Hi all,
I'm researching breeders for a friend of mine who lost his 22 year-old purebred Maine Coon (kidney disease) about 6 months ago. He fell in love with the breed and is finally ready to purchase another one. We originally checked with a Maine Coon rescue, but they did not have any purebreds and my friend is absolutely set on a purebred due to their personalities and his experience with them in the past.

I am wondering if there is a list of things to look for in a reputable Maine Coon breeder- health clearances on their breeding stock that should be done, titles/activities/clubs they should have or be involved with, etc. Could someone please share these criteria?

For instance, I'm involved in showing labrador retriever dogs. For them, reputable breeders will *always* do OFA clearances on hips and elbows, and CERF eye exams to ensure there aren't any obvious heritable eye conditions. Heart clearances and several other genetic/DNA tests (like Optigen- for Progressive Retinal Atrophy, or tests for Centronuclear Myopathy or Exercise-Induced Collapse) are becoming more and more common, as well.

Some sites I've found include:
http://www.mcbfa.org/
http://www.mainecoonbc.org/

Is there a "list" of things to ask a breeder when searching for a kitten/young adult?

Thanks so much!

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