If you are a Maine Coon admirer you’ll have noticed this breed is expensive! Are breeders justified in charging so much? We look at a range of Maine Coon prices and why this breed may cost substantially more in 2023.
How much do Maine Coon cats cost?
The price of a Maine coon ranges from $800 to $2000 (or more) and we’ll explain why this is. The average price you can expect to pay is $1500. Be extremely wary of sellers offering Maine Coons for less than $800 as it is unlikely you’ll receive a healthy purebred cat at this price.
Good Maine Coon breeders incur many expenses
Breeders might seem to charge high prices for their Maine Coons but when you understand the costs involved to ensure their cats and kittens are healthy and well cared for, you’ll begin to understand why.
Breeders’ expenses include:
- Purchase fees for healthy breeding cats
- Stud fees if they don’t own their own stud
- Genetic health screening of all breeding cats
- Annual health checks and vaccinations for all cats
- Premium food for all breeding cats
- Two sets of vaccinations for each kitten
- Vet checks for each kitten
- Premium kitten food for weaned kittens
- Registration fees for each kitten
- Identity microchip for each kitten
- Spay/neuter costs for each kitten sold as a pet (which is becoming more common before selling)
Breeders have no way of knowing how many kittens their queens will produce – sometimes a litter might have one kitten and other times nine! Some kittens are stillborn or don’t survive after birth.
So a breeder’s income varies wildly and a huge chunk is spent on caring for their breeding cats. Maine Coon breeding is not the lucrative business that many people believe it is.
Of course, there will always be those who charge a lot more than is justified but this will only be discouraged if people refuse to pay too much for a kitten.
Why cheap Maine Coon kittens should ring alarm bells
If anyone offers you a cheap Maine Coon kitten, it is very likely that corners have been cut somewhere in the breeding process, so be extremely careful.
A cheap kitten might not be healthy because its parents may not have been screened for genetically transmitted conditions. This greatly increases the chances of your kitten developing painful and life-threatening illnesses.
Breeders offering cheap kittens often make up excuses for not registering them, which often means the breeder is possibly not registered and is not following an ethical breeding program.
Many cheap kittens are not purebred. You might still love your kitten all the same but the breeder is being dishonest and is likely undoing all the good work that caring breeders have undertaken to stamp out serious illnesses within the breed.
Maine Coon Ownership Costs
How much does a Maine Coon cat cost and what is the price of actually keeping one? Here you can see a Maine Coon cat’s price from various sources and the other costs you can expect,
Each item in the following sections is covered in detail later on.
1. What is the Purchase Price of a Maine Coon?
The cost of a Maine Coon cat varies depending on where you buy it:
- Average cost from a good breeder: $1,400
- Average cost from a backyard breeder: $600
- Average cost from a shelter: $100.
2. Maine Coon One-off costs
There are some things that you only have to purchase once, take a look at the below table to understand what these costs are:
| Item | Price |
| Microchip | $45 |
| Cat carrier | $28 |
| Neuter/Spay | $200 / $300 |
| Food and water dishes | $20 |
| Bed | $25 |
| Scratching post | $50 |
| Grooming brush | $16 |
| Total | $384 / $484 |
3. Maine Coon costs over a lifetime
Next, are ongoing costs. Obviously, there’s more than just food to buy. You’ll probably be shocked at how much this will cost you every year. Take a look at this table:
| Item | Annual cost | Lifetime cost |
| Pet Insurance | $300 | $3,750 |
| Annual boosters/health checks | $150 | $1,875 |
| Food | $1,000 | $12,500 |
| Flea, worming, and tick medications | $80 | $1,000 |
| Litter box (new one each year) | $40 | $500 |
| Litter | $100 | $1,250 |
| Total | $1,670 | $20,875 |
Realistic costs of owning a Maine Coon
It may now be dawning on you just how much buying and caring for a Maine Coon cat costs. If you have ever wondered why are Maine Coon cats so expensive, now you know!
The initial purchase price pales into insignificance when you compare it to the other things you end up paying for.
Becoming a Maine Coon owner is not a decision to make without careful consideration of the costs.
As you can see from the earlier tables, your initial outlay might be $1,400 to purchase a Maine Coon cat plus one-off costs amounting to around $400 to $500.
The annual costs could be approximately $1,600. With the lifespan of a well-cared-for Maine Coon averaging 12.5 years (but often much longer), you could be looking at a total outlay of at least $21,000 – a very tidy sum!
If you add the three costs above together you reach the following totals:
- Female from a breeder – between $22,159 and $23,359
- Female from a shelter – $21,459
- Male from a breeder – $22,059 and $23,259
- Male from a shelter – $21,359
Buying a Maine Coon cat
In order to know the Maine Coon’s full history, the safest place to buy a Maine Coon kitten is from a trusted breeder who follows a healthy breeding program.
They will have certification to prove this and will be happy to let you have a very good look around their premises.
Expect the price of a Maine Coon kitten from a breeder to be between $800 and $2000. Do your research and pick a reputable breeder who has plenty of good recommendations.
When you buy a Maine Coon kitten from a breeder it should come with a registration certificate and have had its first vaccinations. This is why you pay a breeder a fairly hefty fee.
If a Maine Coon is offered to you cheaply this should ring alarm bells. You may be lucky enough to find a Maine Coon to adopt at a shelter, in which case you might pay in the region of $100.
Medical insurance costs
As soon as you become the proud owner of a Maine Coon kitten, we recommend you purchase pet insurance.
The sooner you do this the better and most companies offer policies that will cover your cat for life, including any conditions that may recur.
Expect this to cost around $25 per month (for a 1-year-old Maine Coon). For our two Maine Coons, we have used Petplan for 15 years. Get an instant quote now to see what to expect.
Microchipping your Maine Coon
Even if your cat is to be kept indoors, have it microchipped. This makes it so much easier to reunite the two of you if it ever goes missing because the unique number on the chip is registered to your name and address.
It costs about $45 which includes adding your details to a database. Ask for a chip that can also be scanned to show your cat’s temperature as this is so much easier (and more pleasant for your cat) than the traditional method.
Cost of Maine Coon cat travel
In order to travel anywhere with your Maine Coon kitten or cat, you will need a cat carrier.
To save having to buy another cat carrier when your cat is fully grown, why not just buy a large one to start with?
There are so many varieties so have a good look around. Expect to pay anything from $28. Here are a few I recommend.
Vaccinations and annual health check costs
Your kitten should have had vaccinations whilst with the breeder. The last set is usually given at 16 weeks of age so you may need to take your kitten for a final set of vaccinations if you acquired it before it reached 16 weeks.
After this, you should take your Maine Coon for booster vaccinations on an annual basis. If you combine the boosters with an annual health check the cost should be around $150.
Cost of neutering or spaying
If you are not a Maine Coon your breeder, may be considering having your cat neutered or spayed. It is best to do this regardless of whether your cat is to be an indoor or outdoor cat.
The cost of a male’s operation costs approximately $200 whilst for a female it is $300.
The price of regular flea, worm and tick treatments
It is a good idea to treat cats for these things on a monthly basis. Your vet can provide the tablets and treatments you need with the correct dosage for your cat’s weight. Expect these to cost you around $80 per year.
Cost of health problems or accidents
Maine Coons are generally robust, healthy cats but accidents can happen and illnesses can arise.
As long as you have purchased decent pet insurance then all you will have to pay is the excess stated on the policy, as long as the medical bill does not exceed the policy’s annual limit.
There is no knowing if you will ever actually make a claim from your cat’s medical insurance. I hope you never have to.
But if you don’t have any insurance, the vet fees for a relatively minor operation can run into thousands of dollars.
We have used our policy at least 8 times in 14 years and the amount we have claimed has far outweighed the amount we have paid in premiums.
Also, if you take out pet insurance later in your cat’s life you will find it difficult to get cover for any existing conditions. And there comes an age where no insurer will begin to cover your cat.
A responsible breeder always screens their breeding cats for common Maine Coon health issues such as Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy (HCM), Hip Dysplasia, and Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA) amongst other conditions that are known to occur in the breed.
Therefore, ask for proof of this so you can be sure your new Maine Coon kitten will be in good health.
Food and drink costs
Once your Maine Coon is fully grown (at about 3 or 4 years of age), you should feed it food developed for cats of that age.
Guidelines say an adult cat should eat 30 calories per pound of body weight per day. The average Maine Coon reaches 8 to 18 lbs in weight.
A 13 lb cat requires 390 calories daily and an 18 lb cat requires 540 calories daily. For an 18 lb cat, this equates to approximately 3 cans (3oz each) and half a cup of dry food each day.
Looking at the prices of popular cat food, it will cost about $1000 per year to feed an 18 lb Maine coon.
You can pick up cat food dishes for around $20. You might also want to consider purchasing a water fountain because many Maine Coons prefer to drink from a moving water source. Find out more about drinking fountains here.
Litter box and cat litter
A large cat such as a Maine Coon requires a large litter box. Many are kept as indoor cats so plenty of18 litter is essential.
If you choose to buy a litter box, these can cost up to $40. The Petmate Giant litter pan is perfect for Maine Coons. It’s available on Amazon – here’s a link to see the current price.
I recommend that you replace your litter box every year because they get quite scratched and can harbor nasty germs no matter how much you try to clean them.
You will also need a scoop which costs about $10. I recommend World’s Best Cat Litter as it clumps to make it easy to scoop out the used sections and it lasts for ages.
Expect to pay around $28 for a good-quality litter that will last you about 3 months. Therefore, you should allow about $120 per year for litter.
The cost of a bed, toys, etc
Most people can’t resist the urge to buy a cute cat bed for their Maine Coon. Our ginger Maine Coon likes one that he can curl up tight in which proves that just because he is a large cat, he doesn’t necessarily need a large bed.
The largest Maine Coon cat might prefer to spread out on a dog bed or even your bed!
Most people can’t resist the urge to buy a cute cat bed for their Maine Coon. Our ginger Maine Coon likes one that he can curl up tight in.
A cozy bed costs about $25. You may find you buy a few of these over the years. I have my eye on this cave-style one at the moment…
Maine Coons will play and play no matter what age they are. It’s a good idea to invest in a scratching post or cat tree to ensure your new cat gets enough exercise, and hopefully, you will save your furniture too. You can get a basic one for about $50.
Then you can use knotted string, ping-pong balls, old paper bags, and all sorts of other cost-free items to entertain your cat. If you fancy splashing out for a few toys here is an excellent starter kit.
Cats do love catnip and can literally seem to get high on it. We use catnip spray to attract our cats to their scratching post which costs about $7 and will last for months.
Grooming Kit for your Maine Coon
Long coats need regular grooming so be prepared to brush your Maine Coon regularly. If you don’t keep on top of this you will find yourself paying out for a costly professional grooming session.
You can purchase a good grooming brush suitable for a long-haired cat for around $16. We use a slicker brush because it’s perfect for a Maine Coons coat. It is well worth it as the alternative (professional groom) will hurt your pocket – a lot!
A Maine Coon will need regular grooming. If you don’t keep on top of the knot removal, you will find yourself paying out for a costly professional grooming session.
Maine Coon Care costs if you go on vacation
You have to consider the costs of having someone care for your cat should you take a vacation.
Some people opt for a cat boarding service and some have someone visit or stay at their house. Either way involves a cost.
A boarding service can be at least $30 per day. It could cost you the same to have someone pop in to feed your cat twice a day though.
If you have a friend who is prepared to stay at your house and look after your cat this could be your best option.
But one way or another you have to consider this cost should you become a Maine Coon owner. If you need to stay away occasionally overnight you may want to consider buying an automatic feeder. You can find out all about these here.
Heart Health: Why Maine Coon prices could be higher in 2023
Many breeders carry out a swab test that confirms if a cat carries a gene responsible for causing the heart condition HCM (Hypertrophic Cardio Myopathy).
However, there are 299 other genes that are not picked up by this swab test that might also cause HCM.
Breeders who care enough to try to eradicate HCM in Maine Coons are now having the hearts of their breeding cats tested annually via an ECG from a qualified cardiologist.
The cardiologist checks for signs of HCM and can advise if a cat’s heart is healthy enough to be bred from.
This is the best check that can be undertaken to ensure breeding lines are healthy but comes at a high price – one that ultimately has to be recouped in the retail price of a Maine Coon kitten.
It really is worth paying the extra for a kitten from heart-healthy parents to know it has the best chance of having a healthy heart and living a long, happy life.
Maine Coon Price – Conclusion
The Maine Coon is one of a few cat breeds native to the United States. It was first noticed in the state of Maine in North America.
A purebred Maine Coon not only costs a lot to buy but also a fair amount to take good care of. Always use reputable breeders even though their cats may have a higher initial cost. At least you should get a real Maine Coon.
The Maine Coon cat price is nothing compared to the other expenses you’ll incur during your cat’s lifetime. In short, they are expensive cats to raise – there’s no getting away from it.
We currently have four Maine Coons. They are worth every penny and have given us and our son untold pleasure. We completely understand why this intelligent breed is known as the dog of the cat world.
But if you think you can’t afford one you should seriously reconsider owning one as it’s not fair to buy one of these loving cats and then not be able to afford to give it the care it deserves.
Maine Coon adoptions are possible but it may take some time for one to become available.
Once you own a gentle giant Maine Coon, you’ll understand immediately why they are one of the most popular breeds of pet cats. Their gentle dispositions make them perfect family pets.
Final words…
If you are considering buying someone a Maine Coon as a gift be absolutely sure they will make a good owner. Also, keep your credit card handy, or consider supplying a trust fund towards its keep!
Now read how we’ve spent over $140000 on four Maine Coons in the last 14 months!
Here are some of my favorite products for cats
Thank you for taking the time to read this article. I hope you found it helpful whether you own a cat or are considering it. I thought I’d share a few of the cat products I love which you might find really useful too.
The following are Amazon affiliate links, and if you decide to use them, I’ll earn a small commission from Amazon at no cost at all to you.
An indoor cat tree: This is an excellent item to satisfy a cat’s urge to climb and scratch. There are several sizes to choose from so you can pick the right height for your home. Our cats love this Amazon Basics tree with multi-levels, scratching posts, and a little hideaway.
Drinking fountain: Cats love to drink from flowing water. Many don’t seem to drink enough so a fountain is a good way to get them interested. This Orsda Fountain is quiet, has a large capacity, and looks stylish too.
Scratcher Lounger: The more cat-scratching posts you have the better. Many cats like to claw horizontally which is why we chose the PetFusion Ultimate cat scratcher. It has seen quite a bit of action from 4 Maine Coons but still looks great.