The Best Cat Diet: A Guide for Maine Coon Owners

by Carrie Profenno: Author, lifelong Mainer & veteran Maine Coon owner

What is the best cat diet? If only there were a simple answer!

Feeding your Maine Coon the right diet is essential for maintaining their health, coat condition, and energy levels. No wonder it’s one of our most popular topics!

With so many options on the market - wet, dry, moist, and toppers - it can be confusing to decide what's best.

Here's a breakdown of the different types of food and what to look for in terms of ingredients.

Types of Cat Food

Many cat parents find success feeding a combination of both wet and dry food.

Wet Food

Pros: High moisture content, which helps with hydration. Often more appealing to picky eaters.

Cons: Can be more expensive. Must be refrigerated after opening.

Best for: Cats who need more water in their diet, seniors, and cats prone to urinary tract issues.

Dry Food

Pros: Convenient, long shelf life, helps with dental health by reducing plaque.

Cons: Low moisture content, can be higher in carbs.

Best for: Cats with good hydration habits, and those who like grazing throughout the day.

Moist or Semi-Moist Food

Pros: A balance between wet and dry food, with more moisture than kibble but easier to serve than canned food.

Cons: Often contains more preservatives and artificial colors.

Best for: Cats that prefer softer food without the mess of wet food.

Toppers and Mix-Ins

Pros: Adds variety and enhances flavor. Can boost nutrition depending on the ingredients.

Cons: Can be calorie-dense, leading to weight gain if used excessively.

Best for: Picky eaters, or as a treat to make dry food more appealing.

What to Look for in Cat Food Ingredients

When choosing cat food, always check the ingredients list. Here’s a breakdown of what to prioritize:

High-Quality Protein

• Maine Coons need a diet rich in protein to support their large size and muscular build.

• Look for real meat as the first ingredient (e.g., chicken, turkey, or fish).

• Avoid foods that list "meat meal" or "by-product meal" as the first ingredient.

Essential Nutrients

• Taurine: An essential amino acid that supports heart and vision health.

• Omega Fatty Acids: Help maintain a healthy, shiny coat.

• Vitamins & Minerals: Include vitamins A, D, E, and calcium for bone health.

By-Products: What Are They?

• Definition: By-products are parts of the animal that are not typically consumed by humans (e.g., organ meat, bones).

• Good or Bad?: Not all by-products are bad! Some organ meats (like liver) are nutritious. However, avoid foods where by-products are the primary protein source or when they are unspecified (e.g., "meat by-products").

What to Avoid in Cat Food

• Fillers: Corn, soy, and wheat can be cheap fillers. While not necessarily harmful, they don’t provide the same nutritional benefits as protein.

• Artificial Preservatives and Colors: Look for natural preservatives like vitamin E (often listed as tocopherols).

• Excessive Carbohydrates: Cats are obligate carnivores, so they don’t need a diet high in carbs. A high-carb diet can lead to obesity.

Feeding Your Maine Coon: Final Tips

• Age Matters: Kittens, adults, and seniors have different dietary needs. Make sure you choose food that’s appropriate for your cat’s life stage.

• Portion Control: Maine Coons are large, but overfeeding can lead to weight issues. If you are concerned, follow the feeding guidelines on the package and adjust based on activity level. Otherwise, free feeding is fine.

• Hydration: Even if you feed dry food, always provide fresh water. Consider adding wet food to increase water intake.

Feeding the best cat diet means choosing high-quality ingredients and balancing the right food types.

Do this and you'll help ensure your Maine Coon stays healthy and happy!

The Best Cat Diet? - Reader Q & A

Edna asks, "what is the best cat diet for my 9 year old Maine Coon?" We go over brands, ingredients, carbohydrates, grains, proteins and come up with a plan.

by EMH
(Zephyrhills, FL,US)

My Maine Coon is about 9 years old. What is the best cat diet for her, her coat and age? She weighs about 9 lb, a smaller Coon.

Funny-her personality does not fit what I read here....but we blame that on her upbringing before we adopted her.

She lived in a cage in a pet store for 18 months or more, then near many dogs, loud large dogs for over a year. When I got her she was very high strung and fidgity.

That has worn down only a bit. She wants attention on her terms only and in her own time frame. If you forget her or ignore her she howls! Nutsy kitty.

The food thing, we want the best diet for her. I feed her now #31 Canin? Something like that, for Maine Coons.

Reply:

Quest For The Best Cat Diet:

Hi There,

This is a very good, and very complicated question! First off, I believe there is no "perfect" processed cat food or best cat diet.

It wouldn't be possible to nail down just one that has everything a healthy Maine Coon needs, and does it just right.

Every year, pet food gets just a little bit better, showing that there will always be room for improvement!

There are quite a few holistic and organic cat food manufacturers who do an excellent job of creating a well-balanced cat food with only top quality ingredients and no fillers.

Royal Canin is marketed to Maine Coon cat owners. It is made with larger kibbles which force a fast eater with a large jaw to slow down. That doesn't seem to be an issue with your small girl, though.

Also, there is the subject of ingredients. Here is a list of the primary ingredients in this food: Chicken meal, brown rice, corn gluten meal, chicken fat, ground corn, natural chicken flavor, rice, wheat gluten. I would encourage you to compare this with the info in cat food ingredients.

So what would I recommend? Well, at our house we have found success with Wellness Core.

It's grain free, protein focused & reflects a raw philosophy. Here are its top ingredients:

Deboned Turkey, Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal, Whitefish Meal, Potatoes, Salmon Meal, Natural Chicken Flavor, Chicken Fat, and more good stuff.

It also has Salmon Oil & Flaxseed which are helpful for hairballs. (Fish oil provides a good coating, helping things move along, and fiber gets things going too)

And it contains similar amounts of Omega Fatty Acids as the above brand for coat beauty and joint health. Plenty of balanced vitamins & minerals too.

There are many cat foods with similar ingredients and philosophies now. Look for these phrases on the label or website: Grain Free, High Protein & Low Carbohydrates.

One way to make your choice is to just go to your local pet shop, and just ask an associate to show you some of the best cat foods they carry. Then armed with your knowledge of ingredients, take a look at them.

As for her age, you may be wondering about senior food. It generally has fewer calories to help with obesity in older cats. If that's not a concern, a wholesome well-balanced quality food may be all she needs.

Thanks for sharing your rescue story! Your girl is very lucky to have you, and it's too bad she had to have such a rough start. It sounds like you are very patient with her and she'll hopefully grow in security and confidence.

Good luck on your quest for her best cat diet!
~Carrie

Best Cat Diet Comments:

tyvm!
by: Edna
WOW Carrie- thanks for the help, I'll look for Wellness core, do you think it's at a health food store?

We had a pet supermarket open in town a month ago and I'm not impressed. Maybe A HFS. I'll try that. My girl's name is Hannah and we have many nicknames for her.

She's the owner of the house and she lets us work to buy her food and calls us to bed at nite if we are late.

She sits in her favorite window and chirps at the wild chickens and squirrels outside.

She'll attack the window if a lizard walks over it. Sets off the alarm...We DO have loads of fun with her.

Not sure how to get her more attentive but that's ok, she gets better with each year.

She has blonde belly fur and as you know they get curly...so we call them her girly curls. Anyway, thanks for the help. I'll look for WC food for her.

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