Most of those who want to become the owner of a purebred or even an ordinary cat prefer to adopt a kitten. And this is understandable: a baby, unlike an adult, gets used to its owners faster, it is easier to tame it and wean it from bad habits. Many potential owners, just by looking at a photo of Maine Coon kittens, fall in love with this unusual breed forever! The size of the baby, sometimes equal to the size of an adult cat, a pretty face, expressive eyes, a kind disposition and the constant tufts on the ears - all this captivates and encourages you to give preference to the Maine Coon. Look at the photos, compare the kittens and choose the one who will become your family's favorite for many years!
Select the age of the kitten by month: 1 month 2 months 3 months 4 months 5 months 6 months 7 months 8 months 9 months 10 months 11 months 1 year
Maine Coon kittens 1 month
The weight of a Maine Coon cat at 1 month is approximately 560 - 740 grams, and a 1 month old Maine Coon cat weighs about 630 - 820 grams.
Red kitten, 1 month
Tortoiseshell
Black marble
Training
It is very easy to train Maine Coons, but you need to understand the behavioral characteristics of these animals, since they naturally do not understand verbal commands. First of all, forget about any physical punishment like beating or even poking your nose - the animal will never understand why you do this and will simply consider you not a very good person. Experts advise punishing a child for an offense every time, but using the “remote punishment” method, for example, shooting him with a stream of water from a spray bottle. This must be done immediately upon the fact of the offense, then the pet will develop a negative association with the action for which he is being punished, but he will not perceive you as the executor of the punishment.
Any training involves not only a stick, but also a carrot, and the emphasis should be on the latter. Every correct action performed by a cat should be rewarded with the animal’s favorite treat - this will help develop positive habits. With the right approach, a representative of this breed can not only be trained to use a tray, but also taught many different tricks.
Tray training, by the way, is quite simple and won’t take much time - the animal will quickly understand what’s what. Usually the kitten wants to go to the toilet immediately after eating - watch him and catch the moment when he begins to show anxiety, then immediately grab him and put him in the tray. Perhaps the Maine Coon will not immediately understand what is happening and will want to run away, so the trainer’s task is not to let the animal go until it has completed all its business.
Maine Coon kittens 3 months
The weight of a Maine Coon cat at 3 months is 1.7 - 2.3 kg, and a three-month-old Maine Coon cat weighs from 1.8 to 2.3 kg.
Why do you need to monitor a kitten’s weight at different periods of its growth?
Despite the large breed and individual characteristics of a kitten, changes in its weight at a certain age can be used to judge whether it is developing correctly. There is a breed standard that sets out weight standards. Deviation in either direction is not acceptable. Of course, a lot depends on the mother's milk supply. Therefore, it is recommended to feed her well.
The calorie requirement of a lactating cat is, on average, 3 times greater than for a pet at rest. Therefore, ad libitum feeding is practiced. To prevent food from spoiling, it is necessary to switch to professional nutrition with dry granules containing the necessary vitamins and other nutrients.
The industry does not produce special food for pregnant and lactating cats. Therefore, they use super premium food for kittens. This approach keeps milk production high and helps the kitten transition from mother's milk to solid food.
The weight of a younger kitten should constantly increase and double by the age of one week. Responsible felinologists weigh a newborn in the first week of life every day at the same hour. Then the frequency of mass determination is reduced and after six months monthly weighing is sufficient. Constant weight gain is considered an indicator of a pet's good health.
Be sure to read: British cat: character, care and maintenance, sterilization, when to vaccinate, feeding, what diseases they are susceptible to Kitten owners are concerned about moments when the growth rate drops or stops altogether.
In most cases, this is explained by the following objective reasons:
- Weaning: the transition from mother's milk to solid food requires a restructuring of enzymes.
- Deworming in preparation for vaccination. Dying parasites release toxic metabolic products, poisoning occurs, and growth stops.
- Post-vaccination complications: even if the kitten’s health worsens for a few days, there is no need to worry about it.
- Changing teeth: the pet is in a little pain, food eating decreases.
- Upon reaching six months of age, feed consumption decreases and growth rate decreases. But these are the physiological features of the development of cats.
- Puberty and the first estrus are accompanied by small plumbs.
In addition to physiological reasons for growth inhibition, pathological ones may appear: poisoning, infection or invasion.
Photos of Maine Coon kittens at 4 months
The weight of a Maine Coon cat at 4 months is 2.7 - 3.6 kg, and a 4 month old Mei Coon cat is from 3 kg to 3.8 kg
The first days of a kitten in the house
When moving a kitten to a new home, you need to take into account the main points that the migrant will encounter in the first days. Owners are advised to gradually and persistently accustom their Maine to unusual conditions and procedures:
- In a large house, so that the baby does not get lost, let him get comfortable in one room for several days. They also place bowls with water, food and a scratching post with a litter tray. Introduce them to the pet.
- Family members in the house are introduced one by one. Everyone needs to caress the baby, talk to them, and play with them.
- The maine kitten is introduced to other animals in the house in the presence of the owner. By observing them, he controls and suppresses aggressive moods, and tries not to arouse jealousy between them.
- From the first day they begin raising a pet. They strictly, consistently and unswervingly instill in him what not to do in the house. For example: climbing on the table, riding on the curtains, using only a litter tray for the toilet, or other prohibitions typical of the routine in the house.
- It is impossible to switch the baby to another type of food in the first months. After adaptation to the new home, he is transferred to a different diet gradually, without causing irritation to the housing and communal services.
Photos of Maine Coon kittens at 5 months
The weight of a make-coon cat at 5 months is from 2.9 to 4.3 kg, and a five-month-old cat is from 3.2 to 5.5 kg.
Black color, 5 months
White color
Maine Coon kittens at 6 months
The weight of a 6-month-old Mei Coon cat ranges from 3.2 to 4.5 kg, and a six-month-old Mei Coon cat weighs from 3.9 to 6.0 kg.
What and how to feed?
Proper nutrition for a pet is the main guarantee of its good health. At the same time, Maine Coons have some features that are only incidentally related to feeding, which also need to be taken into account.
For example, in the wild, the ancestors of Maine Coons always cleared the surface of the water from debris with their paws before drinking. There are unlikely to be fallen leaves and branches in the drinking bowl, but the reflex has not gone away - the animal will still move its paw in it. To prevent an eternal puddle from forming around the drinker, listen to the advice: either choose a heavy model, or securely fasten the drinker. And also do not place the drinking bowl next to the food - splashes of water can sometimes spoil the food.
Of the dry food for Maine Coons, only the premium class is suitable - it has everything a pet needs, but canned food can only act as a bonus. If you decide to feed your cat natural products, the emphasis should be on meat and dairy products, as well as cereals and vegetables, while vitamins should be added separately to the diet.
In general, your pet can be fed almost all of the foods described above, but there are some undesirable types of food. To begin with, sugar, salt and any other spices are completely unnecessary things on a cat’s menu. In addition, the beast will not be able to handle even bird bones, or they simply will not do him any good. Fatty meats such as pork, goose and duck are not given to Maine Coons, as well as most processed meat products - smoked meats, sausages, and so on. Chocolate (due to the presence of sugar), as well as legumes and even potatoes, will also be harmful.
A cat needs greenery, but dusty outdoor vegetation can do more harm than good. Plant some wheat and oats at home and let your cat feast on the sprouts at will.
Some cats also have allergies to certain foods; if such a phenomenon is noted, remove the allergen from the diet. Do not feed the animal cold or hot food - it should be at average room temperature. For babies, pre-chop food.
Maine Coon 7 months
The weight of a Maine Coon cat at 7 months is from 3.500 to 4.900, and the weight of a Maine Coon cat at 7 months is from 4.200 to 6.500 kg
Preparing a new home
Before bringing the kitten to its new home, you need to purchase everything you need:
- two bowls (one for food, one for water);
- scratching post;
- toilet and filler for it;
- a basket where the kitten can sleep;
- several toys.
This is a small miracle that will bring so much joy and positive emotions to every home.
It is preferable to buy dishes made of ceramics or earthenware, plastic sometimes causes allergies in cats. It is recommended to place the bowls nearby on the kitchen floor. One bowl will contain dry food, the other will contain clean water. It is advisable to place the bowls on a tray - this will make it easier to keep the kitchen clean, because kittens love to throw food around and spill water.
Usually there is no need to accustom the kitten to the litter box - by the time of sale it is already trained to do so. But the pet must be “introduced” to its toilet, since it is unlikely that it will find it on its own. The tray should be in a secluded, quiet place - nothing should scare the kitten or prevent it from doing its business.
Therefore, there is no need to place the cat litter somewhere in the hallway - the best place for it is the bathroom.
So, what three wishes should I make?
The basket should be placed in a place where the kitten will not be disturbed by anyone. It is, of course, advisable to accustom him to a specific sleeping place, but as a rule, cats choose where to sleep themselves.
It is better to install the scratching post near the wall. If it is poorly secured, a kitten (and even more so an adult cat) will easily knock it over. It is worth considering that Maine Coons are active and playful, so they need a play area, as well as a cat house.
Pet stores sell special play complexes for representatives of this particular breed - when creating them, the features of the anatomy and behavior of Maine Coons are taken into account. They love to climb up and watch everything that happens around them. If it is impossible to buy a gaming complex, you need to at least install several horizontal platforms at different heights. But this is unlikely if there was an opportunity to buy a Maine Coon - the price of a kitten is from 20,000 rubles.
Maine Coon kittens are very cute and active
Maine Coon 8 months
The weight of a Maine Coon cat at 8 months is 3.8 - 5.2 kg, and an eight-month-old cat weighs 4.5 to 6.9 kg.
Maine Coon 9 months
The weight of a Maine Coon cat at 9 months is 4.1 - 5.5 kg, and the weight of a Maine Coon cat at 9 months is from 5.00 to 7.0 kg.
Care for eyes, ears, teeth and claws
From time to time, kittens may develop crusts in the corners of their eyes - there is no need to be afraid of this, because people’s eyes also sometimes turn sour after sleep.
These crusts can be removed with a cotton swab dipped in boiled water (it is better to buy a special product at the pharmacy), swiping from the outer corner of the eye to the inner one. But if the discharge appears frequently and is heavy, you should contact your veterinarian.
Little fluffy will happily make some noise at home
The ears should be examined regularly, at least once a week. Healthy ears are pink, clean, without discharge or crusts. If your kitten begins to scratch its ears frequently and intensively, you should contact your veterinarian. This should also be done if redness and discharge are detected.
The presence of a small amount of sulfur is acceptable - it can be removed with a cotton swab dipped in a special solution. The gums should be pinkish, without red edges along the teeth line. Bad breath may indicate the presence of the disease.
Particular attention should be paid to the teeth if the pet eats soft food. At the age of about 4 months, kittens' teeth change.
The undeniable advantage of the Maine Coon is its peaceful and flexible character.
Maine Coons have large claws, so they have to be trimmed regularly.
It is very important not to damage the blood vessels - the blood will flow for a long time, and after that the pet will limp for some time. The claws need to be trimmed only across, having carefully examined them before doing so - the blood vessels are quite clearly visible.
There must be a scratching post in the house - it will save the furniture and increase the length of the period between trimming the claws.
Photo of Maine Coon at 10 months
A Maine Coon cat weighs 4.2 - 5.8 kg at 10 months, and a Maine Coon cat weighs approximately 5.2 - 7.7 kg at 10 months.
Maine Coon cat at ten months
Grooming
Maine Coons have beautiful long hair, which brings a lot of trouble to the owners of these cats.
Kittens need daily brushing as they cannot groom their fur yet. Furminators or regular metal combs with long teeth are suitable for combing kittens' fur (they should not be sharp).
First, the wool is combed with a comb with rare teeth, then with frequent ones. Finally, the wool is brushed with a brush with natural bristles.
Daily brushing will help prevent the formation of tangles and also promote better coat growth. It is also advisable to brush adult animals every day, especially during shedding. They can also be cut.
The cat has a gorgeous red fur coat, gorgeous thick brushes and breathtaking green eyes.
There is no need to bathe cats often; they are clean animals. This should be done when necessary: if the wool is dirty or greasy.
For bathing, you need to purchase a special cat shampoo, preferably hypoallergenic (for example, Jerob, Espree). It also doesn’t hurt to have anti-flea shampoo at home, especially if the pet lives in a private home or other animals live with it.
When bathing, you need to make sure that water does not get into the ears. After bathing, the cat should be thoroughly dried and brushed.
Maine Coon at 11 months
A Maine Coon cat at 11 months weighs approximately 4.3 - 6.1 kg, and a Maine Coon cat at 11 months weighs approximately 5.7 - 8.0 kg.
Dry food
The beauty of such food is that it saves time for the owner. If the production is carried out conscientiously, from high-quality ingredients and taking into account the characteristics of the breed, then they may well become the basis of your pet’s diet. Don’t even think about saving for the health of an expensive animal.
Treatment for allergies or stomach problems will cost you more. So don’t even look at food from Whiskas, Friskas or Kitiket. There are many companies that develop food specifically for the Maine Coon breed.
Among them there are well-known ones, such as Royal Canin, Purina or Hills, and there are also little known ones, for example, Eagle Pack, Iams and Eukanuba. At the very beginning of the transition to dry food, you should decide on your choice. Make sure that your furbaby does not have an allergy to this brand. Therefore, do not rush to take large bags. Meat should come first in the composition.
Buy only industrially packaged goods, never buy in bulk. Even if you have completely decided to switch to ready-made dry food, periodically treat your Maine Coon with a piece of raw beef or fresh vegetables. Buy special products to care for your teeth. When choosing food and supplements, consult your veterinarian.
Photo of Maine Coon per year (12 months)
A 1-year-old Maine Coon cat weighs about 4.5 - 6.8 kg, and a 1-year-old Maine Coon cat weighs approximately 5.7 - 9.0 kg.
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