Should I Get a Kitten?
It can be exciting to bring a new kitten into your home. Before you do this, you need to make sure that you are prepared for the changes that are to come.
A few of the major concerns of being ready to buy a Maine Coon kitten include having enough money, enough time, enough patience and access to resources. You should also make sure that your other family members are in good enough shape to welcome a new pet into your home.
Financial Responsibilities
To start, you should evaluate your financial situation. One problem is that people know that they can afford a kitten, but they don’t think about the costs that come later.
If the kitten is not already spayed or neutered and up-to-date on shots, that will typically be your responsibility. You will also have to take the kitten to the vet every year for annual vaccinations and health exams.
Your kitten may be put on certain medications, receive shots, or require additional testing from time to time. Veterinary care is not inexpensive.
Hopefully, you won’t be faced with any unexpected health issues, but it’s not out of the question. you must be prepared to take care of your pet to ensure his health and well-being.
Next, you will have to buy your Maine Coon kitten everything they need. You will need toys to keep your energetic kitten busy. You will need a cozy bed and blankets so that your kitten has a place to sleep. Food and water dishes, a collar, a carrier, a brush, and treats can all begin to add up too.
Don’t forget the monthly cost of a high-quality kitten food. This may be dry or a combination of wet and dry. A litter pan only needs to be replaced occasionally, but you will need to purchase cat litter as needed.
Something that may often be overlooked is a pet sitter or boarding. If you travel or vacation , you will need to hire a pet sitter to take care of your cat while you’re away. Cats are pretty easy to care for, but the cost can still add up quickly!
Kittens and Cats Are Messy!
Kittens and cats can be very messy little creatures. Not only do they kick litter out of the litter box and onto the floor, it can sometimes hit the wall and be accompanied by some extra goodies (pee or poop). You may even find a random turd on the floor in the middle of your living room. Perhaps it stuck to the britches and they flung it off later.
If you find that you kitty is kicking liter outside of the box, try offering the cat a bigger, deeper litter box. you can even opt for one that they have to walk into, or a covered pan. Ultimately, you may find that your cat is the special kind, the kind that will always kick litter onto the floor. 🙂
Kitten Proofing Your Home
Before you buy a Maine Coon kitten and bring your kitten home – you have to get your house ready. There are several things that need to be done around the house to prepare. These preparations are going to take time and energy as well. Of course, you will need to set up a bed, litter box, and all of the other kitten accessories.
You will also need to kitten-proof your home. This includes removing any toxic plants, moving any potentially dangerous items, and hiding electronics cords. If you have any fragile decorations on shelves or tables, you should move them to a higher place. Be careful though. Kittens are known to be curious and will climb your furniture and countertops to reach their destinations!
You should ensure that they have enough space to roam around. Cat trees and other cat furniture are a great way to give them more space without having to move to a bigger home. These pieces of furniture will keep your cat occupied since they will have more places to explore.
Kitten Mischief
Kittens are VERY energetic and mischievous for the first year of their life. This means getting into things they shouldn’t, scratching places you don’t want them to, knocking things off the counters and shelves, biting and scratching your toes and hands, and keeping you up at night.
If you have only an adult cat, you may have forgotten what it’s like to have a kitten in the house. During their waking hours, they are running around crazy, playing with things that aren’t meant to be toys, jumping to new heights, chewing on and eating everything they find, and exploring the world around them.
Most of them will calm down and become lazy lovers after they have outgrown the kitten and teenager phase. It will require patience and understanding that they are just babies, full of energy and curiosity. You can’t expect them to act like mature adults cats for a couple of years. If you’re hope is to have a calm “lap kitty”, you may not see these characteristics in your cat for quite some time. They’re quite similar to a human toddler, who just doesn’t have time or interest in sitting around with you watching TV.
Scratchy, Scratchy
Maine Coon cats and kittens have a natural instinct to claw on things. They do not discriminate against furniture, beds, chairs, or scratching posts. It’s important that you have scratching posts available in multiple rooms of your home. However, there will be instances when the kitten will scratch on things that you don’t want them to. Don’t ever hit or punish the kitten for doing this!! Instead, redirect them to their dedicated scratching post. You may have to do this several times. maybe even for a couple of months before the kitten learns where is appropriate to scratch.
If you absolutely are against a kitten clawing on your furniture or stretching with their claws out, then absolutely do not get a kitten. 🙂
Does Everyone in the Home Agree to a New Kitten?
Finally, you need to talk to whoever you’re living with. If your spouse, roommate, or anyone else doesn’t want another cat, you might not be able to get one. This is especially true if somebody has allergies.
If you’re renting, your landlord may have set rules for pets. You may be limited to a set number of animals in one apartment unit. You might have to pay a fee and provide vet records. It depends on the landlord, but this process is fairly straightforward. Of course, if you have already met your pet maximum, you likely won’t be able to push the limits.
You should consider the kids in the home too. Do they have allergies? Are they gentle with the animals they have been around so far? It might be good to visit a shelter to see how they react to cats before bringing one home that’s officially yours.
Will Your Other Resident Pets Be Happy About the Newcomer?
If you have other pets in your home, you will have to make sure that they will get along with a kitten. It can be hard to tell whether this transition will go smoothly. If your existing pets seriously hate other animals, it may not work out. If you are unsure, there are plenty of ways to help the transition go better. Read this article about introducing your cat to other animals.
Are you considering two Maine Coon kittens instead of one? That might be a great addition to your family!
Kittens are a Lifetime Commitment
When you adopt a Maine Coon kitten, you are making a commitment to care for and raise that baby into a happy healthy adult. From there, you will enjoy the company or your companion for the rest of its life. This means accepting the kitten for who it is.
Kittens and cats each have their own unique individualities. They are not meant to “replace” another cat that you may have had. They are their own “person” and should be accepted as such. When you adopt your new pet, and accept them into your home, they are yours forever.
Not every kitten, cat, dog, and especially HUMAN is perfect. Offer them the things they need to be happy, and they will reward you with reciprocating love and affection.
If you truly aren’t ready to be patient with your new kitten, it’s best to wait. You should make sure you’re prepared for a kitten and ready to help them transition into a new home. It will be best for everyone involved if you are sure of the decision before you make the leap. If a kitten doesn’t sound right for you, then you can consider adopting a retired Maine Coon.
For another reference about getting a new kitten, read this TICA resource “Finding the Purrfect Kitten”.
My husband and I have had cats, including Maine Coons, for the majority of our lives. We definitely know what we are getting into. We have plenty of money and have had to replace our carpet several times. It is worth it!
We have had many cats including Maine coons. We are sure
Looking forward to having a Mainecoon kitty. We have had cats for many years and are diffently ready to adopt.