Edited by Ruoqi Lin.
August 18, 2024

Why Are Shaded Maine Coon Cats Priced Higher?

Since 2020, we've been captivated by a special color pattern in Maine Coon cats known as "Shaded." This color is exceptionally rare and has fascinated us, resembling the softness of silver-lined clouds. However, the development of this beautiful color hasn't been widespread. Many breeders have prioritized profit over the health and quality of shaded Maine Coons.

When we began breeding them, we discovered that most shaded Maine Coons had genetic health issues and a high rate of inbreeding. Their appearance also didn't meet the standards set by organizations like CFA, TICA or Fife. Nevertheless, our passion for this color motivated us to change this situation. We aimed for shaded cats not only to be visually stunning but also to meet high standards in health and genetics.

From the beginning, we invested a significant amount of money - each breed of Shaded Cat cost between $6,000 and $8,000. This doesn't include the $1,200 shipping fee and the $800 pre-breeding health check. Despite these expenses, many of the Shaded breeding cats had health problems or didn't meet our breeding standards and were retired before the age of two. Undeterred, we continued to devote more resources, selectively retiring cats with serious problems, and researching and acquiring high quality cats carrying the Shaded gene. Through persistent effort we have finally bred healthy show quality Shaded Maine Coons. However, they remain somewhat unstable and rare, with only 2-3 show quality Shaded kittens becoming our keepers.

Currently, our shaded cats are priced higher not only due to breeding costs but also because we hope to further develop this beautiful color. Here's how we manage, control, and breed them:

1. Strict health management: We show our shaded cats, we are going to be very active in showing them around the country. And subject them to rigorous health checks. Whether male or female, every cat involved in breeding this color undergoes annual Heart Echo by specialists.

2. Limited Availability as Pets: We offer only a small number of shaded kittens as pets each year. Their production is limited. I personally observe most Shaded and shaded carrier females until they're 6-8 months old. If their development isn't satisfactory, we retire them. Or We retire them after observing the development of their first litter.

We promise that once this color stabilizes within our cat population and most cats meet the same standards as other breeds, we'll adjust prices to match those of other cats.

So, when you choose one of our Shaded Maine Coon cats, you're not just getting a pet—you're supporting our passion and breeding efforts for this color. Your support will help us develop healthy cats that can be loved and accepted by more people at a reasonable price in the future.

We firmly believe that with everyone's combined efforts, Shaded Maine Coons will shine brightly in the cat world and become cherished treasures for every Maine Coon Fans.