Maine Coons are one of the largest cats in the world weighing between 6 and 12 kilos. Well that's some cat! Because of its imposing size, the Maine Coon cat needs the right diet to stay in good health. How should you feed your Maine Coon? What food should it eat? We share all our tips in this article.
You’ve just become the proud parent of a Maine Coon, we know how excited you must be. Maine Coons are such lovely cats: gentle and affectionate, they enjoy cuddles and human contact, both from adults and children.
They're also very playful cats that love to have fun and stay active. Hence their 'dog-cat' nickname. Throw a toy and your cat will likely fetch it back to you! Finally, Maine Coons are very talkative cats. They meow and express themselves as if they were trying to talk to you. Our dream at Ziggy is to be able to translate what they’re saying and chat with one 😸
This cat is a true bundle of love. But while they're easy to love, knowing what’s best for their diet can be challenging. Finding the right diet is crucial for your furry friend's health. A happy cat is a well-fed cat.
How should you feed your Maine Coon? Many of you will be asking yourselves this question. And it’s a completely legitimate thing to wonder, given the breed's impressive size. As mentioned earlier, Maine Coons are one of the largest domestic cats in the world, originating from the state of Maine in the US. A breed that can weigh up to 12 kilograms!
The Maine Coon cat's diet
The same essential nutrients as other cats
Like all cats, Maine Coons require a protein-rich diet. They're strict carnivores! These proteins are essential as they provide the 11 amino acids essential for the proper functioning of their body (immunity, development, digestion, reproduction) and their structure (bones, skin, muscles, fur).
Once absorbed in the digestive tract, proteins release amino acids and enter the bloodstream. New proteins and amino acids are then produced depending on the specific needs of each organ.
Among these 11 amino acids are taurine, arginine, phenylalanine, methionine, valine, leucine, isoleucine, lysine, tryptophan, threonine, and histidine.
Maine Coon, Burmese, Ragdoll, Chartreux, Bengal… Whatever the breed, all our little companions need a good source of lipids (essential fatty acids), minerals, vitamins (especially B-group vitamins) and fibre in their diet, all of which are essential for healthy digestion.
Without all these nutrients, our beloved felines would be deficient and develop very serious health problems: central retinal degeneration and compromised immune function (due to taurine deficiency), neurological disorders (due to a lack of arginine, phenylalanine, threonine), weight loss, or even anorexia (due to deficiencies in phenylalanine, methionine, leucine, valine, lysine, tryptophan, threonine, and histidine), poor quality and greasy coats (due to methionine or isoleucine deficiency).
Cats need all these nutrients in their diet to stay healthy, but Maine Coons are unlike other cats. Due to their size, they have a higher energy requirement than their European counterparts.
We're not talking about the quantity of food here, but rather the quantity of nutrients in their food!
A protein-rich diet is essential.
Maine Coons need a protein-rich diet
They're the Dwayne The Rock Johnson of the cat world, and need a lot of protein to maintain peak form 💪. If they don’t get enough, they could catabolise their own muscle mass and lose weight. Since Maine Coons are long-haired cats, this is also very important for the well-being of their coat. In cats, the skin and fur are largely made up of proteins. About 90% of the coat is composed of keratin.
So, watch out for your large furry friend's diet and protein intake.
But be aware that quantity does not always mean quality!
Some wet and dry foods, even those specially designed for Maine Coons, may have a high protein content, but they are not always the right quality.
Industrial foods often include reconstituted meat (a mix of plant and animal proteins) or a mix of low-quality cuts. The reason? They cost less. Manufacturers rely on these ingredients to cut costs, unfortunately at the expense of our four-legged friends.
In addition to providing no nutritional benefit, these low-quality proteins can be harmful in the long run. Cats can't metabolise them, and will also pass non-assimilated amino acids through their urine. The more low-quality proteins your cat eats, the harder it will be on his kidneys. This can lead, in the long run, to chronic kidney disease!
Essential fatty acids
Maine Coons, which are medium to long haired, also need a little more fatty acids to maintain a beautiful coat. As explained in our article on cat fur (why does my cat shed its fur), Omega 3 and 6 play a critical role in the proper functioning of the skin. Foods rich in linoleic acid increase the quality and shine of their coats. We also include minerals, A, E, and group-B vitamins, as well as trace elements (copper, zinc, manganese, selenium, iodine).
How to choose the best diet for your Maine Coon?
4 things to check for.
1) Premium proteins!
To figure out how rich in proteins a certain cat food is, check the percentage on the label. It should feature at the top of the ingredient list. As for the quality of the proteins, it’s a bit more complicated. It can quickly feel like you need a PhD in chemistry to understand what you’re looking at. But don’t panic, we’ve got you covered here.
The quality of proteins is determined by their ability to provide essential amino acids. In feline nutrition, we rely on the protein/phosphorus ratio to determine the quality of the proteins used.
As touched on in our article on Bengal cats' diet, high-quality proteins or those of high biological value (percentage of the protein retained by the body) originate from fish, meat, eggs, and premium organ meats. These all show high ratios. This is not the case for grains, carcass scraps and bones, which have lower protein/phosphorus ratios.
If you can’t determine the ratio, you can rely on the ash content: if it’s high, carcass scraps have likely been added. Yummy? Probably not.
At Ziggy, we don’t use any of that. Our wet food only includes real pieces of muscle meats and premium organ meats. The first ingredient in each of our recipes is always a source of animal protein.
Our chicken wet food for neutered adult cats contains +55.6% of premium organ meats. And above all, it's low in carbs (0.6%). And our chicken dry food specifically designed for Maine Coons contains 44% protein.
2) Low carbs
The carb content is also another factor to keep an eye on when feeding your Maine Coon (and for all cats, for that matter). A diet too high in carbs can lead to becoming overweight and obese. It may also increase insulin secretion demand, and predispose your cat to diabetes. Read all about it in our article on carbs in our cats' diets.
3) Easy on the calories
If your Maine Coon is neutered, you also need to watch his calorie intake. Energy needs in neutered cats (male or female) drop by an average of 20%… but not their appetite! This means that they need low-calorie food that still provides the right amount and quality of protein. This is not often the case with food specifically designed for neutered cats.
Make sure to check the protein-calorie ratio (PCR) on your trays and pouches. This indicates the concentration of protein in a food relative to the calories it provides. And shows you how to understand the actual amount of protein ingested. A food for neutered cats should have a higher PCR, ideally over 100. Read about that too in our article on diets for neutered cats.
4) The right essential fatty acids
"Essential fatty acids are found in vegetable oils to different extents" explains veterinary nutritionist Dr. Géraldine Blanchard, who formulated all of our recipes.
Rapeseed oil (found in our Ziggy wet food 😻) and soybean oil are particularly good as they contain a fairly high percentage of fatty acids (a balanced intake of Omega 6 and 3). Olive oil mainly contains oleic acid, an Omega 9 fatty acid that is not essential for cats and is not a source of essential fatty acids.
For more information, feel free to check our article: what can I do to ensure my cat has a beautiful coat?
Wet food or dry food: which diet should I choose for my Maine Coon?
Whatever your cat's breed, Ziggy always advises you to opt for wet food.
Wet foods have several advantages for your Maine Coon:
- They are 4 times lower in calories than dry food (less risk of obesity).
- They contain more water, which dilutes their urine. Cats are light drinkers, leaving them at risk of developing urinary problems. Wet food keeps them hydrated and protects the kidneys.
- The high moisture content in wet food fills your cat's stomach and helps them feel full.
- The nutrients in high-quality wet food help keep your pet's coat looking at its best.
You can certainly give your cat a portion of dry food, but this should remain a minor part of their overall diet. His bowl can be 100% wet or mixed (dry food and wet food).
Our dry food specially formulated for Maine Coons
At Ziggy, we have just launched dry food specially designed for Maine Coons, specifically tailored to their wide and powerful jaws. Larger in size, this dry food allows for better chewing.
Our recipe is also rich in premium animal proteins and essential fatty acids, all in optimal quantities to preserve their fragile joints and promote a soft, silky coat.
To find out exactly how much food to feed your cat, use our portion calculator.
And what should I feed my Maine Coon kitten?
A special kitten food
Our little companions reach sexual maturity between 4 and 12 months old. But for certain large breeds such as Maine Coons, it can take up to 15 months or more. Due to their longer development period, it's best to provide them with kitten food until they're old enough to eat dry and wet food for adults.
Food for kittens provides your little Maine Coon with all the nutrients and calories he needs to develop. This means sufficient protein, fat, phosphorus and calcium.
Seek advice from your vet to find out the best time to transition to cat food for adults, as doing so too early could have severe consequences on your furry friend's health. He could become deficient and experience delayed development. He may also have a poor immune response in case of illness, suffer from neurological, digestive issues, etc. We provide more information in our article on the nutritional needs of kittens.
Finally, if you decide to neuter your Maine Coon kitten, be aware of possible weight gain. As mentioned earlier, after neutering, the energy needs of our furry friends drop by an average of 20%. Adjusting their daily portion is essential to prevent them from gaining weight or developing certain diseases. Feel free to use our personalized portion calculator.
At Ziggy, we consider cats to be family members. That’s why their health and diet is so important to us.
Our dry food and wet food are tailored to your Maine Coon, whether neutered or not. Quality and transparency are our guiding principles to ensure your little companion stays healthy and lives as long as possible by your side. 😻
Y a t il un pendant de votre nourriture à Montréal Québec Canada?
Merci de m’en informer
Gabrielle
Merci beaucoup 😻
Plein de caresses à Tetris 💛
Merci pour tous ces renseignements et conseils pour mon ti main coon. Le calcul de la ration journalière est vraiment top. Tetris adore vos pâtés. 😊
Très bon article sur le maincoon et tableau très pratique pour le calcul pour la ration de nourriture félicitations
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