Healthy mothers and kittens may be bathed, provided that you understand how to do it properly. Always make sure both the mother and kittens are in good physical health before bathing. Bathing the kittens helps clean off blood and dirt, while also stimulating their muscles and reflexes, keeping them fresh and healthy.
Kittens
Kittens can be dewormed at around 6 weeks old. They can be bathed first—along with the mother—and then given deworming medication (dosage adjusted according to body weight) together with the mother.
- Kittens should receive their first vaccination at 8 weeks old and a booster at 12 weeks. Make sure their health and weight meet the standards required for vaccination.
- A tip from our cattery: we keep the mother and her kittens in the nursery for about 3 to 4 weeks before moving the kittens to the kitten romper area. When the kittens are around 10 weeks old, we allow the mother to leave the nursery for short periods to reintroduce herself to the other Mainecoons.
- Mainecoons grow quickly, but they are very fragile. Never wean kittens at 5–6 weeks of age. Weaning is a critical period because neonates don’t yet have a fully developed immune system—their immunity is transferred through their mother’s milk. As they start to wean, they consume less milk, and their own immune system gradually begins to take over. At 12 weeks, a Maine Coon kitten’s immune system is still not fully mature, so our queens continue nursing their kittens beyond 14 weeks. By 15 weeks, our kittens reach what we consider their “safe zone.”
12 November 2025
