Preparing for your Maine Coon Kitten
The High Country Maine Coons Getting Started Guide
A few thoughtful preparations can make your kitten's transition easier. Your love, attention and care are the most important things you can provide. This guide gathers the products, routines and resources I most often discuss with HCMC families. It is intended as a practical starting point rather than a one-size-fits-all rulebook.
Before Gotcha Day
A little preparation goes a long way. Before your kitten comes home, taking time to prepare a safe, comfortable environment will make the transition easier for everyone.
• Choose a safe starting space. Prepare a quiet room or smaller area where your kitten can become comfortable with the sights, sounds and smells of your home before gradually expanding their territory.
• Kitten-proof your home. Maine Coon kittens are wonderfully curious. Secure cords and blind strings, remove toxic plants, medications and small objects that could be swallowed, and check for small spaces where a kitten could become trapped. Lidded garbage cans greatly reduce hazards for curious kittens.
• Set up food and water stations. Have your kitten’s familiar food available before arrival and place fresh water away from the litter box. Stainless steel or ceramic dishes are preferred.
• Prepare the litter area. Have at least one easily accessible litter box ready before your kitten arrives. Using the litter and litter-box style your kitten already recognizes can make the transition much easier.
• Provide scratching and climbing opportunities. A sturdy scratching post and appropriately sized cat tree give your Maine Coon healthy outlets for natural scratching, climbing and observation behaviors.
• Have a secure carrier ready. A hard-sided carrier is strongly recommended for Gotcha Day, veterinary visits and emergency travel.
What Your Kitten Is Eating
Keeping things familiar at first can help minimize digestive upset. Your kitten has been exposed to a variety of foods at High Country Maine Coons. We recommend maintaining familiar foods during the initial transition into your home before making significant dietary changes.
• Commercial kitten food. Your kitten has been exposed to Royal Canin Kitten, both wet and dry, as well as Purina Pro Plan Kitten, both wet and dry.
• Raw food. Our recent litters have also been introduced to Viva Raw as part of their dietary exposure.
• Fresh water. Fresh, clean water should always be available. Many cats enjoy moving water, and a quality pet fountain can encourage good hydration.
• Make changes gradually. The transition to a new home is already a significant change. If you plan to alter your kitten’s diet, we recommend doing so gradually after your kitten has had an opportunity to settle in.
Interested in Continuing Raw?
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Supplies & Products I Recommend
A few tried-and-true favorites. Over the years, I have tried many products with our Maine Coons. The items below are products I personally use, regularly recommend, or have found especially helpful for the unique needs of this breed. You certainly do not need everything on this list—consider it a convenient starting point as you prepare home and family for your new cat or kitten.
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Food and Feeding
Mealtime essentials. Maine Coons grow into wonderfully large cats, so I favor feeding products that are durable, easy to clean and appropriately sized. These are some of the products I use and recommend for both kittens and adults.
Stainless-Steel Food & Water Bowls
Wide, shallow bowls can help reduce whisker contact while eating and drinking. I prefer stainless steel because it is durable, easy to sanitize and well suited to everyday use. A non-slip base is especially helpful for enthusiastic Maine Coon kittens!
Stainless-Steel Water Fountain
Many cats are naturally attracted to moving water, and a fountain can be a wonderful way to encourage hydration. I prefer stainless steel because it is durable, easy to clean and I prefer stainless steel because it is durable, nonporous and easy to clean.
Microchip Activated Pet Feeder
A particularly helpful option in multi-cat households, this feeder opens only for the cat who whose microchip is programmed to it. It can be especially useful when cats eat different diets, require portion control, or one enthusiastic Maine Coon believes everyone's dinner belongs to them.
Litter Box Essentials
Good litter-box habits begin with the right setup. Maine Coons need generous space, easy access and a litter they are comfortable using. Your kitten is already well established with litter-box habits before leaving High Country Maine Coons, and keeping things familiar during the transition can help those good habits continue in your home.
Traditional Litter Box Set Up
Simple works beautifully. A generously sized, open litter box is perfectly appropriate for a Maine Coon. Because this breed grows substantially larger than the average cat, choose the largest box your space will comfortably accommodate. High sides can help contain litter while still allowing easy entry.
Keep the litter familiar. Your kitten is accustomed to Dr. Elsey’s Ultra Unscented Clumping Clay Litter. I recommend having this litter available when your kitten first arrives home. Once your kitten is settled and reliably using the box, you can gradually transition to another litter if desired.
Litter-Robot by Whisker
An option I personally recommend. For families interested in an automatic litter box, the Litter-Robot can be especially convenient in multi-cat households. Its automatic cleaning cycle helps maintain a consistently clean litter bed while reducing daily scooping.
Maine Coon kittens can successfully learn to use a Litter-Robot, but I recommend allowing a new kitten to settle into the home and become completely comfortable with its litter-box routine before introducing unnecessary changes.
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Climb, Scratch & Enrichment
Comfort, play and appropriate outlets matter. Maine Coons are active, intelligent cats that benefit from sturdy furniture, engaging toys and comfortable places to rest. Because they grow substantially larger than the average cat, I recommend choosing products with adult size, stability and durability in mind—even when shopping for a kitten.
Sturdy Cat Trees
Maine Coons love to climb, perch and observe their surroundings. Look for a well-built tree with a wide, stable base, substantial posts and platforms large enough to remain useful as your kitten grows.
Scratching Posts & Surfaces
Providing appropriate scratching surfaces from the beginning helps satisfy a natural behavior while giving your kitten an appealing alternative to furniture. I favor tall, sturdy posts that allow a Maine Coon to stretch fully.
Interactive Toys & Enrichment
Play is an important part of physical and mental development. Wand toys, tunnels and other interactive toys encourage healthy movement, curiosity and engagement while also providing wonderful opportunities to bond with your kitten. There is an unlimited number of highly reviewed cat toys available through many outlets. Do your research, read reviews and chose what is best for you feline family members and your home. Jackson Galaxy has a number of videos about cat/kitten enrichment to learn from.
Grooming & Coat Care
A little routine care goes a long way. Maine Coons have beautiful, substantial coats that benefit from regular grooming. When a bath is needed, I recommend using quality cat-safe grooming products appropriate for the coat, followed by thorough drying and combing. A grooming degreaser can also be especially helpful for removing excess oils and buildup when needed.
Coat Grooming
Regular combing helps prevent tangles and mats while keeping your Maine Coon’s coat in beautiful condition. I recommend a quality stainless-steel comb that reaches through the coat rather than simply brushing the surface. Pay special attention behind the ears, under the front legs, along the belly and around the britches, where tangles commonly develop.
Nail Care
Getting your kitten comfortable with having their paws handled early makes routine nail trims much easier. A small, sharp pair of cat nail clippers is all you need. Frequent, gentle handling—even when you are not trimming nails—helps make nail care an ordinary part of life.
Bath Time
Maine Coons generally do not require frequent bathing, but becoming comfortable with water and a blow dryer can be helpful throughout their lives. When a bath is needed, I recommend a gentle cat-safe shampoo followed by thorough rinsing, drying and combing of the coat.
Travel, Carriers & Safety
A little preparation makes traveling with your Maine Coon safer and less stressful. Whether you're bringing your kitten home for the first time, heading to the veterinarian or traveling together later in life, a secure carrier and a few basic supplies can make an enormous difference.
Hard-Sided Carrier
A sturdy, appropriately sized hard-sided carrier is my preferred choice for safe travel. It provides greater protection and is easier to thoroughly clean and disinfect after an accident. Remember that your Maine Coon will grow quickly, so consider adult size when choosing a carrier.
Harness & Adventure
If you hope to introduce your Maine Coon to supervised outdoor adventures, begin slowly with a properly fitted harness in a secure environment. Fit is especially important for kittens, who can slip surprisingly easily from an improperly fitted harness..
Travel Emergency Kit
Accidents happen—especially during longer trips. I recommend keeping paper towels, pet-safe wipes, a spare towel or carrier liner, disposable bags and a small cleanup kit readily and within easy reach while traveling.
Veterinary Care & Pet Insurance
Establishing good veterinary care from the beginning is one of the most important things you can do for your new kitten. Your HCMC kitten goes home with veterinary records and important health information to share with your veterinarian. I encourage families to establish a relationship with their veterinarian early and to keep those records together for future reference.
Your Kitten’s First Vet Visit
Your High Country Maine Coons contract calls for a well-kitten/cat examination with your veterinarian within 72 hours of arriving home. Bring your kitten’s health records in the green “Go Home” folder with you and use this visit to establish care, review vaccination history and discuss an appropriate plan for future preventive care.
Pet Insurance
Unexpected veterinary care can become expensive very quickly. I strongly encourage every family to research pet insurance before Gotcha Day, while your kitten is young and before unexpected health concerns arise.
As a courtesy to our new kitten families, High Country Maine Coons is able to offer Trupanion’s Go Home Day Offer. Eligible families may activate 30 days of immediate coverage at no upfront cost and with no obligation to continue coverage afterward.
Coverage can be activated beginning 24 hours before pickup and must be activated no later than 24 hours after your kitten goes home.
Offer Code: BR1HC47224
Seasonal Resource: Trupanion’s Fall New Kitten Guide includes helpful information about your kitten’s first year, pet insurance and seasonal safety.
Prefer to activate by phone? Call 833.701.7993 — available 24/7
Dental Care
Good dental habits are worth establishing early. Dental health is an important part of your Maine Coon’s overall wellness. Becoming comfortable with having the mouth and teeth handled while young can make future dental care easier, and routine veterinary examinations are important for monitoring oral health throughout your cat’s life.
At-Home Dental Care Introducing tooth brushing early can make dental care much easier. Begin slowly with a small, cat-appropriate toothbrush and pet toothpaste, keeping sessions brief and positive while your kitten becomes accustomed to having their mouth handled. Never use human toothpaste for your cat.
Dental Water Additive An easy addition to your dental-care routine. I use Oxyfresh Premium Pet Dental Water Additive as an additional way to support oral hygiene. It is simply added to drinking water, making it an easy option for cats who may not readily tolerate tooth brushing. I use it as a supplement to—not a replacement for—routine veterinary dental care and other appropriate at-home dental care.
Home Safety & Kitten-Proofing
A curious kitten can find trouble in places you would never expect. Maine Coon kittens are active, intelligent and remarkably good climbers. Before your kitten arrives, take a few minutes to look at your home from their perspective. A little preparation can prevent many common household accidents.
Around the House
Expect them to explore everything. Secure loose cords, strings, ribbon, hair ties and other small objects that could be swallowed. Check window screens and keep medications, cleaning products and chemicals securely stored. Be especially careful with recliners and other moving furniture—a kitten can quietly crawl underneath or inside before you know they are there.
Plants & Household Hazards
Not everything in our homes is safe for cats. Review houseplants before your kitten arrives and remove anything toxic or questionable from areas your kitten can access. Lilies are particularly dangerous to cats and should not be kept in the home. Also be mindful of essential oils, diffusers, plug in air freshners and household products that may not be appropriate around cats.
Doors, Appliances & Hidden Spaces
Make “check for the kitten” a household habit. Maine Coon kittens are curious and quick. Check washers, dryers, closets, cabinets and other enclosed spaces before closing them, and always know where your kitten is before opening an exterior door. Remind children and guests that a kitten may be waiting on the other side of a door—or attempting to follow them through it.
🐾 When in doubt, assume your kitten can reach it, climb it, open it or squeeze behind it. Kitten-proofing now is much easier than discovering their talents later 🐾
Are You Ready for Gotcha Day
You don't need to have everything perfect—you simply need a safe, welcoming home and a little patience while your kitten settles in. We hope this guide helps you feel prepared and excited for the wonderful adventure ahead.
🐾 Welcome to the High Country Maine Coons family 🐾