Wisconsin Maine Coon Breeder - Johnson Creek, WI
European Maine Coon Ethical Breeder Wisconsin
Johnson Creek, WI - Jefferson County, USA - Midwest
Kittens - Johnson Creek, WI
Johnson Creek, WI - Jefferson County, USA - Midwest
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Our Journey…

Our Journey - Bella Maine Coons

Our Journey

This our journey… It began with a simple goal: to find a Maine Coon as a pet. What followed, however, unveiled the hidden and disturbing world of unethical breeding practices. Unwittingly and with great regret, we inadvertently helped a profit breeder expand her dynasty. Eventually, after countless failed attempts to inspire her to change her ways, we broke free from her toxic influence and the poison she brought into our lives. Today, we stand as outspoken advocates for ethical and responsible breeding. We fervently educate families on recognizing and avoiding backyard breeders, kitten mills, and profit breeders.

A Journey from Disappointment to Advocacy

Our journey began with the excitement of getting our first two Maine Coons from someone we believed to be a legitimate breeder. We researched various cat breeds, searching for the perfect match. Concluding that a Maine Coon was the best option, our excitement grew. She’s always been a cat person, while I’ve been a dog person my whole life. A Maine Coon was the perfect blend of both worlds. The more we learned about Maine Coons, the more we fell in love with the breed. With our decision made, we began searching for a reputable breeder with the wild, exotic-looking Maine Coons that captivated us.

Her Deception

We spent almost three months searching through various breeders. When we finally made our selection, we believed we had found a legitimate and ethical breeder. We couldn’t have been more wrong. Despite our scrutiny, she deceived us. Little did we know, we had selected a breeder who had built her own profit breeding dynasty. She later confessed that she never raised a litter on her own. Instead, she had other people raising litters for her. We eventually discovered that none of the cats she depicted on her website were current. None of them even lived with her. They all resided at the homes of families raising the cats for her.

The Initial Shock

When we finally met our kittens and picked them up, they were both absolutely terrified of us. Our kittens acted more feral than anything. They were also severely underdeveloped, making us question their age. At 8 weeks old, they weighed only 1.1 and 1.3 pounds. The girl was starving, thin, and lethargic. During the first two weeks, we took her to the vet three times, fearing she might die. It wasn’t until we got her eating nutritionally complete raw food that she and her brother bounced back to life. They gained weight and energy and finally started developing a bond with us. This experience was only the beginning into our journey, one which opened our eyes to the world of backyard breeders, kitten mills, and profit breeding.

Lessons from a Maine Coon dynasty

To afford the two cats, part of our agreement was that I would shoot professional images and build a website for the breeder in exchange for payment of the male. When she saw the extravagant setup we had built for our cats and the space we had available, she proposed the idea of us raising some litters for her. She would pay us for kittens sold, and we could enjoy having more Maine Coons in our home. Initially, we declined the offer. However, she persisted, and we eventually decided to give it a shot.

The Bad

We eventually realized two significant truths. First, through raising litters for her, we uncovered how terrible of a breeder she truly was. She hoarded and hid many cats through other families raising litters for her. Additionally, she favored high profit margins over quality food, environments, and ethical breeding practices. It wasn’t until she had persuaded us into raising litters for her that we soon began to see her for the neglectful profit breeder she truly was.

The Good

Secondly, despite our frustrations with her, we discovered how much we enjoyed raising Maine Coon litters and how exceedingly skillful we actually were at it. Families and even the breeder noticed our kittens were larger, fluffier, healthier, and better socialized than any others they had seen from her. On average, our kittens weighed around 2-3 pounds by four weeks old, whereas hers were just over a pound at eight weeks old. Our kittens were consistently twice the size at half the age of her other litters and far more socialized. We dedicated our time, energy, and resources to providing the best experience for our cats and the families who bought kittens we raised. All the while, because of our dedication and commitment to the moms and litters we cared for and raised, her profit margins soared because of us.

The Reality of Neglect

Continuing to work with her revealed heartbreaking conditions. For instance, a fateful visit to her home exposed us firsthand to the deplorable living conditions of her cats. Some were confined in dark rooms devoid of windows or any form of stimulation. To add to her shame, we found 12 cats so severely matted that we had to immediately shave their fur down to the skin to relieve them of the pain and discomfort they endured. Disgusted and upset, we scolded her for such severe neglect. Her only response was that she’s just not good at grooming them. Our initial main concern was to help the cats by removing the mats. As we did, we warned her that if we ever saw her cats in this condition again, we’d report her. Our regret was not doing so immediately, as we believed we could change her ways.

Cat Hoarding and Neglect

Initially agreeing to raise a couple of litters for the breeder after getting our first two Maine Coons, we assumed we’d only be handling one to three litters. However, we eventually found ourselves taking care of around ten litters, and it wasn’t always the same mothers. There always seemed to be one or two moms waiting to be raised by us right after the current mothers’ kittens were sold. This practice allowed her to maintain a rotation of cats between being mated and having kittens. Consequently, this strategy ensured a steady flow of income at all times. Her deception was skillful, hiding her numbers through all the families she had working for her. She couldn’t sell her kittens fast enough to keep up with her hoard, yet somehow, she did—kitten after kitten. In our opinion, her practice is the textbook definition of a profit-breeding kitten mill.

Around this time, we discovered she had several families and friends raising litters for her in addition to us. It was already bad enough when she overloaded us with cats. Learning she had other inexperienced families and individuals raising litters for her was shameful. We realized we’d been conned, most likely just as everyone else. Based off our knowledge her only occupation was breeding, we could only assume she was making a six-figure fortune off her Maine Coon profit breeding dynasty.

Eventually, we realized her true motives and began fighting back to defend the cats. We tried to wean ourselves away from her while still caring for the cats we had. This situation left us feeling trapped. We didn’t want them going back to her, but we couldn’t continue working with her. It took time, but we gradually broke free from her pyramid scheme.

Inadequate Knowledge and Care

Her lack of knowledge on raising litters became evident. Oftentimes she insisted on weaning kittens at two weeks, trying to make us bottle-feed them instead of allowing them to nurse off their mother. Her logic was this would prepare the kitten to be ready to leave the mom sooner. We refused to comply, choosing to nurse the kittens only when they struggled to nurse from their mother. Her attitude towards struggling cats or weaker kittens was indifferent. Often, she said, “Just focus on the healthy kittens” or “Let’s just see what happens.” She would also make statements like, “These are my cats and litters, and you’ll feed and wean them the way I tell you to,” even when it came down to administering medications the vet disproved of. Aiming to sell every kitten by eight weeks old was her goal. If threatened with cancellation, younger kittens were given to families, despite being far too young physically and emotionally. Fattening the kittens to appear big and healthy was her primary goal. Instead of high-quality, all-natural food, she used vet-prescribed foods for post-surgery recovery. This food was not intended for long-term use.

Requests to “fix her problems” with her cats were constant. Health issues, stressed behaviors, and neglect were common. Cats arrived with matted fur and oftentimes riddled with ringworm, showing as serious lack of grooming and attention, and people to care for them. Despite our scolding, she continued to have more cats than she could handle. Every time, we agreed to help for the cats’ benefit. Unfortunately, this meant indirectly assisting her.

Lack of Veterinary Ethics

Throughout several situations involving the vet, we started noticing discrepancies in her vet records. Upon questioning her, we discovered she often falsified information to her vet. She would lie about the number of kittens she had or their actual birth dates. Moreover, she refused to vaccinate her cats for rabies and continued to get medications for cats she no longer had. Administering treatments herself to save money, she looked for every shortcut she could find.

When we informed the vet about her bringing in mothers infected with ringworm, which spread like wildfire throughout our place, she got upset. Treating and clearing it up was extremely difficult. She didn’t want vets knowing details like that because they had to document it, and she didn’t want buyers finding out.

We began intervening with the vet, explaining what we were dealing with because of her and revealing her true practices. The vet confronted her, threatening to report her and have her cats seized if she didn’t change her ways. True to form, she made temporary changes or just enough to get the vets to back down. Then, she would either change vets or revert to her old unethical practices.

Social Media and Ratings

Her website and Facebook page lacked up-to-date information. She avoided updating her current cats to hide the true numbers she had. This would reveal she was either hoarding them or had multiple families raising litters. Both instances defined her practice as a profit breeder.

Whenever a disgruntled buyer left negative reviews or reported her to the authorities, she took drastic measures. She spammed us and others to leave positive reviews, dictating what to say and where to post. She urged us to reply to negative comments in her defense. Her goal was to rebuild her rating and bury the negative reviews.

These tactics demonstrated her lack of ethics. She manipulated her online presence to maintain a facade, deceiving potential buyers and authorities. Her deceptive practices extended beyond breeding, affecting her public image and reputation.

Traumatic Experiences

On some occasions, she transported kittens as cargo at just six weeks old, far too young to be separated from their mothers. This led to the untimely death of one kitten. Another discovery was that one of the ladies raising litters for her kept kittens in a sauna room and handled them extremely poorly. We gave her an ultimatum: stop working with this lady, or we’re finished. She lied, claiming she would, but continued in secret. Witnessing her recklessly handle the kittens for photographs was cringeworthy. Sometimes, she dropped them from above shoulder height, one after another, as they struggled to break away from her uncaring grip. She had zero maternal instincts and treated her cats like products.

Oftentimes, she brought a mother to our place, warning us the cat would run and not come back if let out of the enclosure. However, when we interacted with the same cat, she was loving, affectionate, and unafraid of us. This happened several times. They were all fearful of her, but once they were introduced to a loving, safe, and social environment, they became highly affectionate and trusting. Even the cats were trying to tell us she wasn’t fit as a breeder.

You Can Lead a Horse to Water…

Throughout our time working with her, we grappled with the dilemma of reporting her versus trying to change her ways through our example. We frequently argued with her about her neglect, the necessity of fewer cats, better diet, socialization, and the risks of moving females around. This practice caused significant stress for the mothers and increased the risk of disease transmission. Her neglect escalated to the point where even our vet confronted her, threatening to report her and fight to revoke her TICA license.

Temporary Improvements

Whenever she realized things were deteriorating, she would begin making changes. To avoid losing us as guardians and the money she made from our litters, she reluctantly took some of our advice. These temporary improvements gave us hope, only for her to revert to profit-driven methods, reigniting our arguments.

The Final Breaking Point

One devastating incident involved a mother cat that broke her leg in two places after jumping off a countertop. The vet diagnosed the cat with osteodystrophy due to nutritional deprivation. Disgustingly, the breeder refused to treat the pregnant cat because she was days away from delivery. After the litter was born, we again begged her and she again refused treatment. What finally convinced her to allow the surgery was our offer to give her all the money we would earn from raising the litter. After much hesitation, she finally agreed. Tragically, the mother died that night, leaving behind six newborn kittens. The heartbreak was indescribable.

Hand-Raising Orphaned Kittens

With no other option, we took on the task of hand-raising the orphaned kittens. If left to her, we’re certain the kittens would have died. We set up an incubator, nursing and stimulating them every two hours for two weeks. Sometimes, we slept in shifts, somehow balancing this between our two careers. We dedicated ourselves entirely to keeping them alive. Failure was not an option. Fortunately, another cat we cared for had a small litter after two weeks. We introduced the kittens to her, and she accepted them into her litter. Of the six, four survived and grew into strong, healthy adults in new homes.

Breaking Free and Becoming Advocates

Experience after experience, conflict after conflict, heartbreak after heartbreak, we finally concluded that you can lead a horse to water, but you can’t make him drink. This breeder was a lost cause, and we had had enough. There was no convincing her to change her ways, and she was simply a poison in our lives that we had to remove. So, we did.

The Challenges of Reporting

Consequently, we reported her to TICA and to the veterinarians we worked with. Unfortunately, reporting a breeder to TICA or trying to get her added to breeder blacklist sites is easier said than done. The lengthy process allowed her time to clean up, relocate cats, and transfer titles. Despite numerous complaints and even police intervention, she maintained the illusion of being a qualified and ethical breeder. Her tactics included soliciting positive reviews to counteract negative ones. The battle to expose and shut her down continues, and we remain determined.

Moving Forward

Inspired by our love of the breed, we founded “Bella Maine Coons” in honor of our first Maine Coon. Our cattery is grounded in legitimacy, ethics, and responsibility. We emphasize full transparency. Having seen the deception of so-called ethical breeders, we proudly uphold our standards.

Transforming Challenges into Advocacy

Through these ordeals, we turned our negatives into positives. Ironically, we’re almost thankful for our experience with the profit breeder. Without it, we wouldn’t have realized the extent of her deceit and how well profit breeders hider their true practices. Because of her, we became advocates for ethical breeding. We aim to be the most reputable, trustworthy, and transparent Maine Coon breeders.

Educating Families

It is our firm belief that breeders like her are a prime example of why laws to protect animals are necessary. We educate families to prevent them from unknowingly supporting profit breeders. Our advocacy focuses on recognizing and avoiding backyard breeders, kitten mills, and profit breeders. We hold ourselves to the highest standards of transparency. Every detail of our practices is shared, including live streaming chats, videos, and images. Families are encouraged to thoroughly vet any breeder, including us. Clear communication is key, and we gladly recommend other ethical breeders if we don’t have what someone is looking for. We hope for a collaborative community that prioritizes the breed over profit.

The Importance of Transparency

No breeder will admit to being profit-driven or negligent. Claims of being ethical are as common as food products labeled organic. Actions speak louder than words. Transparency tests reveal the true nature of a breeder. We challenge breeders to prove their legitimacy and ethics. Through our website and social media, we encourage thorough investigations. The quality of these animals’ lives depends on our efforts.

Commitment to Excellence

Our goal is to protect and improve the breed. We invest heavily in our cats’ quality of life, ensuring they receive the best care, food, and socialization. Thorough vetting of families ensures our kittens go to loving homes. We refuse to outsource raising litters, ship kittens as cargo, or overbreed our cats. Our dedication to ethical practices drives us.

But don’t take our word for it. Ensure we prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that we are the ethical and responsible breeders we claim to be.

We hope more families and breeders hear our story, learn from our experiences, and take our lessons to heart. Advocating for the highest quality breeding standards, we will continue to strive for excellence everywhere.

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