1. About the Mcats List

Please keep all posts on topic. Appropriate subjects include Maine Coon Breeders and Fanciers Association issues, caring for, breeding, and showing Maine Coon Cats, questions about general cat care, and just about anything else :-) You can even use the dreaded "dog" word!

Inappropriate subjects include flames and slanderous remarks about others. Anybody who institutes a "flame war" with another list member will be warned and, if the behavior doesn't become more civilised, will be unsubscribed from the list. You have been warned! (For those of you who aren't familiar with the term, "flaming" is being rude and insulting to another netizen (translation: citizen of the 'net). Polite, rational disagreement and discussion is always welcome, but ranting at one another is no way to get a point across.

Please do not download graphic files or attachments to the entire list. Many people pay for on-line time and these files can take a loooong time to download! If you want to send a picture to the list, ask the list-members to let you know if they want the picture and then download it to them by private e-mail. Additionally, please don't quote entire posts when replying unless absolutely necessary. That's why cut-and-paste was created :-) If it is necessary to quote an entire post, insert your replies in the appropriate places within the quoted text.

Keep the language clean. The list-server will cancel the list if obscene language appears. As a guideline, remember "The seven words you can't say on T.V." :-))) If you feel only an "anglo-saxonism" will suffice to get your point across, use asterisks.

This list is meant to be a "family room," where people who love their Maine Coons (or Maine Coon look-alikes) can gather to chat about their cats, their lives, and whatever is on their minds. Occasionally there will be a technical thread, but there will also be threads of general interest.

To unsubscribe from this list, go to the ONElist web site, at http://www.onelist.com, and select the User Info link from the menu bar on the left. This menu will also let you change your subscription between digest and normal mode.

2. Special Note About Replying to Listmembers

Please be aware that the "reply to all" (or "re all") option on your browser will send your message to the entire list. If you want to reply privately to a post, use the "reply to" (or "re mail") option.

3. Who Are the Listmembers?

The listmembers consist of Maine Coon breeders and fanciers. We are all tied together by our love for this breed, whether our Maine Coons are pedigreed or not. If you fit this profile, you'll like it here.

4. What Should You Expect From the List?

You should expect to meet friendly, helpful, caring people. You should expect to be able to tap into the expertise of other listmembers for help and advice in the care of your cat. You should also expect to have a lot of fun in the cyber-company of a lot of like-minded people. You should not expect to be flamed or ridiculed for any question you might ask. There are no stupid questions! Remember, however, that listmembers come from all over the world, and occasionally there will be a cultural misunderstanding. Don't take it personally; explanation and rational discussion goes a long way to creating global understanding.

5. What Is a Mailing List?

A mailing list is a list of recipients to which people can subscribe. Unlike e-mail, when you send a message to a mailing list, it goes to every person on the list. The list manager can preview messages before allowing them to be posted to the entire list (this would be a "moderated" list). This, however, is an "unmoderated" list, which means that the list manager (me :-) trusts the list members to behave themselves and doesn't preview messages before allowing them to be posted to the list. Before you hit the "Send" button, review what you've said and ask yourself "Do I want people all over the world to see this?" If the answer is "no," rephrase your post or send it privately.

6. Safety Precautions

Since this is a global list, don't give out your address and/or phone number to the entire list. Give that information only to people you know and trust. Although I try to verify that every person subscribed to this list is honest and trustworthy, I cannot guarantee it. It's up to you as a listmember to ensure that sensitive personal information isn't disseminated to the entire list unless you so wish. Please notify the list manager, Trish Simpson, at chiapet@ciris.net if you feel you are being threatened or harassed by another list member.

7. Special Day!

Fridays are "Friday Fun Day." Feel free to send in jokes each Friday! This is also the day when you can post recipes, gardening tips/questions, or whatever you'd like. Have fun with it :-)

8. Additional Information

Please be sure to read OneList's FAQs (listed on the left side of their page). It will give you information about how OneList works, their policy on controlling spam (unwanted advertising), and much more.

9. Expanded FAQ (Includes many, many links to excellent Maine Coon information and health sites)

This section contains much information about finding a Maine Coon breeder, purchasing a kitten, and caring for your new kitten. It is still under construction, so be sure to check regularly for additional information.

Thanks, The List Owner (Trish Simpson; chiapet@ciris.net)