Are Maine Coon Cats Legal?

Are Maine Coon Cats Legal?

Maine Coons are large cats.

They have many unique qualities that contribute to their mystique, despite their popularity.

Mrs. Norris, the cat from Harry Potter, is a Maine Coon.

So with this notoriety, comes unease sometimes. You might wonder if there are any restrictions about owning them?

So, are Maine Coons illegal?

Maine Coon cats are legal to own in the Western world. Their large size does not change their status and there are no restrictions on ownership. To fully check if a Maine Coon is illegal where you are located, search if there are any registered breeders. If registered breeders exist then they are legal.

The reality is that you have nothing to fear on the legal front if you are buying a Maine Coon.

Neither its size nor its personality should give government authorities any cause for concern.

Can You Have A Maine Coon As A Pet?

If you want a Maine Coon as a pet then there are no legal restrictions in most of the world.

Maine Coons are considered domestic cats and so are fully lawful.

Most people assume that the Maine Coon may be illegal because of the size but the size of a domestic cat poses no limitation on ownership allowance.

You aren’t limited on the quantity of Maine Coons you can own either.

So whether you are buying a purebred, mixed, female, or male Maine Coon, you are safe in the knowledge that you are not committing a felony.

Is It Legal To Own A Maine Coon Cat In California?

The reason this might be asked is there are a few pets that are illegal in California.

According to Graham Donath’s legal services, raccoons are illegal to own in California.

Tigers and Alligators I can understand but there are also squirrels and gerbils.

Maine Coon folklore likes to make the allegation that Maine Coons are a crossbreed of raccoons and cats.

So it’s reasonable to ask if Maine coons are illegal on that basis.

This is a myth as there is no genetic possibility that Maine Coons are derivatives of raccoons.

So Maine Coons are legal to own in California.

There are many Maine Coon breeders in California by way of proof.

Is There Any Reason To Think The Maine Coon Will Become Illegal

There is probably no conceivable reason to think that a breed of domestic cat will be made illegal.

If you are worried about a Maine Coon becoming illegal I think you are probably safe.

As I understand the law they can’t be made retroactively either so even if you did get a Maine Coon then you would have bought it when they were legal.

I’m not entirely sure how the law would be enforceable either, not to say that it could breach several existing freedom based laws.

The Maine Coon is a recognized cat breed from TICA and CIFA with no genetic modification so it’s difficult to find a reason that they might become illegal.

Some breeds of cat could conceivably be if they were bred and had health issues as a result.

But again, whether it would be enforceable might be a limiting factor.

If any cat breed became illegal cat associations would have to withdraw support for breeders, and there is no sign of that.

Simply put, if there is a licensed breeder in your state or country, then they are by definition legal.

Conclusion

If you are thinking about getting a Maine Coon and are concerned about legality, then let me put your mind at rest.

The Maine Coon is a perfectly legal breed of cat.

Its size, raccoon myth origins, or genetic traits do not pose a threat to anything and therefore there’s no earthly reason it would be made illegal.

It is a legal breed of cat everywhere, and if a breeder exists near you then you are more than safe in purchasing or owning a Maine Coon.