Owners of the amiable and laid-back Maine Coon breed create some of the most cherished memories – until the focus shifts to their litter box. That’s when things get intricate, and owners may encounter malodorous ‘surprises’ scattered throughout the house.
Fortunately, incidents like these can be effortlessly averted by establishing the right litter box arrangement for your Maine Coon and training it to utilize it adeptly.
This post encompasses all the essential insights about Maine Coons and litter boxes. Explore their preferences, habits, litter training, and learn how to cater to the needs of both kittens and senior Maine Coons for an absolute litter box haven.
Contents
Crucial Aspects in Choosing Litter Boxes for Big Maine Cats
If you own a Maine Coon, you need to take special factors into consideration when buying litter boxes. Having the wrong setup is one of the biggest reasons why Maine Coons often end up eliminating outside the litter box.
1. Choose the Right Litter Box Size
Ensuring the right size of a litter box is crucial for any cat, especially for Maine Coons. Research indicates that cats favor more spacious litter boxes, and given the substantial bodies of Maine Coons, finding a suitably sized box can pose a challenge.
Ideally, a litter box should be at least 1.5 times the length of your cat, allowing ample space for movement and finding elimination spots. For instance, if your Maine Coon measures around 19 inches, the litter box should be approximately 28 inches in length.
Most commercially available litter boxes fall short of these dimensions, necessitating a DIY approach. A practical method involves cutting an entry hole in large storage boxes. The provided video demonstrates this process effectively.
Also consider the depth of the box, so you can easily pour in about 3 inches of litter, which is considered ideal for cats to dig through.
Since Maine Coons are generally taller than other breeds of cats, the litter box should be open and not hooded. If your cat can’t sit upright or stand comfortably inside, it will refuse to use it. A top-entry or uncovered box works the best for this breed.
If you have young Maine Coon kittens that have just begun exploring the litter box, it should be no more than 2 inches high and should not have wrap-around walls. This will allow them to enter with ease and won’t intimidate them from using it. Kittens older than 3 months can do with 3-4 inch high walls.
Keep in mind that Maine Coons keep growing in size till they’re about four years old, so the litter box you use at age 1 may not be suitable a couple of years later. Keep upgrading to larger sizes as it grows.
2. Choose the Right Litter Type
Maine Coons have really long hair, and with such heavy coats, you need to choose the litter accordingly. Despite being a popular choice, clumping litters aren’t great for these cats. Their poop can often stick at the back end and form clumps, resulting in tightly matted, dirty fur. This will cause immense discomfort to your Maine Coon.
Similarly, anything too fine and dusty will prove to be a nightmare for you as a Maine Coon owner. Not only will it get stuck on the fur on their feet and tail, but it will also leave a trail throughout your house. Dusty varieties are bad for a cat’s respiratory health too.
I suggest non-clumping pellets instead. Wood, paper, and even crystals work well since they’re too big to stick to the fur. Of course, you have to consider your cat’s preference as well. If it insists on using clay litter and refuses to use pellets, consider shaving the back end to avoid matted clumps.
For young kittens, use a non-toxic and non-clumping litter, as they often end up eating the litter. Steer clear of crystals, silica, and heavily scented litter.
If you’re curious to learn more, our website also recommends the best litters for Maine Coons. Dive into the details and discover the perfect choice for your feline friend.
3. Litter Box Considerations for Senior Coons
If you’ve just brought home a senior Maine Coon, you’ll have to be even more selective about the litter box.
In case it suffers from arthritis, which is often the case with overweight Maine Coons, you’ll have to find a low-walled litter box no higher than 3-4 inches. Many varieties come with high walls with a low entry point at the front, so the mess is minimal and your cat still has easy access. Others come with a ramp to help cats climb into it.
If you’re having trouble finding a good litter box that’s big enough yet senior-cat friendly, consider low-rise corner litter boxes that allow for more room.
Apart from this, you should definitely have more than 1 litter box for a senior cat. Maine Coons can often develop diabetes as a result of overfeeding, which leads to frequent urination. They may not be able to reach it in time if it’s too far away, so allow up to three litter boxes placed in different areas of the house.
As far as the litter itself is concerned, try using softer varieties that’s easier on their paws, and steer clear of scented litter, as this can make senior cats litter box averse.
If you’re on the lookout, check out our recommendations for the best Maine Coon litter boxes right here.
Mastering Litter Training: 4 Essential Tips for Maine Coons
It’s not difficult to litter train Maine Coons, whether they’re kittens or adults. In fact, they’re quite trainable – you just have to keep a few things in mind when doing so.
1. Placement of the Litter Box
Maine Coons are social and confident felines, but they still require a quiet and peaceful place to eliminate. It’s not exactly ‘privacy’ that they need, so hooded boxes won’t help. They just require a quiet, stress and distraction-free place – somewhere they won’t be anxious or on guard. This is especially important when introducing outdoor cats to litter boxes.
Choosing a spot that’s away from traffic is the key here. The laundry room, bathroom, or some quiet corner of the house should work well, given that the doors to these rooms remain open.
Note that many Maine Coons prefer to pee in one box and poop in the other, so consider placing two litter boxes side by side to prevent any stinky accidents.
2. Demonstrating Kittens and Cats to Use the Litter Box
Adult Maine Coons who are not used to indoor life may need to be confined in a bathroom or a small room with a litter box, so they’re encouraged to use it. Just make sure you place the food bowls on the opposite side of the room and away from the litter box, or your cat doesn’t become averse to the food and litter box, or both.
After every meal, pick up your cat and place it inside the litter box. Your cat should figure out where to eliminate within a few meals. If not, try picking up its poop from wherever it has chosen to eliminate and place it on top of the litter without burying it. Then place your Maine Coon inside the litter box, and it should instinctively start sniffing and burying it.
The same goes for Maine Coon kittens, except that they may need extra assistance. If it’s about a month old and is just starting to learn how to poop on its own, place it inside the litter box several times a day, especially after a meal. Move its paws in a digging motion to show how it’s done, or use your own fingers to dig through the litter.
Continue demonstrating and placing your cat/kitten in the litter box for the next few days till it gets the hang of it.
3. Rewarding Good Litter Box Habits
Maine Coons can be trained to do a lot of cool things, so you can easily instill good litter box habits with a bit of positive reinforcement. If your cat is new to indoor life, offer it a treat every time it uses the litter box, alongside praises and lots of petting.
Ignore and clean anything it does outside the box with an enzymatic cleanser. Do not punish – it will only stress out your Maine Coon and make it more likely to go outside the litter box. keep this in mind: praising their good deeds turns cats into your biggest fans!
Some kittens may not cover their poop initially, but whenever they do, offer plenty of treats to reinforce that behavior.
Remember that you may need to be extra patient when training senior Maine Coons – they won’t always learn and might have recurring accidents around the house.
4. Cleaning Regularly
Cats of this breed are especially finicky about where they eliminate and won’t use the litter box if it gets too smelly. This will slow down their training progress and encourage them to eliminate elsewhere. So make sure you’re scooping at least once a day and are keeping the space around the litter box free of any spilled pee or poop.
However, you may want to leave a tiny bit of waste behind in the tray during the litter training days. Kittens and cats who are still learning to use the litter box will smell their urine and poop, which lets them know it’s their toilet and encourages them to go there.
If you keep it entirely clean, your cat may forget to use it again. Once your Maine Coon gets familiarized with the concept, you can start scooping up all the waste.
Why Your Cozy Purr Refuses the Litter Box？
You may have gotten everything right, but your Maine Coon still might not use the litter box every time. Even those who are already litter-trained can sometimes stop using it and start eliminating elsewhere in the house. This is usually their way of telling you something is wrong.
1. Territorial Behavior
Maine Coons are generally quite laid-back and friendly towards other cats, but some may start being territorial when a new cat is introduced to the household. They may start peeing on walls to mark their territory, even if they are de-sexed.
The solution? Play with your cats in the same room. Use feather wands and robot toys to bring both cats together and be more tolerant of each other, if not become friends. Offer food in the same room, and sit down and cuddle with both felines at the same time. The peeing should stop after a few weeks.
2. They’re Stressed
Despite investing weeks in litter training and optimizing the setup, a stressed-out cat may express itself by avoiding the litter box.
Maine Coons are susceptible to stress, particularly when they experience mistreatment or neglect from their owners. As a social breed, they crave abundant daily attention, affection, and playtime.
To address persistent instances of elimination outside the litter box, ensure you fulfill your Maine Coon’s emotional requirements.
3. Health Concerns
Similar to all breeds, Maine Coons may encounter urinary tract infections, a leading factor in inappropriate elimination outside the litter box. It might also signal diabetes or cystitis, necessitating a mandatory vet visit if your cat abstains from using the litter box.
For instances of defecation outside the litter box, a fecal exam is essential to exclude parasites.
4. Cognitive Decline
As per the ASPCA, 55% of cats aged 11-15 experience cognitive decline, characterized by diminishing memory and awareness, leading to a reduced learning capacity.
A prominent sign of feline cognitive dysfunction is inappropriate elimination outside the litter box. If your Maine Coon exhibits this behavior, adjustments must be made to accommodate its needs.
Enhancing the number of litter boxes, guiding them to the box if they struggle to locate it, and maintaining a consistent schedule are among the measures to assist your senior Maine Coon in using their litter box.
In Conclusion
In summary, achieving a harmonious relationship between Maine Coons and their litter boxes necessitates careful consideration and proactive steps. By selecting the appropriate litter box size, type, and location, cat owners can lay the groundwork for successful litter training, catering to the needs of kittens, adult Maine Coons, or seniors.
Keep in mind, guiding a Maine Coon towards good habits demands patience, positive reinforcement, and regular maintenance. Stay observant of your cat’s behavior, as any deviation from litter box routines may indicate underlying issues, be it health-related or stress-induced. Timely addressing of these factors enables cat owners to cultivate a cozy and hygienic setting, ensuring a content and healthy life for their cherished Maine Coons.
