I feel compelled to add my voice to review Marie and her cattery. My experience was polar opposite from the other reviews... From the moment of initial contact, Marie was professional and responsive and knowledgeable. I had MANY questions as I had zero experience in pure bred animals (more of a farm cat/stray rescue kitten person). I had done loads and loads of research, trying to educate myself as much as possible. I was drawn to Marie's cattery because she allowed the kittens to leave at 8 weeks (always the age I had my kittens previously) and her prices were lower than any in my area. I opted to fly and pick up my babies because I didn't want them to fly alone-so that choice is up to the kitty parent. I prefer to fly with my babies in cabin but with past kitties have done cargo and the airlines were exceptional taking care of them, even during a transcontinental flight. I also questioned about genetic testing-she explained she'd not had issues before and the testing was VERY expensive, thus raising the cost of the kittens. I reasoned that to pay a lot more money for a cat guaranteed not to have one disease but could have about a million others didn't make sense for me. My babies at pick up were THE cutest things ever (of course) and Marie described their personalities to a T, clearly she knew them well. The girl was friendly straight away, the boy, as Marie described he would be, was hesitant for about 3 hours with us but slept on my face even that first night and from then until now (2 years later) we can't get them to leave us alone, especially him! . I asked to see their parents, she explained her cattery was akin to a farm in that the cats were 'working animals' and took me to the breeding pens. They were VERY clean and the cats were all socialized. While I love the thought of all kitties curling up at the foot of the bed (or on your face as our huge boy still tries to do!) I am practical enough to understand they are animals, and food, water, and care are quite adequate. Expensive cat trees and fancy toys are optional. Marie continued to answer any questions I had regarding timing for spaying/neutering months down the road and continued to be invested in the updates of my sweet (huge!) babies. Two years in and we are so in love with our walk on a leash, play fetch, take a shower with you babes. We're those weirdos that show you cat videos at dinner! I would without hesitation get another kitten from Marie...except I couldn't afford the grocery bill read more

Hello! I adopted my baby Kevin at the end of April and have nothing but good things to say. The owner of this business is extremely communicative and answered all of my emails and questions promptly. She was also very upfront and honest about all possibilities and gave me recommendations. I absolutely plan on adopting another kitten--or possibly one of the older cats--once I finish school. read more

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Marie was great to deal with and very communicative. Our kitten was healthy and well cared for, our vet that saw him following our adoption said that he was beautiful and very healthy. He is now 19 months old and very active and healthy...and still growing!!! read more

Cold Stream Cattery - Ranger - Pet Breeders Near Me - Enfield, Maine

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Me and my wife had a very good experience dealing with coldsteam both the husband and wife were very nice to us and explained everything about the two cats we adopted who are now around 6 months and doing great - so confused about the other reviews on here. Bill Deb Rohde read more

Our experience with this cattery was phenomenal. Maybe because we've never gotten an animal from a breeder before and didn't know what to expect, but honestly everything went smoothly, from communication to picture updates on their website to payment. It was a bit of a drive from where we are in MA, but so worth it. Our girl brought this house alive in hard times and she was social and active and loving from day one. She's now a year old and we couldn't be happier. read more

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Reviewer DG, it is so great to hear that you had such a positive review! And you are across the continent! I am local. I inquired about an available kitten (according to the website) and was told to just keep checking the website, and "check back in a couple days".. ?? I responded asking if I was on a waiting list or if I was to just keep checking back. No response. No response, so why would I continue to email inquiries? She DOES have a lot of litters. So this is strictly business, cash in pocket. And I am a customer wanting a Maine Coon kitten, yet no direct answer reply. So, I can't , in good faith, be positive.... but I won't belittle Cold Stream as others have as I have no facts regarding the cattery.... I can only make an educated guess that the number of litters suggests Mill over nurtured breeding. Regardless of that, if the breedings are controlled and not over done... I have no problem with the cattery operation. The kitten will bond with me, not the cattery. read more

My Maine Coon is now 5 years old. Beauty and polydactyl. 1st Kitten I chose died before I could pick it up. The second one (Bella) had problems and I spent over 1000 on her. She perked up and is now a wonderful family member. I would say. Make appointment for vet as soon as you get kitten. read more

Marie is the kindest person. I was on the phone all the time with her, she always was patient with me and stayed on the phone as long as I needed to. Very productive and honest person. Am getting another one when it is time for me on the waiting list. read more

I want to update this with you to let you know that I am still in love with my Maine coon kitty from Marie. He is absolutely gorgeous. I am on the edge with 3-4 stars because I still have concerns about the worms and large amount of kittens always available. But I agree that Marie was extremely friendly and knowledgeable! read more

Marie seemed very professional and friendly leading up to the purchase of the my male Maine coon. I purchased a male with breeding rights from this cattery a few years ago. The male ended up having several health problems including cryptorchidism, which is a condition where the testicles do not descend and cause severe abdominal pain until they are removed. This genetic condition is passed on to its kittens, so despite purchasing breeding rights, it was not suitable for breeding so I had to pay about $450 to get him fixed. The vet had to do an exploratory surgery to find the testicle in his abdomin and remove it. I understand the condition was probably beyond her control, but when I called and emailed to try and talk to her about it, she completely ignored my attempts to communicate. I was very polite in my emails and voice messages by phone. In total I've spent over $5,000 in medical care for him, but I would not have asked her to pay for any of the medical expenses. If she had integrity though, she would have at least answered my communications and perhaps even reimbursed the extra charge for breeding rights since the cat could not be bred. In addition to cryptorchidism, he is also mostly deaf and has kidney stones causing pain when he urinates. I adore him greatly so I would never abandon him, but I am dissapointed with the lack of integrity and professionalism when I tried to reach her after my purchase. Also when I went there to pick him up, I was able to enter the 4-pen shed behind her house where she keeps all of her breeding cats. One of them clearly showed signs of illness (probably just a cold). It's eyes and nose were runny and he looked weak. When I pointed it out she acted startled as though she had no idea. I would think a responsible breeder would check their cats every day and seek veterinary care immediately upon discovering visible signs of illness. read more

We have had 3 prior Maine Coon cats all from a breeder in southern Maine. In early fall of 2020 we lost the last male after 16 wonderful years. We found Marie and went on the waiting list. In April of 2021 we met her and picked up our EIGHT week old kitten (we thought that was way too young and most vets concur it is). He was sick and before all was resolved we spent $1500 or so. You cannot pick him up, he will not sit on your lap nor cuddle. You cannot clip his nails (the vet does it with two techs and a towel). He bites, bites, bites and now at aged 2 he has calmed on that a bit unless you pick him up. After much research and such it appears he was too young to leave mom and sibs where he would have learned manners and Marie never socialized her litters. He is also ADHD the likes of which we have never seen. Marie simply says they are all different and the like. If she is still not socializing them and not keeping them with mom and sibs for. 11-12 weeks as our prior breeder did I would be extremely cautious. read more

STAY FAR AWAY FROM THIS BREEDER!!!! I picked up my kitten in November of 2017 at eight weeks old last week I had to put my 10 month old cat to sleep because he was dying. After the vet ran his blood work the only thing he had working were his kidneys and after nearly $1000 in vet bills and an emergency trip to the ER in the middle of night I was told he was going fast and there was no hope. The vet(s) concluded that it appeared to be an autoimmune disease but even then without further testing they could not be positive. After doing some research he actually had all the symptoms of HCM. I am sure this has happened to others and yet she continues to breed the same cats and appears to not to do any genetic testing. And to think I almost purchased another kitten from her because I so pleased with my first one. read more

Cold Stream runs a cattery similar to a puppy mill. She is producing too many cats in too small of a space. She pumps kitties out in too quick a succession and too much volume. #1 she promises to give you a cat that has been properly socialized. We received a cat that had deeply complex psychological conditions including extreme fears of humans, hands and any type of regular noises around a house. From the time we brought our cat home he was incredibly anxious and he would run away from us any time we came near. He was also suffering from extreme aggression and bit and scratched us constantly. Our vets told us it was because he had not been socialized properly, which is dangerous for any household with young children or other pets, or even adults as the biting and scratching is not a safe environment to be in. Part of the reason his socialization was poorly enacted by Cold Stream is that we were allowed to take him home at 8 weeks of age. The following two articles show clearly why this is too young to allow a cat to go home: http://www.breedlist.com/faq/young.html http://www.leroxcoon.co.za/page/kitten_development #2 individual attention is not properly given to the cats. Our cat was terrified of hands for a long time because of poor socialization and interference by humans in the environment. It is not typical or necessary for a cat to react with extreme aggression to seeing hands. Our cat came home with significant areas of dirt around his mouth and nose. Pictures sent every week or so before that for a few weeks showed him with this dirt that entire time. Having to sit with all of that dirt on his face for weeks means he was neglected. #3 Cold Stream ships cats. On their website they say "We place our Maine Coon kittens both locally and ship nationally" and "Shipping available within the U.S. for roughly $400-$450 (DUE TO TEMPS UNABLE TO SHIP NOW UNTIL SPRING)." Shipping a tiny kitten is simply inhumane. Another breeder's website notes "NO SHIPPING. As of November 2013, we are no longer able to ship savannahs to any locations, domestic or international. The USDA has changed regulations so that ONLY COMMERCIAL BREEDERS that are USDA licensed are legally able to ship kittens. So to buy any kitten or adult cat (or puppy/dog) you must find a breeder close enough to you to pick up a kitten, fly in person to pick up your kitten, or find a USDA licensed large-scale commercial breeder that can ship kittens." Cold Stream is not USDA licensed. We do not know if they use a USDA licensed breeder to ship. This article discusses the dangers of an animal being sent in a cargo hold of a plane: https://www.smithsonianmag.com/travel/is-taking-your-pet-on-an-airplane-worth-the-risk-6241533/ The article is about adult animals but kittens are more fragile. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/traveling_tips_pets_ships_planes_trains.html? "While most animals flown in the cargo area of airplanes are fine, you should be aware that some animals are killed, injured or lost on commercial flights each year. Excessively hot or cold temperatures, poor ventilation and rough handling are often to blame." #4 Reputable breeders are now giving DNA and other testing to understand the potential for serious health conditions. Cold Stream does not advertise this service on their site. These articles discuss the importance of genetic testing for cats: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3541004/ http://mainecoon.org/how-to-evaluate-a-maine-coon-breeder/ FYI, if you are going to get a kitten, be aware of the significant risks of location of vaccination given, due to a type of cancer called fibrosarcoma from rabies and leukemia vaccines and possibly other vaccines. Links here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vaccine-associated_sarcoma#cite_note-locations-16 https://www.avma.org/About/AlliedOrganizations/Pages/sitercmnd.aspx http://www.winnfelinefoundation.org/education/cat-health-news-blog/details/cat-health-news-from-the-winn-feline-foundation/2013/04/23/feline-postvaccinal-sarcomas-a-20-year-history read more

Marie gave me the wrong sex of cat. This was found out after paying for shots. She offered no financial compensation for the mistake and stopped responding to my emails. read more

I got a kitten from her a few years back. He was a really sweet cat, no problems at first. The second time I took the kitten to the vet, she heard a heart murmur. She said it might not be a problem, but Maine Coons are a breed that often has HCM. Since this is a genetic mutation, I emailed Cold Stream Cattery to let them know. I got absolutely no reply. As far as I know, she continues to breed the parent cats who may also have this genetic defect. For a while my cat had no problems, then he abruptly died at 3 years old. Couldn't figure out why, and the only problem we knew about was the heart problem. He was an indoor cat, neutered, regularly went to the vet, so there was really no reason for him to keel over at 3 years old. If you look at Cold Stream Cattery's webpage, there's no information about screening for these genetic problems. She also is willing to ship cats, which is a terrible practice for breeders, and I've never seen another breeder willing to do this. This really is a awful breeder who seems to have little regard for the well-being of her cats. Avoid! read more