Interested in owning a Maine Coon? As the fourth most popular cat breed in the UK, it’s easy to believe that many people want one of these big felines. They make great family pets as Maine Coons are well known for their large size, thick coats, and affectionate nature. However, before taking the plunge to buy a cat or kitten, it’s critical to know the overall Maine Coon cat price.
Maine Coon cats will generally cost more to buy than other breeds, averaging between £300 and £2,500. This is just the initial cost of buying the cat or kitten. For ongoing costs, read on.
Due to their size, Maine Coons can be slightly more expensive to care for than other cats, like the average moggie. Although they can be relatively low maintenance, cats of this breed will require more food, need to be groomed regularly, and cost more when first bought. It is also essential to consider the potential veterinary care a cat might need throughout its lifetime and the cost of any necessary treatment.
A full breakdown of the costs associated with owning a Maine Coon cat has been provided below. This will prepare potential owners for the financial responsibilities they might have in the future.
Table of Contents
The Cost of Buying a Maine Coon in 2023
In 2023, the cost of buying most pets increased again due to the rising cost of living, and the cost of buying a Maine Coon is no different. Most breeders and adoption centres will have had to increase their prices and charges to continue supplying cats with the care and food they need. Unfortunately, this means people looking to become cat owners will be expected to pay more when buying a kitten or adult cat.
How Much Does a Maine Coon Kitten Cost in the UK?
On average, purebred Maine Coon kittens cost between £500 and £2,500 in the UK. This is expensive in comparison to the average price of kittens that have an unknown breed, which can be as little as £50 on some websites.
Crossbreed Maine Coon kittens will likely be sold at a reduced price as they are not full Maine Coons. The same can be said for Maine Coon kittens in adoption and rehoming centres. Yet, this does not mean they will be as inexpensive as the standard moggie.
How Much Does an Adult Maine Coon Cat Cost in the UK?
Adult Maine Coon cats can cost slightly less than kittens, averaging between £300 and £1,500. Again, this is still more expensive than cats available to buy with unknown breeds.
Factors Affecting the Initial Maine Coon Cat Price
There are a number of aspects that affect the price of Maine Coon cats.
Age
As previously mentioned, adults are slightly cheaper than Maine Coon kittens. This is related to the high demand for kittens and young cats. It is also linked to the fact kittens will be with their owners for longer as well as how cute they are.
Pedigree
Both purebred and cross Maine Coon cats and kittens are available to buy, with the crossbreed cats selling for slightly lower prices than the purebred cats. Although crossbreeds can be cheaper, they also have a lot of unknowns, such as behaviours, characteristics, and potential illnesses.
It is essential to find a reputable breeder when buying a purebred Maine Coon kitten or cat. Reputable breeders run health tests on their cats to ensure they are breeding healthy litters. This allows future pet owners to understand what – if any – health issues the cat might develop during its life. Breeders of pedigree cats will provide registration papers, health check records, and vaccination history to new owners.
Be cautious when looking for pedigree Maine Coon kittens for sale, as there are plenty of sellers online just looking to make more money. It is always encouraged to seek out a registered breeder or the Maine Coon Cat Club for more information.
Colour and/or Pattern
Maine Coons usually come in black, blue, cream, red, and solid white. These colours can look slightly different depending on the pattern each individual cat has, such as:
- Bi-Colour
- Calico
- Chocolate
- Himalayan (also known as Pointed)
- Lavender
- Particolour
- Shaded
- Tabby
- Tortoiseshell
Like many other pets, some colours and patterns will increase the cost of buying the cat. Gold and silver are the rarest colourings Maine Coon cats can have; these two colours are caused by pigmentation loss in the undercoat caused by a rare inhibitor gene. Yet, some breeders find the traditional appearance of a black tabby Maine Coon is the most sought-after.
Location
Where the kitten or cat is will affect the cost, too. Generally, urban areas are more expensive to buy pets than rural places.
The Additional Costs of Owning a Maine Coon
After the initial cost of buying the Maine Coon, the owner will also have to cover the cost of the pet’s care. Caring for a cat is made up of different aspects, including any accessories or equipment, food, grooming, insurance, and vet treatment. These areas of the cat’s life will add up quickly, so both potential and current cat owners should be aware of these costs.
Essential Equipment
The accessories and equipment required for a Maine Coon cat are no different than any other cat breed. Some products might have to be larger to accommodate the size of adult Maine Coons, especially males, such as collars, beds, and litter trays.
The initial products cat owners need to buy before bringing their new Maine Coon kitten or cat home include:
- Bed – £6 to £138.50
- Brush and other grooming accessories – £3 to £22
- Carrier – £12 to £149
- Cat flap – £10 to £116
- Collar/lead/harness – £1.50 to £21
- Food and water bowls – £2 to £169.99
- Litter tray – £3.50 to £142
- Scratch post – £8 to £288.50
- Toys – £0.50 to £28
These products have been supplied with a rough price estimate outlined by the Household Pets’ “How Much Does a Cat Cost?” study. Most items could be used throughout a cat’s life, but other products will have to be bought multiple times as the cat grows or the item becomes unusable.
Food
Being a large cat breed, which can weigh between 4kg and 12kg, most Maine Coons will usually eat more food than smaller cat breeds. This will cost more to keep both dry and wet food stocked up in the house.
For example, a Maine Coon weighing 5kg might cost £16.59 per month in dry food and £216.51 in wet food. If the cat were to live to the age of 15, this could cost its owner almost £42,000.
Grooming
Due to its long coat, a Maine Coon cat requires regular grooming. Not all cats will allow their owners to groom them, which means a professional cat groomer might be required. On average, a cat grooming session could cost between £55 and £160 for a Maine Coon.
If you do not want to pay a professional groomer, it is best to train the Maine Coon kitten to accept brushing from a kitten. This will reduce the risk of aggression during brushing sessions.
Insurance
Although insurance is not mandatory when owning a cat or dog, it can be a good investment. If a pet cat gets injured or becomes unwell, an insurance claim will often be put in to cover some of the costs of treatment. This can save a lot of money for pet owners; in some cases, all they have to pay is the excess.
An estimated annual insurance cost for a kitten is £139.20, but this can increase to over £500 when the cat is 15 years old. This will vary depending on the level of coverage the owner selects and the insurance provider chosen. Not all insurance levels will cover every health issue pets may have, so this is worth checking when first researching insurance providers.
Veterinary Care
Keeping a Maine Coon healthy can be costly. Thankfully, the Maine Coon is a relatively healthy breed, but it will require regular vet checkups and other care, like vaccinations, microchipping, and spaying or neutering.
Vaccinations
Annual vaccinations are essential to keep all dogs and cats healthy. Kittens will require a few vaccinations within the first few months of their lives, although these might already be administered before the cat leaves the breeder. This will then be topped up annually.
The price of vaccinations will depend on the veterinary practice, but cat owners can expect to pay roughly £50 per round of vaccinations.
Microchipping
The legislation by the UK Parliament has made it compulsory for all pet cats to be microchipped by June 2024. If a cat is found not to be microchipped, the owner could receive a fine of up to £500.
In some cases, microchipping will be included in the initial cost of buying a kitten, as the breeder will have done it. If not, this can be carried out by a vet during vaccinations; many veterinary practices have starter packs costing around £75 that include health checks, vaccinations, and microchipping for new kittens. Otherwise, microchipping could be between £15 and £30.
Spaying or Neutering
The cost of getting a cat spayed or neutered can range from £80.00 to £170.00. In some cases, this will be done before the kitten can be taken to its forever home to ensure further litters cannot be bred; breeders might also have potential owners agree to neuter the cats later in life.
Potential Health Issues
Maine Coons are hardy cats with generally good health. Like some cat breeds, though, they are predisposed to certain conditions. For Maine Coon cats, these health issues are hip dysplasia, hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, obesity, periodontal disease, polycystic kidney disease, spinal muscular atrophy, and stomatitis.
Treatment costs for these health issues will vary depending on the treatment selected, the veterinary practice, and whether the cat is insured or not. Some health conditions might not be covered by all insurance providers, so this is worth checking.
Maine Coon Cat Price: FAQs
Although the cost of caring for a Maine Coon might not be much more than the lifetime cost of the average cat, it can be on the higher end of the scale. This is why it is essential to research before purchasing to determine if you can afford it.
With more knowledge on the subject, you will have a better understanding of the financial responsibilities of owning a Maine Coon cat. For more information, some questions are commonly asked by people looking to buy a Maine Coon, such as:
Where to buy Maine Coons in the UK?
In the UK, there are a number of reputable Maine Coon breeders that can be contacted online, over the phone, or in person.
However, one of the best places to find a pet cat is in animal shelters or rescue centres. Sometimes these services will have Maine Coon cats and kittens up for adoption; it’s just a matter of checking their websites regularly.
How do you find a good Maine Coon breeder?
There are multiple clubs and registers that cat breeders can join, such as the previously mentioned Maine Coon Cat Club. Clubs like this one display the breeders that have agreed to follow certain rules; the listed breeders available here have agreed to abide by a Code of Ethics, for example.
However, potential buyers should use their judgement and research beforehand. Good breeders will often have the kittens’ mother available to see in person; some will have both parents for potential cat owners to meet before buying a kitten. They will also want their kittens to go to suitable homes instead of selling with the sole purpose of making money.
If you visit a breeder who has a litter of kittens, you should check the following:
- The kitten’s age
- The kitten’s health
- The pedigree
You should also ask the breeder plenty of questions to determine how they treat the kittens, how the kittens are being trained, and what experience they have in breeding cats.
Why are Maine Coons so expensive?
Maine Coon cats are expensive due to a number of factors. Firstly, there is high demand for Maine Coons. These cats are gentle giants that get on well with children and other animals, and this is what a lot of potential cat owners want. This demand causes people who breed and sell Maine Coon kittens and cats to increase prices.
Secondly, as a large cat, a Maine Coon requires more food and larger accessories, which can cause the overall cost to rise. They might also need to be groomed by a professional to keep on top of their semi-long coat.
Also, the cost of living crisis has affected the Maine Coon cat price, similar to other cat breeds.
To Sum Up
Several factors increase the price of owning a Maine Coon. Most of the time, it is the initial cost of buying the cat that means the Maine Coon cat price is higher than that of the average moggie. However, potential cat owners should also consider the ongoing costs of accessories, food, grooming, insurance, and vet care when thinking about buying or adopting this cat breed.
As stated in this article, a Maine Coon cat may require professional grooming to keep its long coat looking nice. It may also develop health conditions that the breed is predisposed to. These factors should be thought over before anyone decides that a Maine Coon kitten or cat is the right choice.
So, by using the information in this article, you will be prepared to decide if this is the cat breed for you.