Maine Coon Kitten Care

KITTEN CARE

Now that you’ve finally found your kitten it’s time to prepare for his or her arrival. There are items that need to be purchased, a little cat proofing to be done, & decisions that need to be made ahead of time so that your kitten’s homecoming goes smoothly & is as stress free as possible.

SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT WITH YOUR VETERNARIAN

Your kitten will need to be examined by your veterinarian within 72 hours of leaving our care (as stated on the sales contract) or the health guarantee will be void. A HEALTH INFORMATION SHEET will be provided for your kitten detailing the vaccinations given, de-wormer medications administered, & any flea protection applied (we use REVOLUTION). Please make sure to give this sheet to your veterinarian so he or she can continue to provide your kitten with the quality healthcare he or she is accustomed to. You might ask the importance of seeing the vet within 72 hours – because after 72 hours a kitten can start showing symptoms of infections they’ve caught after leaving our care.

PURCHASE KITTEN FOOD

Your kitten has been eating BLUE BUFFALO HEALTHY GROWTH CHICKEN & BROWN RICE kitten food. We did lots of research on what kittens & cats need in their diets to maintain exceptional health & avoid Feline Urinary Tract Disease (FLUTD). A feline diet that is too high in carbohydrates & magnesium, and low in protein can lead to FLUTD. The challenge was to find a cat & kitten food that was appealing to all of our Maine coons, that contains the proper amount of protein & magnesium, & has no by products. Our adult cats eat BLUE BUFFALO WILDERNESS CHICKEN RECIPE – high protein WILDERNESS is made with a higher concentration of chicken & contains NO grains, NO by-product meal, NO artificial preservatives, NO corn, NO whear, & NO soy.

Yes, BLUE BUFFALO is expensive but our kittens & cats now eat a lot less than they did before we switched their cat& kitten food. When choosing food for your animals remember you get what you pay for!! Also, you’ll need to make sure your animals actually like the new food too.

PURCHASE STAINLESS STEEL BOWLS OR A FOUTAIN

Your kitten has been eating & drinking out of stainless steel bowls. Why stainless steel – stainless steel does not absorb smells, does not stain, & is easy to clean & disinfect….plus your kitten will be less likely to chew on stainless steel bowls than plastic, & they will not break like glass or ceramic either. Our older cats enjoy their stainless steel water fountain. Please remember that Maine Coons love water & a fountain will provide countless hours of entertainment & enjoyment for your kitten.

PURCHASE A LITTER BOX AND LITTER

Your kitten has been using an open pan litter box with Tidy Cats Instant Action Scoopable Litter. We prefer open pan litter boxes because we scoop at least two times a day & like the ease of access. All of our Maine coon’s litter boxes (kitten litter boxes are in the nursery) are housed on our screened potty porch that they access through a cat/dog door so we really do not have a need for the litter boxes with tops, hoods, & or covers for out Maine coon cats. However, we do use a modified type of litter box (that’s covered) in the nursery that allows kittens to access & mom no entry – our kittens use the modified litter box until they’re about 8 or 9 weeks of age. Then they graduate to an open pan litter box that’s placed in an area only they can access. Should you choose a covered litter box remember to scoop it regularly & know that it can trap humidity as well as the smelly odor that your cat might find undesirable – which could lead to him or her pottying somewhere else. Cats & kittens tend to like what they are use to as far as litter is concerned. We’re back to using Tidy Cats Instant Action Scoopable Litter after using pine pellets for a while…..mainly because of time constraints. Pine pellets are fine to use, you just might need to transition your kitten from the Tidy Cats to the pellets adding Tidy Cats to the pellets & slowly decease the amount (of Tidy Cats) you add in over time. Remember, if your cat or kitten is not happy with the litter box for any reason he or she might be inclined to potty else where. NOTE: cats/kitttens prefer litter boxes & digging so if they potty else where they’re trying to tell you something!! Litter boxes & litter are personal choices just make sure your kitten agrees with your choice.