The adoption agreement of Maine Coon is the document that breeders and individuals sign to ensure that the Maine Coon being adopted is provided proper health care, nutrition, and basic requirements needed to ensure a healthy life. This adoption agreement can vary a lot depending on the breeder or cattery, rescue team or organizations, and circumstances surrounding the adoption process.
The Adoption Agreement may vary but here are some sections that should be present and included in the said Agreement for Maine Coon’s Adoptions.
1. Date of Agreement – This is significant because both the breeder and the Cattery should have a record of when the Adoption agreement is signed.
2. Adopter Information – This should include the adopter’s name, address, contact number, and email address. Sometimes, this also includes background information or basic knowledge of the capacity of the adopter to adopt the Maine Coon. Information may include the number and types of other pets in the house, number of children and ages, financial capacity, etc.
3. Maine Coon’s Information – This information includes the Initial Name (if the cat is already named), Date of Birth or the approximate age of the Maine Coon, Breed, Color and Markings, Microchip Number (if applicable), and Breed Registration (CFA, etc.).
4. Adoption Fee – This includes the expenses associated with bringing up the Maine Coon such as initial costs, food, health care, veterinary fees, vaccinations, spaying or neutering (if already done), etc. The adoption fee is important since the Cattery or Breeder provided the initial investment into the health and development of the Maine Coon.
5. Spaying/Neutering Agreement – This clause is the agreement and mandate over the spaying and neutering of the Maine Coon. This also includes the timeframe within which the procedure should be done. Spaying and neutering promotes responsible ownership of the Maine Coon and helps control their population, as well as helps prevent unwanted kitten litter with possible deformities, etc.
6. Health Guarantee – Sometimes, a health guarantee is provided within a certain period after adoption. This is most common for those breeders or rescue organizations with an in-house veterinarian.
7. Vaccination Records – The adoption agreement should have the complete vaccination records of the Maine Coon, including what was administered and when. This is critical because some vaccinations have a period set for maintenance or re-administering of shots such as rabies vaccination.
8. Microchipping and Identification – In case of untoward incidents of a lost Maine Coon. Microchipping is required for reuniting a cat with its owner. This is why all pets, including the Maine Coon, should be microchipped.
9. Housing Conditions – Maine Coon love to roam around and want plenty of space because of their size. A Maine Coon matures rather slower than other cats as they reach maturity in their 4th year. Therefore, they should be given enough space or territory inside the house to play. There should also be suitable cat furniture and toys to help them with their boredom.
Because of the cost of the Maine Coon, as well as some health issues, breeders and Catteries require owners to restrict the Maine Coon’s outdoor access. This includes securing doors, windows, and balconies.
10. Return Policy – Responsible Breeders or Rescue Organizations usually have a return policy on the adoption agreement. This includes the terms, conditions, and circumstances wherein the adopter can return the Maine Coon so it is ensured that the cat will always be taken care of no matter the circumstances or issues that may happen in the future.
11. Communication and Updates – The adopter needs to maintain communication with the rescue organization, breeder, or cattery. This is to ensure that the Maine Coon is well taken care of. This is also to ensure that any health conditions that were not detectable immediately and arise in the future are documented and that necessary health support or information is provided to the new owner of the Maine Coon.
12. Breeding Restrictions – Maine Coons being adopted as a pet is not for breeding purposes. Why? Because there is such a thing as “Maine Coon Clones”, that came from a similar genetic lineage. If the new owner simply allows Maine Coons to breed without checking the lineage of the two Maine Coons, there is a possibility that the kittens may develop health conditions and birth defects. These defects may be passed onto future generations of Maine Coons so it is crucial that the owner should make sure that there is little to no possibility that the two Maine Coons being bred are related. This is why most adoption agreements include a clause prohibiting or restricting the breeding of the adopted Maine Coon. The main objective of this is to maintain the integrity of the breed’s bloodline.
13. Legal Considerations – It is important to review and understand the legal considerations surrounding the adoption agreement and to ensure that these comply with the local State laws. These stipulations and obligations should be met by both the breeder/Cattery/Rescue Organization and the adopter.
Now that we’ve discussed the important parts of the Adoption Agreement of Maine Coon, let’s look into the basic terms. This is to make sure that you understand everything before you sign anything as your actions may have legal repercussions.
Most Commonly Used and Basic Terms of the Adoption Agreement
Many terms may confuse newbie owners and Maine Coon breeders. The following terms are frequently used while writing and finalizing an adoption agreement for Maine Coons.
Adoption Agreement – Document signed by the new owner of the Maine Coon and the breeder/rescue organization. It describes the terms and conditions of the Maine Coon adoption.
Adoption Fee – This is the money paid by the adopter to pay for the maintenance, health, and vet services, and any other expenditures involved with the Maine Coon’s upkeep and care.
Behavioral Expectations – This includes measures to be carried out if the Maine Coon demonstrates destructive, aggressive, wild, or unmanageable behavior. The adopter ought to conform to the expectations and refrain from being cruel to the Maine Coon.
Breeding Restrictions – These are rules preventing the adopter’s ability to breed the Maine Coon. There are certain restrictions if the Maine Coon is adopted as a pet and not for breeding purposes. This is because Maine Coons tend to have poor health and general well-being if there are traces of inbreeding.
Cattery – A property made for cats to be bred and cared for by breeders.
CFA or Cat Fanciers’ Association – Largest registry of cats (pedigreed) in the world. Its headquarters is at Alliance, Ohio. They host cat shows and award the best cats in their respective breed and categories.
Co-Ownership Agreement – This is an agreement between the breeder and the organization or company that rescued the cat. Both retain partial breeding rights and ownership of the feline.
Deworming – This is the process of giving your Maine Coon pills or medicine to eliminate internal parasites like worms.
Early Socialization – Process of introducing your Maine Coon to different stimuli and experiences. This includes other pets, children, toys, scratching posts, walking harnesses, rewards, etc. This is to assist them in adjusting to the various products or settings. This will enhance your Maine Coon’s developing phases as well as foster healthy behavior toward family members and their environment. Maine Coons are well-known for being social and gentle with little children and other pets. You must reinforce this natural habit even more.
Emergency Contact Information – The information should be complete and should include the contact details of the owner when there’s an emergency. There should also be other people on this list, including other family members’ contact numbers, and the Maine Coon’s veterinarian.
Enrichment Activities – These are the activities and toys that help provide mental and physical stimulation for the Maine Coon. Maine Coons are known to be very playful and mature only until around 5 years old. Therefore, to avoid them from being bored and sad, enrichment activities are essential for a growing Maine Coon.
Examples of these enrichment activities that Maine Coon loves are:
- Interactive Toys: feather wands, laser pointers, and puzzle feeders
- Climbing Structures: cat trees, platforms, scratching posts, wall-mounted shelves, window perches, etc.
- Hunting Games: mouse toys, balls, etc.
- Water Play: running water fountains, shallow water bowls with floating toys, etc.
- Social Interaction: quality time and interaction with humans as well as other pets.
- Sensory Stimulation: Soothing Sounds are good for your Maine Coon. It may also involve Catnip toys and toys with different textures and surfaces. Grooming Sessions also stimulate your Maine Coon’s senses and this includes brushing the Maine Coon’s coat.
- Safe Exploration Activities: Cat tunnels or empty boxes where they can hide and fit themselves.
Feeding Instructions – All Maine Coons are different and the type of food they prefer as well as the feeding portion and feeding schedules may vary. New owners are advised to follow the original schedule. However, if it’s not possible due to some conflict, adopters should patiently introduce the new schedule until the Maine Coon gets used to it. Since the breeders know exactly how much the cat eats, as well as the brands they prefer, this should be included in the suggestions about feeding instructions.
Flea Treatment – This is the application or administering of medications to eliminate and control fleas. This includes the preventive measures to keep your Maine Coon from having fleas.
Genetic Testing – This testing is done to ensure that the Maine Coon does not have poor genetic conditions or mutations.
Grooming Requirements – Regular brushing of fur, nail trimming, and dental care.
Guarantee of Good Health – This is the commitment of the breeder/Cattery/Rescue Organization that the Maine Coon was inspected and tested well and was proven to be in good health condition at the time of the adoption. This guarantee usually lasts at least a month to about 3-6 months depending on the breeder/Cattery. Certain conditions and circumstances may be required as neglect and accidents are usually not covered by this guarantee.
Health Certificate – This is the actual document provided by the veterinarian certifying that the Maine Coon is in top health at the time of adoption.
Home Visit – This is normally required by rescue organizations to assess the suitability of the adopter’s home to the Maine Coon they want to adopt. This is not normally done by private breeders and Catteries.
Housing Conditions – These are guidelines that specify the suitable living condition for the Maine Coon. This includes both indoor and outdoor arrangements and structures for your Maine Coon.
Microchip – This is a little electronic device that is implanted beneath the skin of the Maine Coon to function as identification and tracking if the cat goes missing or if there are ownership issues.
Neutering/Spaying – This is the procedure in which some parts of the sexual organ of the male (neuter-testicles are removed) and female (spay-ovaries and uterus) Maine Coons are removed to stop future reproduction.
Neuter/Spay Deposit – This is a deposit required to be paid and is refundable upon showing verifiable evidence of Spaying and Neutering.
Non-Breeding Agreement/Pet-Only Agreement – This is a document signed by both the new owner and the breeder of the Maine Coon. Both agree that the Maine Coon won’t be used for breeding purposes.
Parasite Control – The steps done by the adopter to prevent or cure internal and external parasites like as worms, fleas, and ticks
Pedigree – This is the documented lineage of ancestors of the Maine Coon. This often indicates the cat’s family tree and helps prove its good lineage.
Pet Insurance – It is recommended that you obtain pet insurance to cover any potential unanticipated medical bills for your Maine Coon.
Quarantine Period – Specified time during which the Maine Coon should be isolated first from the children and other pets to prevent the spreading of potential diseases. Although the Maine Coon has been tested and proven as healthy, this is still required as some diseases require at least a week for symptoms to show. The Quarantine Period usually lasts at least a week. This also includes its Social Distancing Period, wherein the Maine Coon may need time to acclimate to its new environment and family.
Reproductive Rights – This includes the conditions whether the adopter has the right to breed the Maine Coon in the future. This also includes under what circumstances they are allowed to breed the Maine Coon. This is to ensure that the Maine Coon breed’s future generation as a whole is protected.
Responsible Ownership – This is the adopter’s commitment to provide love, proper health care, attention, and resources for the Maine Coon throughout its life, which normally lasts 15 to more than 20 years.
Return Policy – This includes the conditions wherein the adopter can return the Maine Coon to the breeder or the Rescue Organization without a refund being issued. Sometimes, this may include the future lack of capacity to take care of the Maine Coon due to untoward incidents and financial issues.
Vaccination Records – These are the documents providing the history of vaccinations done on the Maine Coon which includes types/brands used and dates when the vaccination was administered.
To Sum It Up
In conclusion, the new Maine Coon owner should be familiar with and comprehend the provisions of the Adoption Agreement. Knowing all the terms will help to avoid future problems, assumptions, and misunderstandings. Also, before consenting to and signing the Adoption Agreement of Maine Coon, the new owner ought to look into every detail of it.
