The Maine Coon guide · Kats Kits
What Do Maine Coon Cats Eat?
Maine Coons eat what every cat needs: a complete, high-protein diet built on meat. There is no special food a healthy Maine Coon must have. What sets the breed apart is its size and its slow growth. A Maine Coon keeps growing until it is three to five years old, so it spends longer growing than most cats, and as an adult it is a big cat that can put on weight easily if it is overfed.
Below is what to feed at each age, how much to give, water, treats, the foods that are dangerous to cats and a simple daily schedule. Your vet is the best person to fine-tune any of it.
What Should a Maine Coon Eat?
Cats are obligate carnivores. They need nutrients that come from animal tissue, including taurine, an amino acid that cats cannot make enough of themselves and that is essential for the heart and eyes. That is why a cat cannot thrive on a vegetarian diet. For a Maine Coon, look for:
- A complete and balanced food. In the US, the label should say the food meets AAFCO nutrient profiles for the cat's life stage: growth for kittens, adult maintenance for adults, or all life stages.
- Animal protein first. A named meat, poultry or fish near the top of the ingredient list.
- A reputable maker. A company that employs qualified nutritionists and tests its foods. Your vet can suggest some.
Grain-free, breed-specific and premium labels are not necessary for a healthy Maine Coon. A good, complete food fed in the right amount matters far more, and it shows in a glossy coat; see Maine Coon shedding and grooming.
Is Wet or Dry Food Better for a Maine Coon?
Both can be complete diets, and many owners feed a mix:
- Wet food is roughly three-quarters water, which helps cats that do not drink much, and extra moisture is generally thought to be good for the kidneys and urinary tract. It is also less calorie-dense, which helps with weight control.
- Dry food is cheaper, keeps once opened and works in puzzle feeders. It is calorie-dense, so it is easy to overfeed, and a cat on dry food alone needs to drink more water.
Many owners give wet food once or twice a day plus a measured amount of dry. If your cat has a health condition, ask your vet what suits it best. Food is one of the bigger running costs of a cat this size; see how much a Maine Coon costs.
What Should You Feed a Maine Coon Kitten?
Feed a food made for kittens, labeled for growth or for all life stages. Kittens need more protein, fat and calories for their size than adults, and the right balance of minerals for growing bones.
- Little and often. A ten-week-old kitten does best on three or four meals a day, dropping to two or three from around six months.
- Kitten food for at least a year. Most cats move to adult food at around 12 months. Maine Coons grow slowly, and some owners and breeders keep them on kitten food for longer. Ask your vet when to switch.
- Steady growth. A healthy Maine Coon kitten usually weighs 2 to 4 pounds at ten weeks, 7 to 11 pounds at six months and 9 to 15 pounds at a year. See how big Maine Coons get for the full picture.
Should You Change Your New Kitten's Food?
Not at first. Moving home is stressful enough, and a sudden change of diet is one of the most common causes of an upset stomach in a new kitten. Ask the breeder exactly what the kitten eats, buy the same food before it arrives, and keep to it for the first few weeks. Kats Kits kittens go home at 10 weeks, and Kat can tell you what yours is eating; see the available kittens.
If you want to change foods later, do it gradually over 7 to 10 days:
| Days | Old food | New food |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 3 | Three-quarters | One-quarter |
| 4 to 6 | Half | Half |
| 7 to 9 | One-quarter | Three-quarters |
| 10 on | None | All |
If your kitten gets a loose stool, go back a step and slow down. Diarrhea that lasts more than a day or two, or vomiting with lethargy, needs a vet.
How Much Does a Maine Coon Cat Eat?
There is no fixed amount that suits every Maine Coon. Size, age, activity, neutering and the food itself all change the figure, and neutered cats generally need fewer calories. Instead of a set number, go by:
- The label. Start with the feeding guide on the package for your cat's weight. If you mix wet and dry, split the daily amount between them rather than giving the full amount of each.
- Body condition. You should be able to feel the ribs under a thin layer of fat without pressing hard, and see a waist when you look down from above. The coat hides a lot on a Maine Coon, so feel rather than look.
- A scale. Weigh your cat monthly. A kitten's weight should climb steadily and an adult's should stay roughly level.
- Your vet. Ask at each checkup whether your cat is at a healthy weight, and adjust portions in small steps.
Many cats, Maine Coons included, have a loose flap of skin on the lower belly called the primordial pouch. It swings when the cat walks and is normal, not a sign of fat.
How Often Should You Feed a Maine Coon?
A simple daily schedule by age:
| Age | Food | Meals a day | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10 weeks to 6 months | Kitten food | 3 to 4 | Same food as at the breeder for the first weeks |
| 6 to 12 months | Kitten food | 2 to 3 | Weigh monthly; growth should be steady |
| 1 year to about 10 years | Adult food, once your vet agrees | 2 | Measured meals; check body condition |
| About 10 years and older | Adult or senior food, as your vet advises | 2 or more smaller meals | More frequent vet checks are often advised |
Adults. Feed measured meals at roughly the same times each day. It makes a change in appetite easy to spot and overfeeding harder. Leaving a full bowl of dry food out all day suits a few cats but leads many to overeat.
Seniors. Cats are usually counted as seniors from around 10 years old. Some gain weight as they slow down and others lose it, and unexplained weight loss in an older cat is always worth a vet visit. Kidney disease, thyroid problems and dental pain become more common with age and can change how a cat eats. Smaller meals and wet food can help a cat with a poor appetite or worn teeth. See Maine Coon lifespan for more on older cats.
How Much Water Does a Maine Coon Need?
Fresh, clean water should always be available and changed daily. Many Maine Coons are fascinated by moving water and will paw at a dripping faucet, so a pet water fountain is often a hit and may encourage a cat to drink more. Clean the fountain and change its filter as the maker recommends.
- Use a wide, shallow bowl. A big face and long whiskers fit it better than a narrow one.
- Put water away from the food bowl and well away from the litter box.
A sudden increase in thirst, or a cat urinating much more than usual, can be an early sign of kidney disease or diabetes and needs a vet check. There is more on water play in Maine Coon behavior.
Which Foods Are Dangerous for Cats?
Keep these away from your Maine Coon, including scraps from your plate:
- Onions, garlic, chives and leeks in any form, including powders in sauces and baby food. They damage red blood cells.
- Chocolate, and caffeine in coffee, tea and energy drinks.
- Grapes and raisins. They can cause kidney failure in dogs and are best kept away from cats too.
- Alcohol and raw yeast dough.
- Xylitol, a sweetener in sugar-free gum, candy and some peanut butters. It is very dangerous to dogs and best kept away from cats.
- Cooked bones, which can splinter.
- Milk. Many adult cats do not digest lactose well, and it can upset their stomach.
Lilies are plants, not food, but they belong on this list. Every part of true lilies and daylilies, even the pollen or the water in the vase, can cause sudden kidney failure in cats, so keep them out of the house. If you think your cat has eaten something toxic, call your vet or an animal poison control line straight away, without waiting for symptoms.
Should You Feed a Maine Coon a Raw Diet?
Some owners feed raw, and it also carries real risks. Raw meat can carry bacteria such as Salmonella and Listeria, which can make cats ill and can spread to people in the home, a particular concern with young children, older people or anyone with a weak immune system. Homemade raw diets are also easy to get wrong, and a diet short of taurine, calcium or vitamins can cause serious illness over time.
If you are interested, talk to your vet first. If you go ahead, a commercially prepared complete raw food, or a recipe written by a board-certified veterinary nutritionist, is safer than a homemade mix of meat and bones.
How Do You Keep a Maine Coon from Getting Overweight?
Under all that coat, a Maine Coon can be several pounds overweight before it shows. Extra weight raises the risk of diabetes, arthritis and other problems, and puts more strain on the joints of a breed where hip dysplasia is a known concern. Grown males usually weigh 13 to 18 pounds and females 8 to 12, but frame matters more than the number on the scale.
- Measure every meal, ideally weighing dry food on a kitchen scale.
- Count treats as part of the day's food and keep them to about a tenth of it.
- Use puzzle feeders so food takes some work.
- Play every day; two short sessions with a wand toy help as much as diet.
- Ask your vet before cutting food. Never put a cat on a crash diet: sudden fasting can make an overweight cat seriously ill.
Quick Answers
What is the best food for a Maine Coon?
A complete and balanced, high-protein food that suits your cat. There is no single best brand, and your vet can help you choose.
How much should a Maine Coon kitten eat?
Follow the feeding guide on the kitten food for its weight, split into three or four meals a day. A kitten should feel well covered but not round, and gain weight steadily.
When should a Maine Coon switch to adult food?
Usually at around 12 months, and sometimes later for this slow-growing breed. Ask your vet when your cat is ready.
Do Maine Coons need special food?
No. A good, complete food fed in the right amount suits most healthy Maine Coons, and food sold for the breed is an option rather than a necessity.
Can Maine Coons eat dog food?
Not as a diet. Dog food does not meet a cat's needs for nutrients such as taurine, though a mouthful stolen from the dog's bowl will not hurt.
Can Maine Coons drink milk?
It is best not to. Many adult cats do not digest lactose well, and milk can give them diarrhea.
