Each nursery graduate usually receives personal documents and a dowry.
The documents are a pedigree, a veterinary passport indicating the vaccinations given and – if microchipping was carried out – the electronic chip number, and a second copy of the purchase agreement. In addition, you can receive expert sheets with the kitten’s ratings and the awards he received if he attended exhibitions and won something there.
Dowry: approximately a week’s supply of the usual food and a small amount of filler from the tray, so that the kitten in a new place can immediately figure out where to go for its natural needs.
When you pick up your baby, you should not forget to take a carrier with you, and in the cold season, be sure to lay a warm bedding there. Ideally, an insulated carrying case, but it is extremely difficult to find one and, most likely, you will have to sew it yourself in the future.
At home, the kitten should have his own bowls for food and water, a tray with litter and a scoop, several toys, a place where the Maine Coon will sleep and on which to sharpen his claws.
If you are planning to transfer your kitten to a different type of food, different from what he received in the nursery, remember that this should be done gradually, mixing his usual food with a new one, increasing the dose of the new one every day and decreasing the old one.
There are also different types of litter for the litter tray, but to immediately orient the kitten where he should go to the toilet, pour the litter brought from the nursery into his new litter tray. One time will be enough for the pet to learn where the toilet is.
All fillers can be divided depending on the material from which they are made into the following groups.
1. silicate
2. silicone
3. paper
4. wooden
The first type is the most common. For Maine Coons, clumping sand with medium granules is best suited – large ones do not clump well, small ones can stick to the fur. The resulting lumps can be easily removed with a scoop; if necessary, add fresh sand to create a layer of 2-3 cm.
Advantages: quite cheap, encourages the cat to go only to the litter box. Disadvantages: difficult to dispose of, does not eliminate specific odors, creates fine silicate dust.
The second type is our choice when traveling to exhibitions. It does not create dust, perfectly absorbs liquid, eliminates odor, and is also much lighter than silicate.
Advantages: completely eliminates odor, looks beautiful, is very economical to use.
Disadvantages: it is relatively expensive, difficult to dispose of, and when used it makes a specific sound that may frighten the cat. However, this problem can be solved in two or three visits to the toilet.
The third type is quite convenient at home, but not too convenient when traveling. Very light. May stick to fur.
Advantages: cheap, very easy to recycle – you can throw it down the toilet.
Disadvantages: does not absorb liquid well and does not eliminate odor.
The fourth type comes in the form of sawdust and small wooden pellets. Many cat owners prefer this type of litter.
Advantages: the most environmentally friendly, kittens love to play with wooden pellets – therefore, it is easier to accustom them to the litter box. It is very easy to recycle and eliminates odors quite well.
Disadvantages: sawdust sticks to the fur and spreads throughout the house, the pellets always roll somewhere and then end up under people’s feet, when used, the pellets make a loud sound, which cats like, but the owner is unlikely to like, especially in the middle of the night.
In general, it doesn’t matter what kind of litter you choose for your pet – the main thing is that the tray is spacious so that the coon can fit in it, with high sides so that the filling does not spill out of it. The most important thing is to keep the litter box clean, otherwise the cat will be forced to look for another, cleaner place to discharge its needs.
Which bowls to choose for food and water – in general, it doesn’t matter. Just keep in mind that large cats prefer to drink from tall vessels, and many Maine Coons are not averse to playing with water.
That’s all a Maine Coon needs in everyday life. If you are planning to go for a walk with your pet, get a reliable harness with a leash.
