The Best Food for Your Maine Coon: Nutrition Essentials (our cats are on raw + dry feeding Royal Canine Maine Coon so include this as well)

To maintain their health and emphasize their unique beauty, Maine Coons need a thoughtfully curated diet. The perfect mix of raw meals and premium dry food delivers both essential nutrients and convenience.

Maine Coons as Obligate Carnivores

If you want your Maine Coon to stay strong and sturdy, feeding them plenty of meat is key. Their diet should mirror what they’d hunt in the wild, packed with animal proteins that keep their muscles toned and their big bodies healthy. Maine Coons are pros at breaking down animal proteins, using almost 90-98% of what they consume. In contrast, plant proteins aren't as easily processed, hitting just 45-68%, which means meat is essential for keeping your kitty in top shape.

Chicken, turkey, duck, and fish aren’t just tasty for your Maine Coon — they're loaded with nutrients that keep their fur fluffy, muscles strong, and organs running smoothly. These meats are a must-have in their everyday meals. Since Maine Coons can’t effectively digest plant-based foods, they need to get their nutrients straight from meat. This ensures they stay healthy and avoid any nutritional gaps.

Raw Food Diet Benefits

Feeding your Maine Coon raw aligns their diet with the natural prey they’d hunt, like small mammals and lizards, perfectly suiting their carnivorous digestive needs. Switching to raw food can lead to awesome perks for your Maine Coon, such as less smelly litter, shinier skin, cleaner teeth, enhanced nutrient uptake, and a boost in energy.

With raw diets boasting 65-70% moisture and vital amino acids like taurine, your Maine Coon gets the hydration and nutrients they can’t make on their own, supporting kidney and urinary health. Provide about 2% of your Maine Coon’s weight each day, divided into two servings that include muscle meat, organs, and ground bone — for a 10-pound cat, that’s roughly 3 ounces per meal. That’s the reason we incorporate raw meat into our cats’ meals, catering to their natural instincts and promoting their overall well-being.

Dry Food Options

When it's mealtime, we rely on Royal Canin's Maine Coon formula for our cats. Their dry food features chunky, cube-shaped kibble made for those big, square jaws, promoting thorough chewing and naturally reducing tartar buildup. Opt for grain-free, high-protein choices packed with 90% premium animal ingredients like fresh poultry, organs, and bones to ensure your cat stays healthy. Quality dry foods include taurine, EPA, and DHA for heart health, along with omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids that keep your cat's skin smooth and coat shiny.

Dental-specific formulas can slash plaque by up to 41% in just a week, thanks to their uniquely textured kibble that polishes teeth as your cat chews. To keep your Maine Coon at a healthy weight, serve between half a cup and a bit over one cup daily, depending on their size and activity level.

Wet Food Importance

Choosing wet food can significantly reduce the risk of urinary issues like bladder stones or blockages because the extra hydration keeps their system clean. Incorporating wet food into your cat’s diet is a smart way to prevent kidney problems early on, which is crucial since cats can lose up to 75% of their kidney function without showing any symptoms.

Aim to serve your Maine Coon one to two cans of wet food daily, and make sure to store any leftovers in the fridge to keep the food fresh and delicious. The high moisture content in wet food mirrors what wild cats get from their prey, perfectly supporting your Maine Coon’s body and helping them stay active and healthy all day long.

Mixed Feeding Schedule

Your Maine Coon needs a mix of raw meat meals daily, which should include 75% muscle meat, 15% edible bone, and 10% organs to maintain their beautiful coat and organ health. Free-choice dry kibble should remain accessible throughout the day, with Maine Coons typically consuming three to four servings, matching their high energy requirements and fast metabolism. Wet food adds essential moisture to their diet, while the total daily caloric intake should range between 24-35 calories per 500g of body weight, depending on activity levels. Adult Maine Coons weighing between 8-25 pounds require 190-875 calories daily, split between morning and evening meals to maintain proper weight and energy levels.

Foods to Avoid

To keep your Maine Coon healthy, avoid giving them spicy, fried, or greasy human foods, as these can upset their digestion and metabolism. Choosing low-quality commercial cat foods filled with vegetable fillers might mean your Maine Coon isn't getting the essential nutrients they need, potentially leading to serious health and urinary issues.

Ensure that lily plants are kept well out of your Maine Coon’s reach because every part of the plant, including the water they sit in, can cause fatal kidney failure quickly. Feeding your Maine Coon fish regularly, especially larger types like tuna that contain mercury, can risk heavy metal poisoning and increase the likelihood of kidney inflammation and urinary stones.

Conclusion

A diet focused on meeting the carnivorous requirements of Maine Coons helps preserve their energy and unique allure. Carefully selected foods play a vital role in maintaining their overall health and enhancing their regal presence.