BRINGING YOUR NEW ICOONS KITTEN HOME!
Information adapted from information located at www.Cabincoon.net
Link to view our kitten
contract
Each and every one of our kittens are raised in our home as our
pets, and our kittens are socialized with adults and children
beginning from birth. Our cats are also raised with dogs and birds
and are given a wide range of social interaction to ensure a versatile,
easy going temperament.
It is always better to be safe and take your kitten/cat to a
licensed vet for a thorough exam immediately.
Please, always transport your kitten in a carrier! We seat belt
our carriers to secure them and prevent accidents.
Dry Food: We feed and recommend Chicken Soup
for the Cat Lovers Soul (Kitten) to our kittens up to 6 mos of
age and after 6 mos. we feed Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul
(Adult). You may purchase these brands at your local feed store
or pet store. Most chain stores do not carry this kind of food,
so you can locate your closest distributor by going to http://www.chickensoupforthepetloverssoul.com/dealer_locator/
Raw food: Cats are obligate carnivores and require
the majority of their food from meat. Allow your cat to eat as
much raw meat diet he/she wants. Dry food has too many carbohydrates,
so only offer a small quantity. We feed a home made meat formula;
you can find many pre-made raw food options for cats on the internet
or you can try making your own by using recipes found on the internet
as well. It is critical that the diet include a large amount of
ground raw bone and at least 1/5 of the weight consist of organ
meats like liver and heart. Please do not feed your cat just raw
muscle meat and please consult with a knowledgeable resource regarding
a good recipe prior to attempting to make your own food.
Water: Offer clean fresh water every day. We
like the Drink Well Pet Fountains....they provide filtered running
water which encourages the cats to drink more water.
Dishes: Use glass, ceramic or stainless steel,
low sided bowls and clean them daily. Plastic tends to collect
bacteria from the oils in the cat food and can lead to chin acne,
bacterial infections etc. Disposable paper plates may also be
used for their canned food.
Hairballs: You can offer a product like Petromalt which is a brown
sticky paste. Recommended dosage is once a week, approximately
one inch given orally. Many cats will lick it directly from the
tube. A dry hacking, gagging cough is usually a hairball. If your
cat is coughing, add a little of canned plain pumpkin to their
regular canned food and give Petromalt daily until the hairball
is expelled. If the coughing continues please take them to your
vet.
Treats: We feed Greenies assorted flavor cat treats at bed time.
The cats and kittens really love chasing after their treats, which
provides them with extra exercise.
Maine Coons enjoy playing with their food and sometimes their
water. We recommend using heavy water bowls and putting trays
under the water bowls to prevent floods. Keep the food bowl at
least 12 inches from the water bowl. Do not keep the litter pan
anywhere near the food and water containers.
Litter: We suggest you use the jumbo sized litter
pans or large plastic storage containers to accommodate the long
length of the Maine Coon body. Hooded pans are fine, but if the
cats end up missing the edge of the pan (i.e. their rear end is
sticking out of the end of the pan by the entrance), then you
should remove the hood. Put litter pans in a quiet and well ventilated
place. We use Purina Layena Chicken crumble (chicken feed) and
Fresh Step clay (non clumping) litter but after your kitten is
acclimated to his new home, you are welcome to use whatever litter
suits your cat's preferences and your lifestyle. We do not recommend
Clumping litter for young kittens as it can cause blockages in
their throats as well as digestive track and intestines. Clumping
litter is not always safe for young kittens (they tend to eat
everything!) as they have a cement additive so we recommend not
using clumping litter until you are sure the kittens are past
the litter tasting stage.
Emergencies:Stock extra pans, litter, food and
bottled water in a location with your own personal supplies in
case of emergencies fires, flooding etc. Keep at least one carrier
per pet. A quick evacuation tool could be a zippered pillowcase
if your carriers are inaccessible. Keep your cat up to date with
vaccinations and keep your pet's nails trimmed bi-weekly.
Grooming: Comb your cat weekly using a wide
tooth (coarse) comb, then progress to a tighter (fine) tooth comb.
Do not use brushes on Maine Coons, they do nothing more than move
the top layer of fur around. Be gentle and groom the cat in a
position that is comfortable for you both. Start with the britches
and tummy and progress to the back and chest which are more pleasurable
for the cat.
Bathing: Always comb your cat prior to bathing.
Do not fill the sink with water. Our basic (i.e. not a show bath)
shampoo routine includes Goop (mechanics hand cleaner)(if greasy),
Goop Shampoo or Suave Clarifying shampoo and a vinegar rinse,
make sure you rinse really well, it is vital you rinse all soap
residue out; a sticky coat will look worse than when you started
and will attract dirt.
DRYING - Towel dry the cat well after the bath. Warm some thick,
absorbant towels in the dryer prior to the bath and wrap your
wet cat in these towels to absorb the excess water. Change the
towels as needed and comb out the cat lightly as it is drying
or blowing drying. Make sure it has a warm or sunny place to finish
its grooming itself, or blow dry the cat. Expect to be treated
with possible disdain for several hours but the cat will forgive
you. :-) Now you have a fresh smelling, lovely kitty to enjoy.
Bathing will also help reduce the amount of hair that is shedding
and is vital during their molting seasons (Spring and Fall). Greasy
coats and shedding can lead to horrific mats so it is important
to keep up with their grooming.
Nails: Trim the front and rear nails every
week as a young kitten and every 2-3 weeks as an adult. Use small
cat claw scissors and holding the cat in a stable position, like
a football under your arm, press on the pads of the foot to extend
the claw. Clip the translucent tip of the claw. The opaque portion
should not be cut or your cat's claw will bleed - i.e. this will
hurt and cause a negative reaction. Clipping claws should never
hurt and if done properly, the cat will not mind. There are five
claws on the front paws and four on the rear.
Ears, Eyes, Mouth and Noses: Use a warm damp
soft washcloth and gently wash their eyes, nose and mouth, and
wrap it around your finger to swab out the ear. Do not use q-tips
or put any liquids in the ears unless directed by a vet. Wipe
away brown wax but report any heavy buildup or black dots to your
vet. Do not get water in their ears when bathing - do not submerge
their heads at all!
Teeth: Check your cats teeth and gums frequently
for signs of gum disease (gingivitus or stomatitus), tooth disease,
tartar or teething. 75% of cats do develope Gingivitis sometime
in their lives because of the type of bacteria in their mouths,
and they cant chew bones and toys like dogs can. Very bad breath
is not normal - your cat could have a problem. Juvenile gingivitus
may be seen when the cats are 6 months-18 months old and occurs
when the adult teeth are in and in unaltered cats, when their
hormones start to kick in. This usually clears up by 1.5 years
of age and can be helped with treatments of clindamycin (antirobe
aquadrops)an antibiotic prescribed by your vet. Discuss brushing
your cats teeth with your vet. Starting this as a kitten makes
it easier to do as a habit.
Fleas: There is no excuse to tolerate fleas.
Use a topical product for CATS ONLY such as Advantage or Frontline
on your cat monthly to kill the fleas and treat your home. Fleas
are very detrimental to your cat's health - they can kill a cat
through anemia and give cats tapeworm, bacterial infections as
well as make them miserable. Do not let fleas invade your home
- keep your cats indoors and be alert.
Toys: When purchasing cat toys, make sure
they are cat safe and do not have parts that can be easily removed
and swallowed. Avoid glued on parts and make sure tails, bells,
etc. are very secure. Mylar kitty teases are great, but do not
leave them around for the cats to chew on - the metal strings
can cause intestinal damage if swallowed. Thread and strings are
also very dangerous. Cats tongues are like scratchy velcro. Once
something like a ribbon is licked, it is nearly impossible for
a cat to spit it out. Also strings and ribbons can get stuck around
their necks. Ribbons can get stuck in their stomachs or cause
an intestinal blockage and require surgery to remove. Your cats
are like toddlers - keep dangerous items out of their reach (and
their reach is incredible) and keep them safe.
Expensive toys are not necessary - cats love cardboard boxes,
paper bags (handles must be cut), tinfoil balls (large, tightly
compacted), Ping-Pong balls, etc. Cat tracks and turbo scratchers
are great. Catnip toys are wonderful. Pipecleaner toys (bugs)
make great fetching toys.
Furniture: Cats love cat trees. They love to
be up high as it gives them both a great view as well as a sense
of security. Cats try to defy gravity all the time and we get
to enjoy it when gravity wins. :-) A cat tree at least four feet
tall is a necessity for cats. They need something tall and sturdy
so that they can scratch. Scratching allows cats to have a mini-workout.
They work their upper bodies, they work their lower bodies, their
back, their abdomens.... well, ok - you get it! They flex, they
crunch - they need a good workout and a cat tree with a sisal
post works great. It will also save your furniture!!
Declawing: Declawing is not an option for one
of our kittens. Our contract explicitly states that you agree
to never have the cat you purchase from us declawed.
Keeping a cat indoors: Cats are perfectly
happy to live indoors if you provide them with affection, attention,
a scratching post or cat tree, toys and quality food and fresh
water. They've never been outdoors and don't miss what they don't
know and they will never miss the following:
• Being hit by a car
• Being attacked or killed by dogs
• Being attacked or killed by coyotes, raccoons, great horned
owls or other carnivores
• Injuries from other outdoor cats or diseases such as FIV,
FIP or FeLV
• Coming into contact with toxins or poisons (antifreeze,
snail bait, rat poison)
• Dealing with poisonous insects or snakes
• Dealing with bees, wasps or hornets
• Injuries or diseases from eating birds (splintered bones,
toxoplasmosis)
• Injury from a sadistic or cat-hating neighbor
• Being stolen - Maine Coons are beautiful and affectionate
and theft is not uncommon! Please have your cat Micro chipped
by your vet
Harnesses: Many pet buyers have had success
training their Maine Coons to walk around on leashes and harnesses.
Always carry your cat outside, do not allow him to walk out the
door on his own. Don't allow them any unsupervised time in a yard
that is not fully enclosed. Just fencing is not enough as cats
can EASILY climb over and get stuck outside your yard. You can
find some really neat outdoor enclosures for your cat if you would
like them to enjoy the outside with you. There are many options
to screen in a portion of your yard or porch/patio so that your
cat can have fun enjoying the outside for short periods of time.
Precautions: Many products and situations are
hazardous to your cats. Pine based cleaners are toxic. Keep toilet
lids down and do not use tank cleaners if your cat ever drinks
from the toilet (I know, groan, but some do!). Treat your cat
like a curious child and look for hazards. Cover electrical outlets,
protect them from dangling blind cords or electrical cords, firescreen
off your fireplace, candles, potpourri, be careful with recliners,
hideabeds, rocking chairs, slamming doors. Be careful with beds
(box springs, dangling threads), needles and thread, plastic bags,
shopping bags, tape and sticky tags, cigarettes, styrofoam, packing
peanuts, yarn, cellophane, open refigerators, washers & dryers,
garbage cans, sharp tin can lids, chicken bones. Be observant
and try to deal with hazards before your cat finds them.
Poisonous Plants
Visit these web sites for lists of plants to avoid:
CFA's list of plants at http://www.cfa.org/articles/plants.html
Health and First Aid
Basic info: A cat's average temperature should range from 100.4
to 102.5 degrees farenheit. Kittens can be slightly warmer. A
temperature of 103 degrees is cause for concern and an immediate
vet visit. Measure temperatures with a rectal thermometer or an
ear thermometer.
Pulse should be 110-130 beats per minute.
Respiration should be 20-30 breaths per minute.
Keep your vet's phone number handy as well as locate an emergency
clinic or after hours vet nearby if your regular vet is closed.
Emergencies seem to always happen at night or on weekends.
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