Welcome to ShaggyCoonz!
We’re a small, home-based cattery in sunny Tampa Bay, Florida, dedicated to raising beautiful, well-socialized Maine Coons, while preserving the lovely characteristics of these “Gentle Giants”.
As hobby breeders, we don’t make our living from our cats, we focus on quality, care, and thoughtful pairing, typically welcoming 1-2 litters per year.
Meet the Owners
ShaggyCoonz is co-owned by Denise DeJarnette and Dr. Lori McGill. We each have our own homes, and our cats and kittens are lovingly raised in both. Our cats live with us underfoot and are cherished as family pets first.
In the Fall of 2022, having met at the show ring and sharing their mutual love of this gentle breed, Denise partnered with Lori and ShaggyCoonz expanded over the years, producing many champions and beautiful healthy kittens.
Outside of our love for Maine Coons, we’re both Registered Nurses: Denise is a Progressive Cardiac Care nurse, and Lori is a college professor teaching future RNs. Lifelong animal lovers, we bring experience and dedication to our breeding program.
Denise has education in Animal Sciences, has previously bred and shown Hungarian sheep dogs, and is an accomplished horsewoman with show and jumping experience. While Denise has participated in cat rescue, her passion for Maine Coons began her hobby of showing and breeding these gentle giants with their “dog-like” personality.
Lori spent most of her life with rescue cats, still has some in the home, and decided to invest time on Maine Coons after attending several cat shows. She became interested in showing Maine Coons beginning in 2019. She has met several amazing breeders over time and continually strives to gain knowledge on the breed through networking at shows, online media, and independently researching reputable sources.
We are proud members of TICA and LCWW, and together we have bred and shown International Winning TICA Supreme Grand Champions and Ultimate Grand Champions. Earning these titles reflects the judgment of trained breed-standard experts and is meaningful recognition of our commitment to the Maine Coon standard while preserving the original breed.
If you would like to enjoy a beautiful ShaggyCoonz Gentle Giant Maine Coon in your home, please explore our site. Feel free to reach out to either of us with any questions about our cats or upcoming litters. We love talking about our breed and are always happy to help.