By breeder’s standards, Amigos Gato is a small Cattery. We have a few girls and a few studs. We are registered Tica, and is also a memeber of Maine Coon Katten Norge.
With that being said, we still have pretty stringent criteria for our breeding cats. Health is the first and foremost priority of Amigos Gato! So…what are all the issues we test for?
All of our breeding cats are genetically clear of the MyBPC3 mutation associated with heart problems in Maine coons (hypertrophic cardiomyopathy or HCM). Since this mutation is not the ONLY cause of HCM, we also have their hearts examined by color doppler ultrasound prior to breeding and every 2 years thereafter. We test all of our cats for hd (hip dysplasia) also prior to breeding. And take a full DNA test in My Cat before breeding.
My breeding goal became clear quite quickly after a few talks with my mentor: breeding a Maine Coon cat that fits the standard as much as possible, but is not as closely related to the existing Maine Coon population as most showline Maine Coon cats are .So called outcross-breeding.
I will take different routes to reach that goal; I may for instance make a showline/new foundationcat or mate two new foundation-cats or showcats/outcross cats. Constantly weaving in new genes to the current Maine Coon gene pool and weaving out, back to the less or non-related new foundationcats-gene pool.
Definition of an “outcross”cat, using the Pawpeds
- 50% or less of the top five cats (average 65-70%) or
- 35% or less of the top three cats (average 50-55%) or
- 25% or less of the top two cats (average 35-40%) or
- 20% or less of the clones (average 30-35%)
If all that’s not enough, our breeding kitties must also have the right personality and appearence. At the bottom line, we strive for the healthiest, friendliest, most beautiful Maine coons possible.
For us, raising Maine coons has been a wonderful adventure. I’ve owned (been owned by?) cats my whole life, but since starting to breed, there’s not a single day that I don’t learn something new about these amazing creatures.
I was lucky to get the best mentor available willing to guide me, Solveig Iglebekk, Lindevoll`s . I am so thankfull to Solveig and all the time she spend teaching me, and make me understand. And especially, THANKS for her incredible Maine Coons. From Solveig came my lovely Sylvia Racoon, my first own queen.
I also would like to say a big thank you to all my co-breeders, breeding is built on trust, and i am greatfull for all of you,who belived in me, trusting me your lines.
And not to forget all of you people who have a Amigos Gato kitten/cat at your home. I could not have done breeding, if I did not have you all, so thanks aloth guys for trusting us, and giving our lovely cats/kittens lovely homes.