I am looking into buying a Maine Coon cat and have been talking via E-mail to a breeder. I received pictures just of the faces and decided to call and make an appointment. On the phone I asked for a full body picture of the kitten, and the lady casually said, "By the way the kittens have kinked tails." This made me suspicious because she never mentioned it in any of her E-mails. Should the price be lower because it has a kinked tail? Is this a common genetic flaw?

-- Anonymous, November 10, 2000

Answers

A kinked tail is a genetic flaw. You may want to examine at least five generations in the pedigree of the sire and dam to be sure there was no breeding of related cats. Other defects that are not obvious may also have been passed on. Sometimes breeders have a good reason for doing this but it must be done very cautiously.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2000

Forgot to answer your question. Yes, the value should be lower due to the kinked tail. Those cats should never be bred and it would be a defect in showing.

-- Anonymous, November 14, 2000