Guess who's getting 2 Maine Coon kittens? Yup. Can't wait to get stuck into this thread, always loved dogs and cats, now that we're moving into our own home early March we can actually have some. Dog is waiting a few years whilst we settle, the cats are moving in with us in about 3 months time (they're just 2 days old atm).

Anyone any advice?

Make sure one cat is dark and the other is light coloured so their hair will show on every type of clothing you own.

Get insurance, use petplan or directline (petplan are really good), the vets bills can be lifetime debt affairs.

Dont get a roomba.

Don't panic when they throw up - cats do it a lot (also why dont get a roomba).

Decide if they are going to be let them out or not - Maine Coons are expensive

Dont buy expensive pet dens, they will probably like the cardboard box it came in more.

Store bought catfood has lots of carbs in it from things like rice and other vegetables, consider not feeding them this and source pure meat stuff instead (zooplus website sells it), because there's a very high chance of diabetes from all the carbs later in life.
Cats are one of the few animals that never eat vegetables in the wild.

Have you noticed any other cats in the area? If there are, and you let them out, fights will probably follow. Although, Maine coons are the second biggest pet cat breed, when they're fully grown they'll likely be able to beat up dogs if they want.

pantyfire wrote:

source pure meat stuff instead

Have a look around your local area. When I was in Derby there was a chicken prep[ factory nearby. My mate James used to pop up there to get all the ends and stuff, which he then minced and mixed with a little breadcrumb and fed his own dogs, and sold to others online, make friends with your butcher even

If you keep them in maybe consider getting a little tray planter of lawn grass.
They eat grass when they feel sick so can really cut down on the amount you have to clean up.

nick_md wrote:

HawBawJaws wrote:

Have you noticed any other cats in the area? If there are, and you let them out, fights will probably follow. Although, Maine coons are the second biggest pet cat breed, when they're fully grown they'll likely be able to beat up dogs if they want.

Damn I thought MC's were the biggest, what's top do...err cat?

The biggest is a savannah cat, which is a cross with a big wild cat (either a serval or an ocelot, can't remember which) and a big domestic breed, usually a Bengal. They're the size of Labradors when they're fully grown.

Bloody pricey as well. The closer to wild they are, the more expensive. Think the f1 rating means they're 1 generation away from fully wild, seen them go for upwards of 5 grand.

Maine coons are beautiful big cats though. Saw an article about them on fb earlier, if I can find it again I'll post it on here

Here we go:

http://mymodernmet.com/robert-sijka-maine-coon-portraits

Bloody gorgeous cats. 'Like they're wearing the fur of their fallen enemies'

Hah, noted. We had the same problem with a toy poodle when I was a kid.

I hear coons are very affectionate, well, for cats. Is one of the driving factors for the choice of breed.

nick_md wrote:

same problem with a toy poodle when I was a kid

Sounds like the same principle as a no more tears doll but in far poorer taste

Don't let your MCs out NMD unless you live in the middle of nowhere.

They will get stolen or killed by their curiosity/lack of fear of things they don't understand unfortunately.

Breeder made practically swear on me mams life I wouldn't let him out when I was collecting him.

Also have you budgeted for food? Mine has a mild appetite and eats six pouches of food plus biscuits every day.

Also also I second the shitty arse tip from hawbaws, cept I just use scissors if he gets poop stick to his butt fur. If you have to wash them fingers crossed yours like water otherwise its like trying to wrestle an alligator.

Another vote for keeping them inside, for the same reasons. Particularly if you'll be having them neutered.

Although mines is only half ragdoll, all the advice I read suggested keeping them indoors, as ragdolls are famous for being curious and fearless, must be a thing among the bigger breeds, so tibbs is an indoor cat. Apart from anything else, there are some sick bastards out there who could hurt a cat just for the same of it.

R.e. water: my wee buggers obsessed with it. Do the dishes, he sits beside the sink watching. Have a bath, he sits on the edge watching. He tries to get things he can see under the water, like forks, toes, wee bastard even took a swipe at my junk!

Another reason for keeping him indoors though, neighbour a few doors up has a fish pond in their garden. He'd be in it if he had a chance.

Friends' cat that was missing for a month just turned up outside her house skinny as hell and smelling damp. She's over the moon and the effect is contagious. Rumours of gypsy catnappings in the community weren't helping.

My sister in-law's parents live in Spain in the middle of nowhere.
Their cat Schrodinger often goes wondering for days on end. Last year it disappeared for a month. Came back a bit skinny and missing a paw.
He is doing alright now though, although sometimes forgets it is down one paw.

Cats are amazing survivalists.

Keeping indoors OK.

Declawing NO YOU FUCKING MONSTERS. Only met Americans who think it's ok when it's blatantly not.

I wouldn't keep a cat indoors myself, but don't peer down my nose at people who do.  I've never had anything that wasn't a George's Marvellous Medicine of breeding though. 

A mate at work was talking about getting another cat recently, despite the fact that he had two kittens from my sister-in-law about eight years ago that lasted less than 18 months before they got rehomed. Was happy to just get a few digs in about the last time he had cats until he mentioned declawing due to expensive furniture.  Fuck that, get a Furby.