Your New SUNEXOTICS Kitten

FOOD:

Welcome to the Sunexotics Maine Coon family. Your Maine Coon kitten will be growing very quickly in the first year, and therefore it needs the proper nutrition to reach its full size. As with children, your kitten will go through growth spurts, when he will seem insatiable, alternating with times, when growth will have slowed down, and he won't be putting on any weight. Appetite will change proportionately, so adjust portion size accordingly, and be aware that this is very normal for your kitten. It will take your kitten 4 to 5 years to fully fill out and reach his final size.

Dry Food:
Feed a good quality kitten food for at least one year. Suggested brands are Maple Leaf Foods Feline Plus, Excel, Royal Canin, Precise, and Nutro kitten food. These are all naturally preserved with Vitamin E or Tocopherols. Avoid foods preserved with BHA/BHT or Ethoxyquins. These preservatives can cause problems in the future. Other brands, are now switching to natural preservatives, and are very good quality as well. Please read the labels. The first ingredient should be meat, not filler, such as corn, or by-products. This dry food should be left out all the time. The kittens will not overeat, but since their stomachs are small, they need to eat more often. As an adult food, we highly recommend Royal Canin skin formula, for an extra glossy coat. Never, ever, feed your Maine Coon canned cat food!!

Raw Meat:
We are advocating the feeding of a raw meat diet once a day, in the late afternoon, a recipe for which follows. Raw meat contains natural enzymes that promote good gum health and keep teeth clean by the exercise of chewing. Please be aware, that if you do not feed the raw meat diet, as your Maine Coon grows and matures, he may experience red gums as teeth erupt, bad breath, and other related health issues. If you do not feel that you can maintain this raw meat regimen, please do not feed canned food. Moisten some of the dry food with water or goat's milk instead, as a treat.

Water:
Have fresh clean water available at all times. A note here: Maine Coons love to play in water, and they will invariably get it all over the floor. We have found that a skid-proof stainless steel dog dish works the best and prevents them from dragging their dish. Dishes should be made of ceramic or stainless steel. It is best to avoid plastic.If you really want to put a smile on your kitten's face, get an indoor water fountain. They will drink from it and play in it for hours! Fountains should be cleaned once a week, to prevent bacterial build up.

Treats:
To avoid gum problems, which Maine Coons seem more susceptible to, a high quality tartar control treat should be given every day. If the raw meat diet is not being followed, the teeth should be brushed with feline tooth-paste every week. Special “finger brushes” are now available, that make brushing a simple matter that most cats won't exactly like, but will come to tolerate.

LITTER:

Your kitten has been litter trained, but to avoid any accidents in the first while, please place the litter box close to where the kitten will be located for the first week or so. Place the kitten in the box every hour or so for the first day, so that he becomes familiar and knows where it is. Kittens cannot hold their movements, and may not have time to reach the litter box if it is too far away in a strange place. DO NOT use regular clumping litter. Research has shown that regular clumping litter, if accidentally injested by the kitten, will form a hard lump in their stomachs and may cause death. Kittens injest surprising quantities of litter, simply by licking their feet.

Through personal experience, we have found that "SWheat Scoop" clumping litter is superior in clumping ability and odor control. A big plus is that it is totally safe and totally digestible by kittens. You should maintain a depth of about 6 to 8 inches in the litter box. Litter is very durable, and scoops easily at this depth. Litter should be totally discarded and replaced once a month.

NEUTERING/SPAYING:

Because Maine Coons are a very slow developing breed, neutering or spaying should be done around the age of 8 months and no later than one year. This is only a guideline. If you have obtained two kittens, a male and a female, neutering and spaying should be done around 6 months of age. This allows them time to mature, and yet makes sure they are unable to breed. This is also a requirement in your contract, if the kitten was purchased as a pet. Once your pet is neutered or spayed, send us a copy of the veterinarian certificate, so we can forward your registration papers and kitten pedigree to you.

VACCINATIONS:

Your kitten has been vaccinated against the common kitten illnesses, and against rabies if going to the States, and will be protected for one year. At one year of age, a booster should be given. After that, the new recommendation is that boosters should be given every three years, as it has been shown that immunity is still high after one or two years. This is something you should discuss with your veterinarian. We do not advocate FIP or FeLV vaccinations for any of our kittens, but if you do decide to have these given, please give your kitten's immune system time to mature, and refrain from taxing it with these vaccinations until he has reached 6 months of age.

GROOMING:

Because Maine Coon have long silky coats, grooming is an important part of a weekly routine. Once a week, loose hair should be brushed out with a nylon tipped brush. Any mats should be carefully teased out using a steel toothed comb. This will help eliminate any problems with hair balls, and keep your kitten looking great. Problem areas, especially when your kitten gets larger and can’t reach these himself, are under the arms, the ruff under his neck, and the long fur along the back of his legs. With weekly brushing, mats won’t develop and you will have a happy cat. Maine Coons can be bathed, but this is your choice, and it is not usually necessary.

RAW MEAT RECIPE:

Your kitten has been raised on raw meat since he or she was weaned. It will eagerly accept this food, and you will find it to be a healthier, happier kitten, with a much superior coat.

Fresh Food Recipe for Cats

1 ½ pounds of fresh lean ground beef. chicken, turkey, fish, etc.
½ pound of beef heart or chicken hearts, ground or finely chopped
¼ pound of beef or chicken livers, finely chopped
1 cup water or soup broth
2 fresh raw egg yolks
1 package of gelatin

Mix meat, heart, and liver in a large bowl. In a separate bowl, whisk together water, egg yolks, and gelatin. Pour over the meat mixture, and stir together until well blended. Divide into tablespoon portions on a cookie sheet, covered with plastic wrap. Freeze overnight, and then place in plastic bags. Store in freezer.

To thaw, take out about 2 to 3 hours ahead of feeding, and allow to thaw to room temperature. Before serving, add a bit of warm water, to ensure that the meat is evenly warmed. Microwaving is not recommended, as it has a tendency to cook the meat.

It is important that the meat you choose is lean, as overly fatty meat can cause problems in cats.

Type of meat can be altered, from beef, chicken, turkey, and fish. Tuna packed in water is a favorite, but should not be used exclusively. Sardines packed in water are great occasionally, and contain lots of calcium. Other favorite treats are cottage cheese and plain yogurt.