Chris Hogue's Portrait
Professional portrait of Chris Hogue, ideally with Kepler or Charlotte. Candid and warm beats formal headshot.Chris Hogue, Maine Haus Cattery
I'm Chris Hogue, and I founded Maine Haus here in Indianapolis, Indiana.
[OWNER INPUT NEEDED — paragraph 1, the "why": What first drew you to Maine Coons? Suggested example: "My connection to Maine Coons started [with a specific cat / a specific moment] — I was struck by [temperament / intelligence / the dog-like devotion the breed is known for], and the more I learned about the breed's history and health considerations, the more I wanted to do this the right way."]
[OWNER INPUT NEEDED — paragraph 2, the "why this way": Suggested example: "Before I brought home a single breeding cat, I spent [timeframe] researching genetic health testing, TICA standards, and what separates a responsible cattery from a hobby breeder. Kepler and Charlotte were selected specifically because of their health-tested European bloodlines — nothing about this program happened by accident."]
[OWNER INPUT NEEDED — paragraph 3, the personal/family angle: Suggested example: "I live in Indianapolis with [family / other pets / relevant detail], and Kepler and Charlotte are very much part of the household, not kept apart from it."]
What I can tell you without any placeholder is this: Maine Haus started with two health-tested, TICA-registered European Maine Coons and a decision to build slowly and carefully rather than rush a first litter. Every choice since then — the DNA panel before any pairing was planned, the TICA registration, the way Kepler and Charlotte are raised underfoot in our home — has been in service of that same idea: quality over quantity, from the very first day.
Meet Kepler & CharlotteBred With Purpose, Not Convenience
Maine Haus is a deliberately small, deliberately new program — and we think that's a strength worth explaining rather than hiding.
Health Testing Comes First
Before we ever considered a pairing, both of our foundation cats — Kepler and Charlotte — were DNA-tested for HCM (MYBPC3), Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), and Pyruvate Kinase Deficiency (PKDef), the three genetic conditions of greatest concern in the breed. Both tested negative across the panel. That sequence matters: testing wasn't a box we checked after the fact, it was the reason we felt comfortable starting a breeding program at all.
Quality Over Quantity
We are not building a high-volume operation, and we never will be. A queen who is well-rested between litters and a sire who is chosen for health and temperament, not just looks, produce healthier, better-socialized kittens than a program built for volume. Limited litters aren't a limitation here — they're the point.
Family-Raised Socialization
Kittens raised in a home, surrounded by everyday noise, handling, and affection from birth, become the confident, people-oriented cats Maine Coons are known for. That's how our cats live now, and it's how any kittens they raise will live too.
A Foundation Built to Last
We'd rather start a program right — with health-tested, pedigreed, European-line cats and a clear ethical framework — than start fast. Maine Haus is pre-first-litter by design: we wanted the foundation in place before the first kitten ever arrived.
TICA Registration
#109293
Maine Haus is a registered cattery with The International Cat Association (TICA), the world's largest genetic registry of pedigreed cats. Our cattery registration number is #109293.
What that means in practice: our cattery name, our cats' individual registrations (Kepler: SBV 102423 004; Charlotte: SBT 102323 012), and the pedigrees behind them are part of an independently maintained registry — not something we can print on a webpage and call official. TICA registration is the standard the breed's most reputable catteries hold themselves to, and it's the same standard we hold ourselves to.
We want you to check this yourself, not take our word for it. You can confirm cattery and cat registrations directly through TICA at tica.org, and we've laid out the exact verification steps — including our cats' individual registration numbers — on our Our Cats page.
Our cattery certificate is also available to view directly.
A Family Home, Not a Kennel
Kepler and Charlotte live in our home in Indianapolis — not in a separate cattery building, not in cages, not behind a barn. Every kitten Maine Haus raises will grow up the same way: underfoot, handled daily, and exposed to the ordinary noise and routine of a real household from the day they open their eyes.
That distinction matters more than it might sound. Maine Coon kittens raised in isolated or purely commercial settings often arrive at their new homes undersocialized — nervous around noise, slow to trust new people, unfamiliar with the chaos of everyday family life. Kittens raised in a home learn all of that early, while it's easiest to learn.
[OWNER INPUT NEEDED: 2-3 sentences describing your specific home environment — children, other pets, typical daily routine, the space where kittens will be raised. Suggested example: "Our home includes [children / other pets / a dedicated kitten room], and kittens here grow up around [vacuum cleaners, doorbells, houseguests — whatever is genuinely true]. By the time a Maine Haus kitten goes home, confident behavior isn't an accident; it's the result of weeks of deliberate, gentle exposure."]
We're also glad to show you this in person. Every visit is by appointment, and we offer FaceTime calls with our cats before you ever need to make a decision — see more on our Contact page.
Six Things We Won't Compromise On
- DNA-tested foundation cats. Kepler and Charlotte are both negative for HCM (MYBPC3), SMA, and PKDef — tested before any pairing was ever planned, not after.
- European Vipcoon bloodlines. Both of our cats descend from the Vipcoon cattery's European breeding program, prized for the substantial build, tall lynx-tipped ears, and striking silver tabby coats the breed is known for at its best.
- TICA verifiable, not just TICA claimed. Cattery #109293, plus individually registered cats with checkable registration numbers. Nothing on our Our Cats page is a summary you have to trust — it's the documents themselves.
- Visit by appointment, FaceTime before deposit. We welcome in-person visits by appointment, and we offer a live video call with our cats before you're asked to commit to anything. Meeting the parents — in person or on screen — shouldn't be something you have to fight for.
- Family-raised, not kennel-raised. Every kitten grows up in our home, in the middle of daily life, so socialization starts on day one rather than the week before pickup.
- Ongoing breeder support. Our relationship with a Maine Haus family doesn't end at pickup. We're a resource for questions about care, health, and behavior for the life of your cat.
Ready to Learn More?
Now that you know who's behind Maine Haus, we'd love for you to meet the cats themselves — their pedigrees, their health testing, and the personalities that make them who they are. Or, if you're ready to start a conversation, we're just a message away.