We are very happy to present this interview with Ruoqi from LMCooNCat Cattery in Riverside, California. In our discussion, Ruoqi shares her breeding philosophy, and gives us a glimpse into the hard work and dedication involved in responsible Maine Coon breeding. Ruoqi also offers advice and warnings about Dominant Blue Eye (DBE) Maine Coons.
Unless noted otherwise, all of the images included in this article are of Ruoqi’s beautiful Maine Coons!
Hey Ruoqi, thank you so much for chatting with us today. Please tell us a bit about yourself and your Maine Coon cattery?
We’re LMCooNCat Cattery in Los Angeles, California. We started breeding Maine Coons at the end of 2019. We’re proud to be a serious Maine Coon breeder.
We travel to show our cats almost anywhere in the US, every month. We’ve had at least one of our cats awarded the Regional Winner every year since 2020. We’re happy to announce that our cat, LMCooNCat Silver Lining, has been awarded the International Winner for the years 2023-2024. He is TICA’s Top 19 kitten!
Congratulations! Silver Lining is absolutely beautiful. Tell us, what do you love most about the Maine Coon breed?
First of all, we love that Maine Coons are huge. They are strong, have thick and long coats and are beautiful to look at.
They are intelligent and friendly, love to interact with people and are superbly socialized as a breed. I also love their thick lynx ear tips, big eyes, big mouth, big ears, and thick, smooth coat.
Yes, those are all fabulous traits. How about breeder associations? Are you a member of any of these?
LMCooNCat is registered with both TICA and CFA. Our cats are primarily registered at TICA and shown at TICA Shows.
How would you describe your Maine Coon breeding philosophy?
We’re dedicated to breeding high quality, healthy kittens with perfect personalities.
We are not a kittle mill. We make sure that we have enough bloodlines for us to use without having to do multiple outcrosses, and that our Maine Coon cats have a strong enough gene pool.
We always make sure that our cats are guaranteed to have less than 13% or less intact inbreeding (normally 15-17%). This ensures they will be less susceptible to all genetic disorders.
We love to show our cats at cat shows. Cat shows are more than just a competition. They are a platform to promote the maintenance of purity in the breed.
Cat shows provide a valuable opportunity for our cats, and us, to be part of the friendly community of cat fanciers, meet other cat lovers and share our experiences and knowledge. In addition, it’s a unique way to showcase our cattery and educate people about our philosophy and work in cat ownership.
We have a web page if you’d like to know more about showing Maine Coon cats or cat shows.
What are some of the ways you ensure the health and well-being of your Maine Coon cats and kittens?
Health always comes above all else. We’ve been reducing the inbreeding rate of this breed’s population to ensure their genetic diversity. If we don’t do this, it is possible that we could lose the Maine Coon breed within 20 years due to genetic disease.
We feed our kittens and cats only the best cat food, including Ziwi, Orijen. Our cat food costs are all over $4 per lbs. The canned food is all over $4 per 5 oz.
All our kittens complete a wellness exam twice before they go to their new homes. Some of the terms of our cover for our kittens can be for life.
What health screenings or genetic testing do you perform?
We screen all our breeding cats for genetic issues including
- DNA for HCM, Pkdef, Pkd, blood type, SMA etc.,
- Echocardiogram for heart, and
- X-rays for hips.
Tell us a bit about the environment where the Maine Coons are raised.
All our cats are given plenty of space and enrichment in their home. We have
- 3 female rooms (882 to 1230 ft3),
- 1 male room (282 to 350 ft3 compartments per cat) and
- 3 kitten rooms (900 ft3).
How do you socialize your kittens to prepare them for their new homes?
I am proud to answer that our kittens are very well socialized! I’ve bred 150 kittens in 5 years and I’ve never received any feedback for timid, spooky kittens. We train our kittens with human contact, noise, dogs, and outdoor (depending on the season) training.
What is the process for someone interested in adopting one of your Maine Coon kittens?
We have a web page which details our Maine Coon kitten adoption process.
Here’s a basic summary:
- Step 1: You should consider whether a Maine Coon cat is right for you, your family, your home and your lifestyle.
- Step 2: You can check for available Maine Coon kittens for sale, join our waitlist and/or review our Maine Coon breeding plan.
- Step 3: Contact LMCooNCat once you have made a decision.
- Step 4: Pay the deposit for your chosen kitten or for joining the waitlist.
- Step 5: While you’re waiting, we’ll keep you updated with photos and videos of your chosen Maine Coon kitten.
- Step 6: When you Maine Coon kitten is nearly ready to go home, we’ll organise the final payment. You’ll also decide whether to collect your Maine Coon yourself or use our white glove transportation service.
- Step 7: Your Maine Coon kitten will undergo their wellness exam and neuter/spaying surgery. Then, three days later, they’re ready to go home! We’ll provide all necessary information and support to ensure a smooth integration of your new family member.
What support do you offer new owners after the adoption?
We’re available to you to answer any questions and provide guidance on cat care, behavior, and health. If you have any questions or need further assistance, please feel free to ask.
What advice would you give to someone considering a Maine Coon as a pet?
The Maine Coon is a large, mild-mannered cat breed known for its friendliness and ability to adapt to a home environment.
If you are considering a Maine Coon as a pet, first make sure you have the time to care for this large cat. They require regular grooming to maintain their long, thick coat and may need a larger litter box than the average house cat.
Maine Coons usually get along well with children and other pets, but their active nature means they need plenty of exercise and interaction.
Additionally, because Maine Coons can suffer from specific health issues such as hip dysplasia and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, regular veterinary checkups are vital to maintaining their health.
Before considering adding a Maine Coon to your family, it is important to understand their characteristics and needs so that you can provide them with a happy and healthy home!
Let’s talk about Dominant Blue Eyed (DBE) Maine Coons. Do you breed these cats, and what are your thoughts on this trend?
We do not breed for the Dominant Blue Eye (DBE) fad due to unhealthy genetics.
Maine coon cats can have blue eyes naturally, and it is not a rare occurrence. To date, four different types of blue eyes have been identified in Maine Coons.
When it comes to DBE type, we are talking about the most deadly and one that many unscrupulous breeders are breeding in large numbers. DBE is a specific type of blue eye that is caused by other dominant mutations which may not be healthy for a cat. DBE has been specifically banned by some cat associations.
In terms of similarity in cause and appearance, the prevailing view is that DBE in cats is closest to Waldensberger’s Syndrome subtype 2A in humans and is unrelated to subtypes 3 and 4. That is, this mutation causes a high probability of deafness but does not produce other serious congenital problems such as congenital weakness and congenital megacolon.
The prevalence of hearing impairment is 10-45% in humans, but no statistics are available in cats.
Source: BlueObsidian Maine Coon Cattery
Research on DBE in cats is superficial and the data is still insufficient, with breeders cooperating with research over time in English Shorts and none at all in Maine Coons. Only people breed, no one publicizes the information or monitors it. The cause is unknown and the problems it may cause are unknown. It is not a gene that was introduced in the early days of Maine Coons’ founding and has a gradual tendency to contaminate the breed’s gene pool, which is why it has been banned by mainstream associations.
There is nothing we can do to stop people breeding for DBE, and there is nothing we can do to stop them from destroying the breed’s gene pool. There is no other way to accurately exclude DBEs at this time. We can only appeal to breeders not to breed with DBEs and buyers not to purchase them.
Within the last decade, there have been numerous new trends in Maine Coons. It’s impossible to tell what is harmful or not, what is native and what is introduced. New breeders and buyers would do well to not chase trends. Instead, they should follow association rules and remain risk-averse.
At the end of the day, health should take precedence over everything else. That’s what ethical breeding is.
Thank you for educating us about this. How can readers find out about upcoming litters, or events you may be attending?
We are a large cattery and we will have 12 to 16 (or more) litters per year. Rest assured that all of our kittens live with us and we only use hight quality cat food.
We can be contacted about any cat show, we go to over 20+ shows a year.
Thank you so much for your time Ruoqi, how can people get in touch with you?
You can contact via the links below. Please feel free to contact us, we have kittens at all times in most cases. And ask any questions you may have.