrier of a genetic defect, that may cause health issues in the future.
3. Vaccination History
It is vital that all Maine Coon kittens are vaccinated against harmful illnesses, to prevent them from developing unwanted health issues.
Therefore, kittens with full vaccination records will inevitably cost more, since more money has been invested in their health.
Before buying your Maine Coon kitten:
- Request a copy of the kitten’s full vaccination history from the breeder.
- Contact a veterinary professional that has managed kittens’ medical care to date, to determine the authenticity of the vaccination record.
4. Purebred Status Certification
If you are purchasing your Maine Coon kitten from a registered breeder, expect to be given pedigree certification paperwork.
This certification is extremely important since it confirms that the kitten you are buying has ‘purebred’ status.
Without this paperwork, an owner cannot truly know if their kitten’s genes are mixed, or not.
Certified Maine Coon kittens cost significantly more than noncertified kittens.
Owners that knowingly buy Maine Coon kittens with mixed genetics, need to be aware that their kitten might not share the more common physical and personality characteristics of the Maine Coon cat breed.
Buyer Tip:
If a breeder cannot provide purebred status certification paperwork for a kitten, cancel the transaction immediately.
Especially if the breeder is charging in the upper range of the Maine Coon kitten price bracket.
5. Breeder Status
Registered Maine Coon breeders incur far higher breeding costs than their non-registered breeder counterparts or backyard breeders.
If you buy from a registered breeder, expect to pay a higher rate for your kitten.
Reasons why registered breeders incur higher costs:
- They feed their cats and kittens a high-quality dry food diet, which costs more. This specialized diet ensures their cats get the nutrients and vitamins their bodies need, to operate at optimal health levels. Click here to see which Maine Coon foods are best for your cat.
- Registering as an official breeder is expensive.
- They register their kittens officially, thus incurring costs.
- Ensure kittens are given all the vaccinations they need, before being sold.
- They care deeply about the breed, so only buy their cat’s high-quality toys and cat towers. If you are looking for great quality products, click here to take a look at my favorite cat toys.
- Registered breeders tend to breed cats within their own homes, so need more space to breed their litters. By contrast, a backyard breeder isn’t fanatical about the breed, so isn’t interested in their cat’s welfare. Consequently, they often keep their cats and kittens outside, in poor quality conditions.
- Registered breeders test their breeding cats for genetic defects, before breeding from them. This ensures that all kittens produced have a clean bill of health, with no underlying health issues. Healthy Maine Coon kittens command a higher price.
6. Country Purchased
The price of a Maine Coon kitten will vary significantly, depending on the country that you live.
Reasons why price variations occur:
- Different breeder setup costs
- Veterinary bills will vary from country to country.
- How widely available Maine Coon kittens are in individual countries
- Varying levels of demand for this particular cat breed
- Level of care given to Maine Coon cats
- Cost of cat products
- Price of high-quality dry food
7. Color
Everybody’s personal preferences are different, therefore certain Maine Coon colorings will always be more popular than others.
Supply and demand are thus keys in price discussions since it determines the cost of a Maine Coon kitten.
In general, solid-colored Maine Coons are likely to be charged at a premium price because they are really popular, yet more difficult to breed.
This particularly applies to the white and black Maine Coon cat.
By contrast, the tabby Maine Coon with classic, mackerel, spotted or ticked markings are massively popular, yet very common, so will not necessarily be charged at the highest rate.
8. Spaying and Neutering
Maine Coon kittens will cost more if they haven’t been spayed, or neutered.
Whilst this initially sounds bizarre, since the breeder has spent less money on medical intervention, it is actually quite logical!
This is because non-spayed or non-neutered are harder to look after, and likely to cause more damage to a breeder’s home e.g. spraying and markings over walls and furniture.
Where To Buy A Maine Coon Kitten
As one of the largest domesticated cat breeds in the world, this ever-popular cat breed can now be bought from a wide range of sellers, some more genuine than others.
Sellers include:
- Registered Breeders
- Gumtree
- Craigslist
- Pet Shops
- Backyard Breeders
- Rescue Shelter
The ideal place to buy a Maine Coon kitten is from a registered breeder.
Whilst you may pay a higher rate for your kitten, you have peace of mind that the kitten is free of genetic defects, and a legitimate Maine Coon kitten.
Unfortunately, with their rise in popularity and expensive price tag, there is an ever-increasing wave of sellers trying to make a quick buck out of unsuspecting buyers.
Whilst it is unfair to tarnish all sellers with this brush, it is important that buyers are aware that a multitude of scams has been set up to encourage release buyers from their cash.
Buyers must therefore be on their guard, and ensure that a seller is authentic and trustworthy, before handing over their cash.
For more information on how to buy a Maine Coon cat click here to read my Maine Coon buying guide.
Conclusion
How much do Maine Coon kittens cost?
Maine Coon kittens have always commanded a high price due to their pedigree status, and huge popularity levels across the world.
Whilst their average $1000 price tag might have you running in the opposite direction, try not to be put off! (easier said than done, I know!).
If you can afford one, make the Maine Coon cat top of your priority list because you will never find a more loving, clever, and affectionate cat breed in your life.
Maine Coons also make great family pets and are known for being good with young children.
In fact, rather than running a mile from noisy kids (like normal cat breeds), you will actually find your Maine Coon wants to spend as much time with its human family as possible!
For those of you that are worried about how a Maine Coon would integrate with other pets within your household, don’t be.
Unlike other cat breeds, the Maine Coons is highly adaptable and friendly. They have a reputation for getting on with other pets too.