We are a small, single family operated cattery and there is a lot to do. Save time and read this simple 10-step adoption process to get the best and quickest information.


See our FAQ at the bottom of the page for additional quick information.


Adoption Process

1
Fill out an application form.
Filling out an application form is the fastest way to get the ball rolling on adopting a Night Silver kitten. There are various questions throughout that are important to determining if our cats will be a good match for you.
2
Reply to our email about your application with any important questions.
This is the time to ask for any information that is important to you. Genetic screening is a must for any Maine Coon breeder and any good cattery will be able to provide documentation of these tests. We use the most extensive genetic screening laboratory available: My Cat Scan. HCM screening by echocardiogram is also a very important step in breeding Maine Coons and we are proud to say that all of our cats have been echocardiogram screened before breeding, with exceptions only for cats who have had their parents screened with us, but ultimately these cats will also have their own screenings at a year old.

This is also the time to ask for any pictures and follow social media accounts if you haven’t already!
3
Submit a deposit for a litter waitlist.
We take deposits per litter so the waitlist is never endless and you are guaranteed to get a kitten from the parents you wanted a kitten from. You are entitled to move your deposit to another litter waitlist before reservations take place, but keep in mind this is not an endless option.
4
Follow social media accounts.
To keep everything as streamlined as possible, our social media accounts have the most…well…media. Pictures, videos, updates are all done through Facebook primarily, and Instagram secondarily.
5
Reserve your kitten.
At 7-10 weeks old kittens become available for reservation. Unless otherwise noted a kitten is available to people on the waitlist! Kittens tagged with “Option for me” means they are still under observation for breeding and until I decide we are keeping them, or not, they are not available for reservation.

After the waitlist chooses their kittens, kittens are then offered to the public on a first come first serve basis.

It is very important that a kitten matches their potential family so not everyone who applies will get a kitten.
6
Pictures and Patience ;)
Periodically we will send you videos and pictures of your kitten so you can watch your new family member grow. We send these approximately every week. It can be hard to wait and every day that goes by that you haven’t seen an update on your kitten feels like a year! Rest assured, your kitten is doing fine and we are just busy taking care of them and socializing them! To give you something to do, we’ve added the next step for you. ;)
7
Sit back and shop for your kitten’s needs.
After you have reserved your kitten it’s time to get stocked up on all your kitten supplies. You’ll need to pick a food, buy a carrier, and get any other essentials like water bowls (or bottles), toys, scratching posts, towers, beds, etc! Do any last minute research as well. Jackson Galaxy training videos are a great resource for those who like to YouTube their way to master level.
8
Sign Contracts
There are two contracts that are required to adopt one of our kittens. The first contract is one you will sign before pickup day, and that is our SpaySecure contract. This stipulates the deadline your kitten needs to be spayed/neutered by, and that your kitten is never used for breeding. If you are looking for a breeding cat, please note that in your application.

The second contract comes on pickup day. This is our sales contract and it protects all parties involved. There is care requirements, health guarantees, and a bunch of legal jargon to go with it to outline the aforementioned. We know — it’s long. You can view a sample of the contract here. Be advised that this contract goes through micro-edits all the time. The most recent version will be available by email.
9
Pickup Day
On pickup day we will meet you in a public location to transfer your kitten to you. Make sure you have signed the Spay Secure contract, and read over the sales contract, and make double sure to bring a carrier, and supplies (like water, food, treats, and a litter box especially if you are driving a long way). We meet people between Albany and Poughkeepsie regularly, but longer distances can be arranged for special circumstances.
10
Keep us posted!
We love our kittens and love to see they have gone to happy and loving homes. Stay in contact and send us pictures, and send any questions as needed.

FAQ

  • Question:
    How much do your kittens cost?
    Answer:
    Our kittens average $3000-$3500, with low range kittens landing below this average at $2500, and high range kittens landing above this range at $4000.
  • Question
    Why do your kittens cost so much?
    Answer
    The quickest answer to this question is to explain that our costs per month for the cats needs averages $2,000 a month during slower months, and much more during busy kitten filled months. There is much more to breeding than it might appear on social media. Here is the shortlist of our constant costs: DNA tests, echocardiograms, play pens, specialty food, medications, vaccines, toys, treats, microchips, go-home kits, website servicing, TICA fees, supplements, breeding insurance, cleaning products, specialty shampoos, cleaning equipment, vet visits, and the one people expect the least: house renovations. To top it all off, we purchase an average of two new breeding cats a year to keep our bloodlines fresh, and these cats often cost $4500-$7000. Breeding cats is an entire way of life, and the long list is hundreds of items long. All said and done, it’s possible we will never make back the money we put into starting the cattery. If we wanted to make any money, asking $6000 for each kitten would not be unreasonable, and even that may not do it!
  • Question:
    What health screenings do you do?
    Answer:
    We use the most extensive genetic screening laboratory available: My Cat Scan. HCM screening by echocardiogram is also a very important step in breeding Maine Coons and we are proud to say that all of our cats have been echocardiogram screened before breeding, with exceptions only for cats who have had their parents screened with us, but ultimately these cats will also have their own screenings at a year old, and every other year after until they are retired and rehomed.
  • Question
    Do you allow cattery visits?
    Answer
    For the safety and health of our cats and particularly vulnerable young kittens we do not allow cattery visits. Feline viruses pass very easily on clothes, shoes etc. Photos and/or videos are posted regularly to our social media pages, and you are welcome to request a video call to speak to us and see the cats.
  • Question
    When can kittens go home?
    Answer
    Kittens can go home by the time they are 13-14 weeks old.
  • Question
    Are your kittens dewormed?
    Answer
    Yes. Kittens are dewormed regularly and given a preventative coccidia treatment at 28 days old. Kittens are guaranteed to be parasite free on arrival to your home. If there are any health concerns for the kitten, these will always be disclosed upfront.
  • Question
    What diseases are kittens vaccinated against?
    Answer
    Kittens come vaccinated for two times vaccinated for Feline Calcivirus, Feline Herpes Virus, and Feline Panleukopenia, and once for rabies.

    Kittens must get their rabies vaccination by 16 weeks old by your veterinarian according to NY State Law, and may be boosted for all three aforementioned diseases at this time as well.
  • Question
    What food do you recommend?
    Answer
    We feed Purina in our home and love this brand. It’s easy on our cats stomachs and there’s much less litter-box related stink associated with it than Royal Canin or Wysong. We recommend a diet of dry food free-fed, and wet food daily. Hills Science Diet Sensitive Stomach is a good option if your kitten seems prone to these issues, as sometimes Maine Coons do. We haven’t tried it yet, but we have heard good things about Stella and Chewy too.
  • Question
    Do you do payment plans?
    Answer
    This is an unequivocal no. Kittens must be fully paid for before transfer. Please do not ask or try to negotiate this. The answer is no. Thank you. :)
  • Question
    What is this “Heart of Snow” I see in some of your media?
    Answer
    “Heart of Snow” is a cattery name registered to us through TICA that we reserved for future use. We thought it sounded cool to use both at the same time, but eventually, it seemed like instead of “Heart of Snow and Night Silver Maine Coons” which is VERY long, it might be a good idea to shorten it down to “Night Silver Maine Coons” and/or “Night Silver Cattery”. It was a hard decision to make, but to boot “Heart of Snow and Night Silver” sounded a bit too much like a nail art or fashion site. It may return if we ever add merchandise like printed canvas bags, specialty toys, etc!
  • Question
    Do you have any documents to show you’re a legitimate cattery?
    Answer
    Yes! We are registered with TICA and we have completed TICA’s Voluntary Code of Ethics and have both documents readily available.
Contact Us
Text or email
Phone and video calls by appointment
+1845-328-0128
heartofsnowandnightsilver@gmail.com
nightsilvermainecoons@gmail.com
Located in the Lower Capital Region of New York State
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