Supplies for Large Cats: What to Size Up and What to Skip

A large cat needs bigger versions of five things: a litter box about 1.5 times its body length, a cat tree with a wide base and deep perches, a scratching post taller than its full stretch, a carrier it can turn around in, and a harness sized by chest girth. Bowls, grooming tools and most toys need only small changes.

The rules below come from veterinary guidance (the Feline Veterinary Medical Association, International Cat Care and the AAFP and ISFM guidelines) and from makers’ own size and weight figures. The size gap is real: the breed registry says Maine Coon males can reach or exceed 20 pounds, and they keep growing for up to three years. Buy for the adult cat.

Litter boxes: the purchase most often too small

“In general, bigger is better and many commercial litter boxes are too small,” says the Feline Veterinary Medical Association. Its rule, shared by International Cat Care, is a box 1.5 times the cat’s length from nose to base of tail, one per cat plus one extra. For a big cat, that usually means an extra large box or a storage bin. International Cat Care adds that large breeds may find smaller hooded trays hard to use.

Extra large and high-sided litter boxes

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Climbing and scratching: built for weight

The AAFP and ISFM environmental needs guidelines say perches should be “wide enough and long enough to allow the cat to fully stretch.” The AAFP says scratchers should be “tall or long enough to allow full stretching and stable enough so they do not move or fall over.” A tree or post that works for a small cat can rock under a 20-pound one.

Look for a wide, heavy base, thick posts and a stated weight limit; cat trees for large cats compares makers’ figures. For scratching, the AAFP’s toolkit cites a survey that favored posts at least 3 feet tall; see scratching posts for large cats.

Cat trees built for heavy breeds

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Travel and outdoor time

International Cat Care prefers a sturdy plastic carrier with a removable top half for vet visits, one per cat. A big cat needs one it can stand and turn around in, and airline in-cabin limits often rule out a full grown Maine Coon; see carriers for large cats. For walks, a harness fitted by chest girth and introduced slowly indoors is the safe route, and a cat is never left tethered alone; see harnesses for large cats. In both cases, measure the cat first, then compare with the maker’s figures.

What does not need sizing up

Beds, perches and window seats

The same perch rule applies to anywhere a big cat rests: wide and long enough to stretch out fully, in the words of the AAFP and ISFM guidelines. Compare the bed or perch length with your cat’s body length plus some room for the tail, and for any perch that hangs from a window or wall, check the maker’s stated weight limit and how it attaches, and compare both with your cat before buying. A heavy cat jumping onto a suction-cup perch tests it hard.

Where to start on a budget

If you can only replace one thing, make it the litter box. The 2014 AAFP and ISFM house-soiling guidelines put optimizing the litter box first among their two universal suggestions, and a storage bin of the right length costs little. Next comes a tall, steady scratching post, which protects furniture and gives a big cat a full stretch. A large tree, a self-cleaning box and furniture-grade pieces can wait until you know how your cat climbs, rests and uses its boxes, and how big it will finally get.

Gear by need

Buying for a cat that is still growing

Large breeds take years to fill out: the Cat Fanciers’ Association gives up to three years for the Maine Coon and up to five for the Norwegian Forest Cat. Buy the litter box, tree and carrier for the adult size now. A harness is the exception: buy for the current chest size and size up as the cat grows. The breeds section has each breed’s registry size, and gifts for big cat lovers groups this gear by person.