The answer to this question lies in one word: birth selection and planning.

Let's start with the easiest one: birth planning. Did we mention that catteries are full of kittens and that giving birth to other creatures is a great responsibility? If we agree on this, it goes without saying that not all cats can be reproduced freely and that not everyone has the means (time and / or money) to give the unborn children the best starting conditions (there are unfortunate ones in the world). 'is enough).

In the article The costs of a puppy   you will be able to get an idea of how to ensure the best starting conditions for the unborn.

To this concept we must add that of "birth control", which explains to those who ask us why for each litter we sell only one, or at most two, breeding puppies: some time ago we saw white Maine Coon puppies for sale without pedigree (or as they said, with pedigree on request) in the cage of a department store specializing in gardening items ... Apart from the fact that the pedigree is the cat's identity card, I would like to understand what it means on request, never in life could we raise a puppy and give it away to someone who puts it in the cart and pays it at the cash desk as a package of fertilizer ... The conditions for not being in this situation are built first.  

Selection: therefore having to choose which ones to reproduce and which not, we must establish criteria; now I tell you mine:

• health first of all, with this meaning both defects present at birth and diseases that arose subsequently;

• the characteristics of the standard to then sell what people expect to see in a Maine Coon;

• the playful and affectionate character.

I have deliberately not put up a ranking because for me these characteristics must be present all three in order to assign a cat to breeding.

Of each litter  growth, character, robust structure should be monitored, and only puppies that had a good birth weight, which did not have  growth problems e  not even flaws  skeletal.  

But not only cats are selected, I would say above all breeders or aspiring breeders are selected.

It is not snobbery but pragmatism: to bring creatures into the world one must be born with some personal and objective characteristics. If to face a sudden expense of 700 € for cesarean delivery, perhaps done on a Sunday (as happened to us and it was also nocturnal due to the urgency), after having already spent a 100 € for the ultrasound in the last month and more or less the same for x-rays, without counting the highest quality food, food supplements etc., if all this risks being an expense  "absolutely to be recovered", an alarming exposure  for the family (and then maybe the puppies are born dead) ... Well, that family won't have a breeding puppy from me. Maybe I'll give him a discount but he'll have it as a companion.

If the person in question is single, spends many hours away from home and is subject to business trips and maybe even lives alone ... that person will not have a breeding puppy or even as a PET ...  unless it takes two to keep each other company.

If the person who asks me is picky and at the very thought of detaching a placenta or sucking the mucus from the little mouths of the kittens that he has extracted from the bag with his bare hands, he gets vomit ... that person will not have a breeding puppy.

It is selected for adherence to the standard, because when buyers are looking for a Maine Coon they are looking for a big cat, with big ears, a long tail, hairy but not too demanding in grooming, with "menacing" eyes, a nice, important, physical muzzle. massive, paws with great hair that comes out between the fingers ... I repeat someone who wants a Maine Coon is looking for a cat with these characteristics and they must find these, so knowledge of the standard is essential and other characteristics being equal (health and character) we will choose the most "beautiful" that is the most adherent.

But if you have such a puppy at home it is also right to give it to those who know how to appreciate and value it and if they want to have it reproduced they will have to accept our mentoring and tutoring, as long as they are not an experienced breeder worthy of the name.