With all cats it is a very simple case of they are what they eat. This post covers the maine coon diet, as well as feeding your Maine Coon kitten and extra tips and advice that apply for any cat you own.
Do Maine Coons eat a lot?
Every Maine Coon owner and breeder will be able to give you an idea of what you should feed your pet, as well as how much. The problem is they will all have a different opinion and all cats are individuals.
The best solution is to ensure your cat is happy and healthy.
A happy cat is energetic, playful, not listless and sleepy.
To determine if you cat in is a healthy range, simply run your hands over the sides of it’s body. You want to be able to feel the ribs, but they shouldn’t be sticking out or visible.
You may need to adjust your feeding schedule to combat your Maine Coon’s weight issues.
For an overweight cat reduce the amount you are feeding it. But don’t remove a meal time.
For example, if you usually feed your cat a certain amount twice a day, keep feeding twice a day but reduce the quantity.
If you free feed (provide dry food constantly), control the amount you leave out each day, you may end up with a grumpy cat initially but they will soon adjust.
The reason you don’t remove a meal time is that is too much change for them to adjust to without feeling like they are being starved.
What is a Maine Coon’s favorite food?
Like all cats, they are carnivorous meaning they require meat in their diet. A good varied diet includes…
- Raw meat to ensure they are getting the vitamins and minerals they require.
- Dry food for an added vitamin boost, and to keep their teeth clean.
- Wet (canned) food for added moisture
- Plenty of fresh water.
Maine coon’s love water so be careful, I will cover this in further down the article.
Maine Coon Diet
Maine Coon’s do not really need a special diet, compared to other cats. They are a naturally large cat with high energy, almost like they keep their kitten thoughts well into adulthood.
Their high energy nature requires quality food.
A general guide for any cats diet is to feed a really good quality dry food, plenty of water, and wet food 2-3 times a week.
The reason a good quality dry food is an essential part of their diet is because it helps reduce the buildup of tartar that can lead to expensive dental problems later in life.
Maine Coon Nutrition
Like with the food you eat yourself, you really need to be reading the ingredients of your cat food as well.
Tuna is something you want to avoid as a main ingredient as it contains high levels of mercury and even humans are being warned to reduce their consumption or avoid it, a smaller fish such as anchovies or sardines is a much safer option.
Older cats need a lot more liquid than younger cats, and grains are not a natural food for cats, try to avoid wheat or corn at the top of the list, these are used as a filler to create weight in the product and provide very little nutritional value.
Water Needs
Maine Coons are particularly fond of water, a small decorative water fountain with a pump that constantly circulates will stop the water being stagnant. Cat owners that like to use a fountain seem to unanimously recommend the Drinkwell Cat Fountain.
If you are using a cat fountain with a motor, ensure that it always has water or the motor may burn out and clean it every 2 weeks with a mild bleach to keep the bacteria levels down.
If you prefer to stick with a bowl to avoid the splashes caused by your little beast playing with the water, stick with a metal, ceramic or glass. You will want to empty and wash it a couple of times a day to ensure freshness.
They are the easiest to clean and plastic can get sharp nicks in it which can damage your little ones chin, possibly leading to infection.
- A word of warning with Maine Coons and water, they are known for playing in it.
- Keep the toilet lid down or you may sit on the toilet seat to find it covered in water from splashing kitty.
- It may like to roll around in the basin or bath as well.
Maine Coon Cat Food
I have done some extensive research about which brand of cat food’s Maine Coon owners recommend after getting one of my own. My particular beast has very special dietary needs.
The most popular I found included
- Wellness Signature Selects grain free chicken or turkey (grain free is recommended for all cats because they can’t process grain correctly and it will provide limited nutritional value.
- Wellness Cubed Chicken, Salmon or Turkey,
- Earthborn Holistic Chicken Catcciatore or Catalina Catch. or
- Merrick Purrfect Bistro grain-free classics.
You should be able to get these at your local store, if not you can order them online through somewhere like amazon.
The classic line of fancy feast is another good option because it also doesn’t contain wheat gluten.
The extra money you might pay for a high quality food will easily be made up by not feeding the cat as much, I have already proven this will my Maine Coon, who is on a prescription cat food and it is still cheaper than feeding my previous cats with regular food. As well as less vet bills by keeping a healthier cat.
Raw Meat and Cats
All cats are carnivores! Their teeth are designed for biting and shearing, not for chewing or grinding. Pieces of meat are swallowed whole and are digested in the stomach by gastric juices.
To keep a healthy, happy cat I recommend feeding a small amount of raw meat a couple of times a week.
You should avoid Tuna, however minced chicken, beef or pork are good options. Just remember not to cook it.
Maine Coon Kitten Food
If you have owned a kitten before you may have been recommended to only feed kitten food until 4-5 Months old. With larger breeds like Maine Coon’s, Ragdolls and Bengals, it is recommended to keep them on a kitten food until approx 9 months old to ensure the best start in life.
Litter
If you are looking for a 100% natural kitty litter World’s Best Cat Litter is biodegradable and flush-able, suitable for both septic and sewer systems. I haven’t used this personally but it is recommended by Maine Coon Breeders. It is said that although it is more expensive, it lasts longer, controls smell and your home won’t be covered in dust.
As Maine Coons are big cats you may find you require a larger than usual litter tray. You can get one of the jumbo litter trays however I have found that a small under bed storage container works well. The only problem is finding room in the house for it.
Clumping litters are bad!
Ok, that might have been an exaggeration, they aren’t bad. They are not good for long haired cats.
The clumping clay gets caught in the long fur on their toes and bum, when they then go to clean themselves it is injested and can clump in their tummies.
To help ensure you home isn’t covered in cat litter it is a great idea to put a rug around the litter tray.
If you have more than one cat and they are fighting over the little tray consider getting another.
Conclusion
I hope I have covered everything you wanted to know about feeding and caring for your Maine Coon, if you have any further questions send me an email and I will get back to you ASAP.
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