Maine Coon cats are incredibly popular. They are well known for their amiable disposition, living well with other cats, young children, and even dogs – making Maine Coon cats a favorite pet among many.
Their appeal means they might not always be easily available or cheap. If you’re considering buying a Maine Coon from a breeder in California, anticipate spending between $3000 to $5000.
Adoption is a commendable alternative. By choosing to adopt a rescue, you not only provide a deserving cat with a loving home but also save a whole lot of money.
On the hunt for a rescue Maine Coon cat in California? You’ve come to the right place!
Every state boasts a diverse array of pet rescue groups. Here’s an overview of places in California where you can adopt Maine Coon cats, starting with the likeliest locations to discover one.
Can’t find the Maine Coon you’re looking for? Check out a couple of our other articles:
Maine Coon Rescue Groups
Maine Coon rescue groups are a great place to start, as they are dedicated to this special breed. You will find some Maine Coon Rescue Groups operate nationwide, while others will be state-specific.
Here are some Maine Coon rescue groups that operate in California.
Maine Coon Rescue
Maine Coon Rescue is a non-profit organization dedicated to rescuing and rehoming Maine Coon and Maine Coon mix cats.
Check out whether they have any Maine Coons available for adoption in your state via their Available Cats page.
East Coast Maine Coon Rescue
East Coast Maine Coon Rescue is an organization dedicated to rescuing Maine Coon cats and kittens from shelters and other sources. They specialize in Maine Coons and Maine Coon mixes, providing them with loving homes and families.
Check out whether they have any Maine Coons available for adoption in your state via their Available Cats page.
Purebreds Plus Cat Rescue
Purebreds Plus Cat Rescue specializes in rescuing purebreds and other exceptional cats and kittens. This all-volunteer nonprofit rehabilitates, socializes, and rehomes the felines in their care. After their kitties recover from past trauma and medical issues, they move on to live with a foster family to get the socialization they need for a forever home. The rescue’s main location is Davis, California. Still, their cats and kittens are with foster families in Northern CA and parts of Nevada and Oregon. You can see Purebreds Plus adoptable cats on their website.
Animal Rescue Search Sites
Next, animal rescue search sites allow you to search across a large directory of animal shelters by breed and location, making the search for a Maine Coon rescue cat a lot easier.
Here are 5 to check out:
California Organizations Dedicated to Help You Find a Rescue Cat
The following cat rescue organizations are local to California. While they don’t focus on Maine Coons, it’s worth checking whether they have any Maine Coons available.
The Cat House On The Kings
The Cat House on the Kings is California’s largest, cage-free, no-kill adoption center and a lifetime cat sanctuary. On the banks of the Kings River, this remarkable nonprofit cat rescue has been helping cats and other animals for over three decades. The rescue has been featured on Nat Geo Wild, Animal Planet, and many other media outlets.
The Cat House on the Kings houses over 700 cats and kittens. Throughout its history, this cat rescue organisation has saved over 30,000 cats! The founder, Lynea Lattanzio, was named Central Valley Remarkable Women winner in 2020, a recognition given to a “remarkable” woman who “goes above and beyond.” The award honors women who profoundly contribute to their community and is part of a nationwide Nexstar media initiative. This lady truly cares about cats!
The Cat House on the Kings has many adoptable cats; you can check them out on their website. The adoption center is in Parlier, and the off-site adoption center is at Petco in Fresno.
Cat Town
Cat Town in Oakland, California, helps sick, injured, elderly, and frightened cats find loving homes. Most of Cat Town’s felines are at-risk, coming from Oakland’s only open-admission shelter, Oakland Animal Services. Another highly respected rescue in the area, Maine Coon Adoptions, closed down after 17 years of operations, and Cat Town was the chosen rescue to take its remaining cats and to provide lifetime support to its adopted cats.
Cat Town started the first cat cafe in the U.S. in 2014. The cafe is a cage-free adoption center where overlooked cats get their chance to shine, and shy cats can build their confidence. The cafe has a coffee bar with vegan treats to enjoy while you visit the cats. They have events like Mindful Yoga or Meditation (with cats, of course) or Paw n Draw for those who like to draw cats and draw with cats! You can even learn how to make your own cat toys.
Keep in mind that only some of their kitties are at the cafe. Others are with fosters, and their kittens are at a local Pet Food Express.
Cat Support Network (CSN)
Cat Support Network, or CSN, serves Contra Costa County, California, and works to rehome cats and kittens rescued from the streets. They partner with Petsmart Charities, Petfood Express, and Petco Foundation to make these rescues possible. Their volunteers offer spay and neuter services at a low cost to the public. They target community and feral cats to spay and neuter to reduce overpopulation and raise awareness for them.
See Cat Support Network’s adoptable cats and kittens on their website to search for Maine Coons. Filling out an online application is the first step toward scheduling a meet & greet with a furry feline of your choice. You can attend CSN’s adoption events at the Petsmart in Antioch/Brentwood border, CA, typically held on the 1st and 3rd weekends. They suggest following their Facebook page for scheduling changes and upcoming special events. If you are interested in one of their resident kitties at Petsmart, they have daily meet and greets and adoptions.
Marin Cat Connection
Marin Cat Connection’s founder has been rescuing kitties for over 20 years. This all-volunteer nonprofit in Tiburon, California, is dedicated to rescuing and rehoming as many cats and kittens as possible. Their kitties are medically cared for, spayed/neutered, and vaccinated before living with foster families.
Marin Cat Connection’s volunteers foster the felines to provide you with ample information on their fun personalities. You can meet their adorable cats by calling the number found on their website.
The Cat’s Meow
The Cat’s Meow is a great place to search for a Maine Coon in the Los Angeles area. This rescue is the largest all-volunteer cat nonprofit, with one California branch. The Cat’s Meow is an NKLA (no-kill Los Angeles) Coalition Partner.
Over 100 volunteers serve this impressive rescue organization, of which 90% serve as foster parents to the kitties until they are adopted. The Los Angeles branch primarily aims to rescue cats and kittens from the local city shelter when they have 24 hours or less to live. In doing so, The Cat’s Meow is saving over 500 felines each year!
See their Cat(s) of the Month and available adoptable kitties on their website. If not with foster families, their cats are at one of their Petco locations or at The Crumbs and Whiskers Cat and Kitten Cafe. Rest assured that one filled-out application covers all kitties at any of those locations.
The Dancing Cat
The Dancing Cat is a fun choice if you are looking for a unique place in the San Jose, CA, area to find your special kitty! At-risk felines saved from the San Jose Animal Care Center are waiting to meet you at this nonprofit animal rescue, a “creative space for people and cats.” You can book a small gathering, birthday party, book club, or even a corporate team-building event- all with cats! You can visit and spend time with The Dancing Cat’s felines in their lounge. You can start by filling out their online application if you want to adopt.
On their website, you will find their kitties organized in the following manner: cats that you can meet in person at The Dancing Cat location, cats in foster homes, kittens, and FIV+ cats. They also have an In Memoriam page dedicated to Dancing Cats that have crossed the Rainbow Bridge. This rescue truly loves its Dancing Cats. If the cat you are interested in is with a foster family, you may be able to meet in person or via Zoom. Please note that they limit adoption to within 20 miles of San Jose.
Community Concern For Cats
Community Concern for Cats, or CC4C, is another fantastic place to look for Maine Coons in Contra Costa County. This all-volunteer rescue in Northern CA has saved kitties for over 35 years. Fundraising and grants keep their doors open. The rescue organization even operates a thrift store, Rescued Treasures, for which all proceeds help rescue homeless cats in the area.
They aim to rescue, rehabilitate, spay/neuter, and rehome abandoned and homeless cats. CC4C also participates in the trap-neuter-return (TNR) program to reduce the number of homeless kittens born yearly to feral mama cats. Over the years, CC4C has positively impacted the lives of 50000 cats and kittens! They do roughly 500 adoptions per year and trap-neuter-return 1500 to 2000 cats annually.
They have weekly adoption events at their Community Concern for Cats adoption center in Walnut Creek, the Walnut Creek Pet Food Express, and the Martinez Pet Food Express. In addition to spaying or neutering, CC4C tests their felines for leukemia; deworm and give flea treatment; vaccinate, microchip, and provide any other medically necessary treatment. See pictures and read about all of their adoptable kitties on their website.
California Organisations Dedicated to Help You Find a Rescue Pet
Rescue Me!
Rescue Me! is a fantastic online source for finding your perfect rescue Maine Coon. The animal rescue network connects rescue animals with good homes. Rescue Me was created in partnership with the World Environmental Organization to educate the public about animal rescue.
You can search specifically for “Maine Coons” on their site, and it has a directory that shows how many Maine Coons they have listed for the state of CA and how many rescues are Maine Coon-specific.
Jelly’s Place
Jelly’s Place is a great place to look for a Maine Coon to adopt if you are in the San Pablo CA area. This no-kill shelter and nonprofit rescue was founded in 2017 by animal lover Julie Bainbridge. She has been rescuing, fostering, or raising animals since childhood- from baby squirrels to geese to skunks, to name a few.
Jelly’s Place is named after Julie’s English Bulldog who crossed the Rainbow Bridge in 2016. The women-led shelter/rescue provides medical care to the animals it rescues in Contra Costa and Alameda counties and then rehomes them. They help low-income pet owners so that they may keep their pets.
Jelly’s Place is also committed to educating the public about what happens to cats and dogs in the Asia meat trade. You can see Jelly’s cats and kittens on their website, and if you are ready to adopt, there is an online application to get started.
Social Media and Classifieds
Buyer beware: Purchasing an animal via social media and classifieds has its risk. Please check out our write-up on what to look out for before doing so.
You can try:
Conclusion – Find A Rescue: Maine Coon Cats For Sale In California
Maine Coon cats stand out as one of the most amiable feline breeds. With their stunning long fur, expressive eyes, and captivating character they’ll quickly become a cherished member of any family.
We’ve now provided you with insights into how and where to adopt a Maine Coon cat in California. Rescuing a Maine Coon cat is a commendable thing to do!
Didn’t find the Maine Coon you’re looking for? Check out a couple of our other articles:
Alternatively, check out rescue organizations in these nearby states:
- Arizona (coming soon)
- Nevada (coming soon)
- Oregon (coming soon)