Your kitten is coming home in a few weeks. The excitement is real — but so is the prep work. Maine Coon kittens are curious, athletic, and surprisingly fast for something that small. A little preparation now prevents a lot of panic later. Here is your complete room-by-room checklist.
01The Safe Room: Your First Priority
Before your kitten arrives, designate one room as the safe room. This is where your kitten will spend the first 7–10 days while they decompress and adjust. It should be quiet, secure, and fully set up before pickup day.
- Choose a bedroom, bathroom, or spare room — somewhere you can close the door and control the environment.
- Set up the litter box, food and water stations, a cozy bed or hiding spot, and a few toys before the kitten arrives.
- Make sure there are no gaps behind appliances, under doors, or inside furniture where a tiny kitten could get stuck.
- Keep the room temperature comfortable — kittens regulate body heat less efficiently than adult cats.
- This is not a punishment. It is a kindness. A whole house is overwhelming for a 12-week-old kitten.
02Living Areas: What to Secure
Once your kitten starts exploring beyond the safe room, the living areas are where most accidents happen. Walk through each room at kitten height — literally get on the floor — and look for hazards.
- Secure or hide electrical cords. Kittens chew. A cord cover or cable management box is a $10 investment that prevents a vet emergency.
- Remove or secure any toxic houseplants. Lilies are fatal to cats — even small amounts. Check the ASPCA toxic plant list for your specific plants.
- Move breakables off low shelves and tables. Maine Coons are climbers and will reach surfaces you did not think were accessible.
- Check for small objects on the floor — rubber bands, hair ties, twist ties, coins. These are choking and intestinal obstruction hazards.
- Secure cabinet doors in the kitchen and bathroom. Kittens figure out how to open them faster than you expect.
03Kitchen and Bathroom Hazards
These two rooms have the highest concentration of hazards for a curious kitten.
- Keep the toilet lid closed. A kitten can fall in and struggle to get out.
- Store cleaning products, medications, and supplements in closed cabinets. Many common household chemicals are toxic to cats.
- Never leave the stove unattended with a kitten in the kitchen. Burners and hot surfaces are serious burn risks.
- Keep the dryer door closed and check inside before every cycle. Kittens seek warm, dark spaces.
- Trash cans with lids are essential — kittens will investigate and can ingest dangerous items.
04Vertical Space and Climbing
Maine Coons are natural climbers. If you do not give them appropriate vertical space, they will create their own — on your bookshelves, refrigerator, and curtain rods.
- Install at least one tall cat tree before your kitten arrives. Ideally near a window so they can watch the world.
- Secure tall bookshelves and furniture to the wall. A climbing kitten can tip an unsecured bookcase.
- Consider wall-mounted cat shelves if you have limited floor space — Maine Coons love elevated perches.
- Provide multiple scratching surfaces: vertical posts, horizontal pads, and angled options. This protects your furniture and satisfies a genuine physical need.
05Windows and Outdoor Access
Maine Coons are curious about the outdoors. Secure windows and doors before your kitten arrives.
- Check all window screens for tears or loose edges. A determined kitten can push through a damaged screen.
- Install window stops or guards on windows you open regularly — especially upper floors.
- Make sure all exterior doors close fully and that there are no gaps at the bottom.
- If you have a balcony, it needs to be fully enclosed before your kitten has access to it.
- Empire Maine Coons kittens are indoor-only per the purchase agreement. Outdoor access requires a fully enclosed catio or supervised harness time.
06The Night Before Pickup
A quick final walkthrough the night before you bring your kitten home.
- Safe room is fully set up: litter box, food, water, bed, hiding spot, toys.
- All hazards identified and addressed.
- Carrier is clean and has a familiar-smelling blanket inside.
- Vet appointment is scheduled for within 72 hours of pickup.
- You have the kitten's health records, vaccination history, and Empire Maine Coons contact information.
- You have read the Purchase Agreement and know the 10-day quarantine requirements.
Further Reading
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