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Maine Coon Cats and Litter Box Habits
A litter box is often something that humans give very little thought to – until it smells – but you can be sure that it is of great importance to your Maine Coon cat. In fact, the litter box is the third most important thing to your Maine Coon, after his food and water. All you want is a litter box that doesn’t smell so badly that it runs you out of the house. Your Maine Coon, on the other hand, has many more requirements when it comes to the litter box.
First, take a look at the box itself, and try to look at it from your Maine Coon’s point of view. Your Maine Coon wants a spacious litter box. It should have plenty of room for him to move around and to dig. Litter boxes come in a variety of sizes, and you need one that isn’t too big for your small kitten, or too small for your full grown cat. Ideally, you will start out with the cheaper litter boxes, and purchase a bigger size when it is needed.
There are many different types of litter boxes. These include the plain – cheap – litter boxes mentioned above, but expand to include hooded boxes, sifting boxes, automated boxes, and self-cleaning litter boxes. For Maine Coons, the covered litter box needs to be avoided, because it won’t be big enough for him when he is grown. Therefore, you don’t want him to get used to having his ‘privacy.’
Many cats prefer two litter boxes. One is used for urinating, while the other is used for bowel movements. When a kitten or cat urinates, they are marking their territory. When they have a bowel movement, it covers the smell of the urine in the short term. This is why many prefer two different boxes, and ideally, they will not be located next to each other.
Again, you may want to start out with a cheap litter box, until your cat has grown to its full size. At that time, however, you may want to invest in an automated litter box. These are wonderful inventions that will keep your home smelling litter box free.
An automated litter box detects when the cat is using the box. After a specified amount of time – which allows for the cat to do his business and leave the box – the automated box goes to work. It rakes through the litter, removing the waste from the main portion of the box. For some automated boxes, the waste is removed to a storage area. For others, the waste can be delivered directly into the toilet – these are the most expensive litter boxes.
When selecting litter, use the type that clumps, if you are using a regular litter box. Some brands are better than others, and you may want to try out several before settling on the one that works best for your cat. Also, if you have more than one cat in the home, make sure that you purchase litter designed for multiple cats.
The care and feeding of moon cats
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