A Loving Home for Maine Coon Kittens
Jurassic Paws began as a passion project for us to raise Maine Coons with exceptional health and temperament. We believe kittens thrive best in family environments where they grow alongside other pets and experience daily life. Every cat is deeply cared for, genetically tested, and nurtured with quality nutrition and attention to ensure they are strong, playful, and ready for their forever homes.
Some years ago, we welcomed two beautiful Persian kittens, brothers, into our family. We are a family who loves animals and these two boys were a special addition to our family.
The boys were bought to be our daughters pets. As a permanent wheelchair user, she had found it difficult to make friends at secondary school. The boys very quickly became her sanctuary and she found comfort and stability in their unwaivering loyalty and dedication to evening treat time.
She named them Mario and Luigi. Beautiful black and white Persian boys, one perfectly symmetrical, one not so symmetrical but incredibly loving.
For 4 years, we lived in absolute bliss. The boys made every day brighter for all of us. They were funny little things. loved cardboard boxes, taking treats by hand and snuggling on laps.
I'll spare you the details but long story short, Mario fell suddenly ill at only 4 years old - vet diagnosed Hypertropic Cardiomyopathy - a genetic disease, which cant be corrected and we lost him just a few short months after his diagnosis.
Heartbroken
Less than a year later, Luigi became ill. Completely different symptoms to Mario so I took him to the vet, praying it wasnt the same thing.
It wasn't.
Instead, it was a different genetic disease - Polycystic Kidney Disease. Months of special diet - which he did not love , medication and backwards and forwards to the vets - but eventually. 6 months after diagnosis, we lost Luigi too...
Devastated
Anyone who's ever lost a pet will unerstand the gaping hole that's left when we lose a pet. As a family, we grieved intensely. I was angry! How had this happened? Two pedigreed Persian cats - both gone before their 5th birthdays???
I researched both diseases, I learned about genetic screening, breeder ethics and I felt so angry - with the breeder who had sold us the boys, but mostly with myself for having been so ignorant and made a decision to buy pets, meant to fill a void in my daughter's life- but instead I had created a bigger one.
I felt like a failure as a mum. My need to understand led me down a rabbit hole. My research into HCM and PKD led to research into other genetic diseases, understanding how pedigrees work, the ethics of breeding, the damage that backyard breeding can do to a particular breed ... and over months of reading and googling one thing after another, I found my anger turning to hope.
Ethical breeding is the key! I know that there are no guarantees, things happen that can't be forseen - but there are a lot of things good breeders can do to reduce the risk, to give famllies a long and happy relationship with their pets and I realised that I wanted to be part of that. To honour the boys' memory by breeding ethically, with transparency and integrity.
And so, Jurassic Paws Maine Coons was born.
So why Maine Coons?
Have you ever met one? Maine Coons are a breed unlike any other.
You often hear people describe them as the dogs of the cat world - and there's a good reason for that!
Maine Coons are incredibly intelligent animals. They're affectionate, intuitive, smart, needy - in a good way - and they're funny!
We bought our first Maine Coon as my husband had always wanted one. Prior to this, I had always considered my self a dog person. Yes, I'd owned cats but they were always independant and aloof and lived in my home on their terms.
Then came Pickle!
Our first Maine Coon was a beautiful little girl who we named Pickle, after an Alpaca we'd met on holiday in Hampshire!
Pickle was unlike any cat I'd ever owned. She loved affection, playing with the dogs, seemed to know when I was feeling a little down and became a kind of weighted blanket when I felt overwhelmed by the world. She very quickly learned my boundaries - no biting at playtime, no scratching the furniture... She was super smart, super loving and super everything. I'd honestly never met a cat like her.
I was hooked and it wasn't long before we added Storm and Luna to the family. I wasn't sure I wanted to breed yet, but they weren't going to be ready for breeding for a long time so we got to really get to know them, to fall in love with them and to discover all the things that make Maine Coons special - and there are a lot of those!
From their incredibly sweet trilling noises, to their loving, affectionate natures, to their amusing antics, - like running around with pom-poms in their mouths, playing with water in the sink, learning to open doors by themselves - I was fascinated and in awe of just how much life they added to our home!
It didn't take long for me to realise that this was the breed I wanted to work with. To be able to hand little mini Maine Coons over to families so that they could experience the sheer joy of life with this breed.
And so Jurassic Paws Maine Coons was born! A LOT of research, meeting experienced breeders, taking courses and building a strong relationship with my Vet (shout out to Dorset Coast Vets - you guys are the best!) and now, years later, I am happy to say that we have built a successful breeding programme, rooted in a deep love of Maine Coons, a strong desire to be ethical breeders and a pact to honour our boys, Mario and Luigi, by righting the wrong that cut their lives short.
Join Our Jurassic Paws Family
We invite you to explore our available kittens, learn about their unique personalities, and experience our commitment to ethical breeding and pet welfare. Connect with us to start your journey with a healthy, happy Maine Coon that will bring joy to your family for years to come.
