| In many cases, when you purchase a Maine Coon | | | | associations believe that EAA leads to an increased |
| kitten from a breeder or a shelter, you will be | | | | risk of fracture to long bones, obesity, a negative |
| required to sign an agreement. That agreement may | | | | effect on overall growth, changes in behavior, and an |
| cover a great deal of territory, but one area is | | | | increase in disease risk. They also feel that using |
| almost always covered - spaying and neutering. The | | | | anesthesia on kittens is too risky. |
| breeder or shelter may require that you have the cat | | | | Spaying and neutering overall is not cruel to the |
| altered by the time it reaches a certain age. | | | | animal, and they actually experience minimal pain. In |
| Kittens can be spayed after they have reached four | | | | most cases, they only experience mild soreness for a |
| months of age, but your veterinarian may prefer to | | | | day or two. Spaying is usually more expensive than |
| wait until it is six months old. Many Maine Coon | | | | neutering. In case you are not aware - and many |
| breeders do their own spaying and neutering, before | | | | people are not - females are spayed, and males are |
| the kitten is adopted, and often suggest spaying and | | | | neutered. |
| neutering at around fourteen weeks of age. | | | | If you want to breed your Maine Coon kitten at |
| The reason that veterinarians have postponed | | | | some point, this is something that you will need to |
| neutering and spaying is that anesthesia is used, and | | | | discuss with the breeder - often before the kitten is |
| in the past, using anesthesia on kittens was tricky. | | | | even conceived. The breeder generally charges a |
| Today, there has been a great deal more research | | | | much higher fee when breeding rights are given to |
| done on this and the practice has been perfected - | | | | the new owner. Note, however, that only kittens |
| enabling veterinarians and breeders to spay kittens | | | | that come from titled parents have any real |
| earlier in life. | | | | monetary value. So, if your kitten doesn't have titled |
| This practice cuts down on the possibility of | | | | parents himself, you need to look for a litter that |
| someone adopting a kitten, and failing to get it | | | | does come from titled parents. |
| spayed or neutered later. Maine Coon breeders worry | | | | Unless you plan to breed your Maine Coon, it |
| about this especially, since they want the breed kept | | | | definitely needs to be altered. Otherwise, a male will |
| pure, and they do not want any unplanned litters. | | | | constantly be 'spraying' to mark his territory and a |
| This is also an effort to prevent inbreeding between | | | | female will keep you up days and nights when she |
| siblings at an early age. This is the only benefit of | | | | goes into heat. Also note that when you enter |
| early neutering. | | | | shows with your Maine Coon, you must specify that |
| There are those who object strongly to EAA, or | | | | the animal has been altered, and he or she will enter |
| Early Age Altering. These veterinarians and | | | | class divisions specifically for altered Maine Coons. |