Caring For Your New Kitten
Caring For Your New Kitten
Getting
Used To The New Home
Being away from mom and littermates can be a scary event. Give your new kitten time to become used to her new family and do not expect her to become your best friend right away. Acclimation to new surroundings should be as quiet and stress free as possible. If there are other animals present or much activity, the baby kitten may need to be kept in a separate room for a short time and allowed out when she seems more secure about exploring her new territory.
As soon as you arrive home show your
kitten her food, water and litter box. The stress of a new environment may
cause her to have an accident. If this happens just put her in her litter box and
gently scratch at the litter. She'll catch on quickly. If she seems skittish,
shy or refuses to eat for a couple of days, don't worry. Just give her lots of love,
petting and soft words and she will quickly adjust. She may cry somewhat at first
since she misses her mom and littermates but this will not last as she gets to know her
family.
Feeding
Guidelines
It is best to feed your new kitten the same food that she has been used to. Any change in diet should be done gradually, over a period of several days, adding a little more of the new food each day. This will prevent digestive problems. We recommend a high quality, dry kitten food such as Iams, Royal Canin, Science Diet or Nutro. Dry food is left out at all times for free-feeding. This should be supplemented with canned food. You cannot overfeed a kitten so don't be afraid to give her too much. Maine Coons are big eaters and you may be surprised at how much they can put away!
The main goal of any feeding program should be to obtain the optimum nutrition available for your kitten. When choosing dry or canned food read the label. It does not matter what the advertisements say if the food is full of grains and fillers. The first ingredient should be a meat or poultry product. Even though this cat food is more expensive, your kitten will eat less since a smaller amount will satisfy her nutritional requirements.
Cats and kittens generally do not do well on cow's
milk. Contrary to popular belief, they do not tolerate it well as it upsets
their stomach. A serving of beef heart, kidney, liver, chicken, or other cooked meat
is a good snack. Other natural, healthy snacks that kitties like are cheese, yogurt,
cottage cheese and some vegetables. Fish in small amounts is okay as a treat but
fish does not provide the nutrients that cats need to remain healthy. Fish flavor
cat food has been shown to contribute to urinary tract disorder in cats, especially in
male cats. Treats are okay as long as they do not become a main dish. Too many
treats steal the appetite and keeps the kitten from getting the nutrients she needs from
her primary cat food.
Declawing
Declawing is an imhumane practice and we do not endorse or recommend it. Declawing amputates the first joint of the toe. When cat furniture is available, your cat will use it. You can discourage your kitten away from the sofa or chair with a spritz of water from a spray bottle or by putting double stick tape on the corners of the couch for a short time. Claws may be clipped every month or so, and a product called "Soft Paws" has been very successful in inhibiting undesirable scratching.
Toys
Kittens enjoy homemade toys as much as the expensive ones from the pet store. Here are a few suggestions to keep your kitten happy. Try fishing pole toys (rod with string/shoelace attached) with a feather or ribbon tied to the end. Keep this put away when finished so the kitten doesn't chew or swallow the ribbon. Crumple up a post-it note or small piece of paper and toss it on the floor. Put a ping pong ball in the bathtub or in a laundry basket that the kitten can reach into. The top from a plastic milk container or a straw makes great kitty hockey. Cardboard boxes with both ends open are great tunnels.
If you feel that you are ready to welcome a new member into your family, then you have chosen well in selecting a Maine Coon. Maine Coons get along very well with children and dogs as well as other cats. A Maine Coon will be your "best buddy", preferring your company in whatever you are doing. Be prepared to fall in love with America's Favorite Cat, the Maine Coon!
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