Many people hear the phrase “2-year health guarantee” and believe that means the breeder is guaranteeing your kitten will have no health issues for at least 2 years, but that’s not the case.

Nobody can guarantee that. You’re buying a living, breathing animal, and a young kitten without a fully developed immune system at that! Animals get sick, it’s part of nature. If you don’t feel equipped to handle what may (or may not!) happen, owning a Maine Coon may not be for you.

That said, you are paying a lot of money for a Maine Coon, and the breeder needs to show that they’re committed to giving you a kitten that’s believed to be fully healthy at the time of going home, and will hopefully not have any genetic conditions arise.

A Health Guarantee is usually two-fold:

Environmental Diseases

A breeder can’t control what happens to the kitten after it leaves their home. For this reason, there’s usually just a short period (a few days) in which the kitten is guaranteed to be free from any environmentally transmitted diseases or ailments, but after that, you’re responsible.

When you pick up your kitten, you can expect it be up-to-date on vaccinations and to look healthy with a clear coat, bright eyes, and good energy. Most breeders have their vet examine the kitten before he goes home for a general wellness check. The breeder may require you to bring the kitten to your own vet within a certain time period to confirm his health. This is a good practice for any new animal you bring into your home.

Genetic Conditions

A reputable breeder will offer a 2- or 3-year (sometimes even longer) genetic health guarantee. This means that if your kitten is diagnosed by a certified veterinarian to have a disease that’s hereditary or congenital, you’d be eligible to receive a replacement kitten within the given time period.

Again, no breeder can promise you that nothing is going to happen. But your best chance at avoiding such devastating situations is to choose your breeder with care.

One condition where the lines are blurred is FIP. This is a fatal disease for which there is currently no cure or prevention. It’s caused when a very common strain of virus called feline coronavirus—which almost all cats are exposed to at some point or another—mutates within an animal into FIP. It’s unknown why it mutates in some animals and not in others. There may be a genetic predisposition in some cats, and stress may be a factor as well. You can see how this is a gray area—is it environmental or genetic? It could be both.

To make matters more complicated, FIP can be complicated to diagnose and some vets jump to conclude FIP too quickly. If your cat is ever diagnosed with FIP, it’s very important to be in touch with your breeder. They’ll likely not want to pair the parents of that kitten together again. And in the unfortunate situation that your cat dies from FIP at a young age, your breeder may be willing to replace your kitten out of compassion. Take note of any specific clauses in the contract pertaining to FIP. 

Always stay in communication with your breeder

Breeders really care about their kittens, and if you’re having any kind of problem, always get in touch with them! They’ll have a wealth of knowledge from firsthand experience and will be a great support system. It’s also important that they’re kept informed, in case the issue at hand has any correlation to their cattery. And remember, you and your breeder will always share a common love—the kitten.