Choosing a Maine Coon Kitten From Afar: What to Look for in Photos, Videos & Video Calls With Your Familiar
Sometimes your familiar finds you long before you ever hold them.
For many families, choosing a Maine Coon kitten means falling in love from another city, province, country, or even continent. You may first meet them through photographs, videos, and video calls.
It can feel strange to imagine making such an important decision through a screen, especially when you know that this being could share the next 15 or more years of your life with you!
But choosing from afar does not have to mean choosing blindly.
Gojo of Magic Art
4 months old
At the Maine Coon Apothecary, we believe there is value in paying attention to the little things. A certain expression that you’re starting to fall in love with that one kitten makes again and again. The kitten who always seems to notice when a person enters the room. The one who throws themselves joyfully into every game, and the one who watches and observes curiously before deciding to join.
These details can tell you something about the individual kitten(s) you’re considering. Sometimes, among all those photographs and videos, you may also feel a deep connection begin to form.
We call our Maine Coons familiars because we believe some relationships with animals run deeper than companionship alone.
For some people, that bond feels undeniably spiritual. Your familiar may be part of your magical or spiritual practice, connected with intuition, synchronicity, protection, guidance, ritual, or communication.
For others, the connection may feel like an extraordinary sense of recognition, trust, attunement, or simply the feeling that a particular animal was meant to be a significant part of your life.
There is room here for both.
You do not need to identify as a witch or practice magic or paganism to understand the feeling of meeting an animal and sensing that there is something unusually significant about your connection.
This is how my partner and I understand our relationships with RUKittenMe Clover of Apothecary (“Clover”) and Gojo of Magic Art (“Gojo”), and it shapes the way we raise our kittens. We pay close attention to health and temperament, while also noticing intelligence, intuition, sensitivity, curiosity, and the subtle ways each kitten connects with the people around them.
At Maine Coon Apothecary, choosing your familiar means getting to know the whole kitten: their health, temperament, personality, spirit, and the small qualities that may make a particular kitten feel unmistakably… familiar.
Look at Personality First
It's easy to start choosing a Maine Coon kitten based on appearance. Maine Coon kittens are spectacularly good at being beautiful, and certain colours, expressions, ear sets, enormous paws, or dramatic coats can capture your attention immediately.
But photographs become much more useful when you stop looking only at “how beautiful is this kitten?” and begin asking “what am I learning about this kitten?”.
Look across several photographs and videos. You may begin noticing that one kitten is consistently at the centre of whatever is happening, while another seems to observe from just outside the action. What meets the needs of your family best?
One kitten may often be photographed looking directly at the person behind the camera, while another seems more interested in playing, exploring something they have discovered independently, or learning while staying close to their humans.
Notice their posture and expression. Are they investigating? Relaxed? Alert? Playful? Watching someone? Seeking physical closeness?
None of those traits make one kitten better than another. They are simply part of what makes one kitten different from their siblings.
You are not searching for the universally “best” Maine Coon kitten. You are trying to understand which kitten may be the best fit for your household, energy, expectations, and relationship.
Videos Let You See Personality in Motion
Videos were critically important when we were choosing our King, Gojo of Magic Art.
His breeders at the Magic Art Maine Coon cattery sent us many photographs and videos. Through those videos, we began to see how incredibly expressive he was. Gojo was playful, funny, curious, and full of personality, but what stood out most was the way he played with his sister.
He could be exuberant and ridiculous while still being gentle with her.
Watching those interactions gave us information that a couple DSLR photos never could. We could see how Gojo moved through a social relationship; how he initiated play, responded to another kitten, and how his confident personality coexisted with softness and respect for his sister.
Gojo was the most relaxed and happy kitten at the vet - he didn’t even notice when he received his vaccine!
Asking for videos of your (potentially) new kitten is a great way to learn more about them!
His breeder also showed us that Gojo was already comfortable having his paws gently handled. It seems like a tiny thing, but it told us something about the kind of early handling and socialization he had already experienced.
That matters for a Maine Coon. These are large, long-haired cats who will need grooming, nail trims, veterinary examinations, and other forms of routine handling throughout their lives. Seeing a kitten experience respectful handling comfortably can give you another small window into the foundations their breeder is building.
We had the same kind of transparency when choosing our Queen, Clover. We received photographs, videos, pedigree information, and Maine Coon-relevant health and genetic documentation that let us look at the whole cat rather than decide based on appearance alone.
That experience shaped how we want families to experience choosing kittens from Maine Coon Apothecary.
Watch How They Explore Their World
Curiosity can look very different from one kitten to another.
Some kittens encounter something unfamiliar and immediately stick their entire head inside it. Others stop, watch, gather information, and then investigate.
When you receive videos, pay attention to what happens when a toy moves, a box appears, a person walks into the room, or something changes in the environment.
You can also ask the breeder what these moments look like outside the videos you receive. A breeder who spends every day with a litter has the enormous advantage of seeing the kittens across meals, play, rest, grooming, handling, new experiences, visitors, siblings, and ordinary household life.
Pay Attention to Play Style
Play is one of the easiest places to see just how different littermates can be.
Clover, our Maine Coon Queen, at 3.5 months and her big brother, Louis the Sable Havanese, playing!
Notice how curious, confident, and yet gentle she is (her nails are not extended)!
One kitten might stalk a toy carefully before launching themselves at it, while another simply launches first and thinks later. One kitten may be fascinated by carrying around their toys and offering them to their Guardians (us). Another kitten might prefer wrestling with their siblings over almost any toy you offer; this is important to know if you have other kitties at home.
Notice how intense their play tends to be, how long they remain interested, whether they frequently involve their siblings, and what happens when the game ends.
Sibling interactions can be especially revealing. A video of two kittens wrestling (or a kitten and an adult dog playing, like in the video above) can tell you a lot. Watch how they communicate with each other. Does your kitten frequently initiate? Are they equally happy joining someone else's game? Do they switch between chasing and being chased? If a sibling disengages, what happens next? Do they reconnect later to groom or sleep beside one another?
Those are the kinds of details that helped us understand Gojo before he ever came home.
His beautiful face caught our attention, but his behaviour made us fall in love with him.
Notice How They Interact with People
Some kittens want to climb directly into a person's lap. A kitten may follow their breeder from room to room, sit beside them while they work, climb onto their shoulder, bring toys nearby, greet them vocally, or simply choose to sleep wherever their person happens to be.
What I noticed about Clover before bringing her home:
Her desire for cuddles, her sweet trill, and her confidence with her siblings were all excellent indicators
To this day, Clover still lies on my chest, purring sweetly and with unconditional love. Especially when I, or someone I care about, is going through a difficult time.
Pure Magic.
All of those behaviours can be forms of social connection.
When watching photos and videos, notice whether the kitten voluntarily approaches people and what happens once they get there. Do they immediately seek touch? Do they sit nearby? Are they interested in what the person is doing? Do they check in with their guardians during play? Do they seem particularly attentive when someone speaks?
Ask the breeder to describe the kitten's affection style… How do they prefer to be loved?
Ask About Confidence, Activity Level and Independence
The boldest kitten is not automatically the best kitten for every home, and the kitten who pauses before approaching something unfamiliar should not automatically be labelled timid.
What matters is the larger pattern.
One kitten may have tremendous confidence and activity, constantly looking for the next adventure. Another may be confident but more deliberate, preferring to understand something before participating. Some kittens play intensely and then settle easily; others take some time to settle down.
Think about what those differences would feel like in your household.
My partner and I are both disabled, and our Maine Coons have become deeply woven into our daily lives. They have brought companionship, warmth, laughter, comfort, routine, and solace into our home. Because of that experience, we take the question of fit very seriously.
A wonderful kitten can still be the wrong match for a particular home.
Someone may dream of an extremely interactive, high-energy Maine Coon who wants to participate in absolutely everything. Another guardian may want a kitten who is affectionate and engaged but comfortable entertaining themselves when their person needs to rest or focus.
Neither relationship is lesser.
The magic is in finding the right match.
Listen to Their Voice
And then, of course, the magic of Maine Coon sounds.
Their deep chirps and trills; the conversational little noises that somehow come out of an extraordinarily large and wild-looking cat.
Video lets you hear whether a kitten is already especially vocal. You may notice that one kitten talks during play, another answers when the breeder speaks, and another seems to reserve their voice for very important matters such as mealtime.
Ask the breeder what they hear when they are not recording.
Who chirps constantly? Who greets people? Who mostly communicates through body language?
These seemingly tiny traits often become some of the most beloved parts of living with a particular cat.
Eventually, you may recognize your kitten's voice before they enter your room.
Ask About Intelligence
Maine Coons are known by the people who live with them for being extraordinarily engaging cats, and one of the things we pay close attention to is how each kitten thinks.
Ask the breeder for examples:
Which kitten learned the household routines first?
Which kitten doesn’t give up on reaching a toy or nap spot that the others cannot?
Who watches another kitten solve a problem and then immediately tries the same strategy?
Who persists when a toy becomes difficult to reach?
Who has already figured out how to convince the humans to provide exactly what they want?
Intuitive Kittens
At Maine Coon Apothecary, we also pay close attention to intuition.
We are interested in the kittens who notice things.
The kitten who seems unusually attentive to people, who responds closely to voices or changes in the room, who checks in frequently, who seems to appear when someone's energy shifts, or who watches their human guardians with a wise, almost too-human look in their eyes.
For us, intuition is the very reason we started the Maine Coon Apothecary.
Since Clover came home to us, my spiritual practice has opened up in ways I hadn't experienced before, including spiritual communication with animals who have passed.
One of those experiences involved a community member’s beloved dog who was passing away. As he was leaving this realm, I was sleeping with Clover and dreamt of a specific dog’s tail wagging. The next day, I learned that while I was dreaming, the dog’s human guardian was at the vet, watching him closely and desperately hoping to see his tail wag again, because his joyful, constantly wagging tail had always been such a defining part of who he was.
Another time, Clover joined me while I was working, and I had a vision of a client’s Maine Coon who had passed. He came through as a protector and brought an important message and reminder for them.
These are just a couple of examples of the many spiritual encounters I've had since I brought Clover home.
Experiences like these are part of why I understand Clover as one of my familiars. Her arrival marked a real spiritual shift in my life. She is now part of my rituals, my magical practice, and the way I understand my own shadow and healing journey.
That bond also became part of the foundation of Maine Coon Apothecary. I want the kittens we raise to carry forward the magic Clover brought into my life, and to find the people who may be waiting for that kind of connection too.
These experiences changed the way I understood Clover, Gojo, my relationship with Maine Coons, and the kind of cattery my partner and I wanted to dream up and co-create.
That is why we take intuition seriously when we choose kittens for our breeding program.
Make the Most of a Video Call
A live video call is especially valuable because it gives you a window into longer stretches of ordinary interaction. Rather than asking the breeder to hold a kitten directly in front of the camera for the entire call, spend some time seeing what happens naturally.
Gojo of Magic Art, our Black Shaded Maine Coon King, when he was 4 months old. Look at how he interacts with a scrunchie for the first time. What a curious and playful boy!
You can ask to see their favourite toy, how they respond to ordinary grooming or handling, or what they were doing before the call began. If you have particular household needs, tell the breeder. The kitten who may suit a busy home with several animals could be very different from the kitten who may thrive in a quieter household.
Most importantly, ask questions.
Ask what the kitten loves. Ask what they dislike. Ask what makes the breeder laugh about them. Ask what surprised the breeder. Ask which traits have remained noticeable as the kitten has grown over time.
A good conversation should help you understand the kitten better.
Health Should Always Be A Large Part of the Picture
When we were choosing Gojo of Magic Art, the wonderful photographs and videos came alongside Maine Coon-relevant genetic and health testing, official pedigrees, and vaccine documentation.
The same was true when we chose RUKittenMe Clover of Apothecary.
That transparency influenced what we expect from ourselves as breeders.
At Maine Coon Apothecary, health, genetic diversity, and temperament are at the heart of our breeding program. Our breeding cats undergo Maine Coon-relevant testing, including genetic testing, cardiac ultrasound, and orthopedic imaging, alongside careful pedigree planning and consideration of genetic diversity.
When you are choosing a Maine Coon kitten from any breeder, you should be able to ask meaningful questions about the health of the breeding cats.
Ask what testing has been completed. Ask to see the documentation. Ask about the pedigree. Ask about the health of relatives. Ask how the breeder thinks about genetic diversity when planning pairings.
Beautiful photos cannot replace this information.
Let the Breeder Help You Learn What You Cannot See
Perhaps the greatest advantage a breeder has during the kitten-selection process is time.
You may see twenty photographs, fifteen videos, and an hour of video calls. The breeder has watched that kitten wake up, eat, wrestle, explore, get frustrated, learn, sleep, interact with people, respond to handling, meet new experiences, and develop alongside their littermates over weeks.
Use that knowledge.
Ask which kittens seem especially attentive or intuitive.
Ask the breeder what they think would surprise you about each one.
And perhaps most importantly, tell them what you are hoping for.
Choosing a kitten should not feel like selecting a product from a catalogue. It is the beginning of a relationship and a lifelong connection, and sometimes the breeder may see a positive indicator or incompatibility that you cannot yet see through a screen.
Notice Who You Keep Looking For
There is a practical side to choosing a Maine Coon kitten from afar. You can learn about health testing, socialization, activity level, affection, independence, confidence, play style, vocalization, intelligence, sibling relationships, and how the kitten interacts with people.
All of that matters. And then there is the part that is harder to measure, but just as meaningful.
RUKittenMe Clover of Apothecary
3 months old
It is the moment you can pick their face out immediately among all their siblings. The little story the breeder tells you about something they did that morning, and somehow you are still thinking about it hours later. The way your attention keeps returning to the same kitten.
At Maine Coon Apothecary, we believe there is room being well-researched and having a health- and temperament-first approach. I am a Master’s-level healthcare professional and have worked at a vet clinic in the past. We also leave room for following your intuition when choosing the particular familiar, once you have decided on an ethical breeder.
In knowing as much as we reasonably can about the animal in front of us while remaining open to the mystery of why one particular kitten sometimes feels different from all the others.
That philosophy began with our own familiars, RUKittenMe Clover of Apothecary and Gojo of Magic Art, and it will shape how we raise, get to know, and share every kitten born here with you, lovely guardians.
Because sometimes your familiar begins to find you long before you meet in person.
