Properly selected food for Maine Coons is the key to ensuring that your pet grows big and is healthy. Coons are large and very energetic. Only products at least at the super premium and holistic level can satisfy the nutritional needs when feeding a Maine Coon. The following is a rating of industrial foods that breeders and owners most often choose to feed Maine cats.
Orijen
Country – Canada
The Orijen brand quite rightly claims the title of the best dry food for Maine Coons. The most popular and in demand from the Orijen line is Orijen Cat&Kitten food. The main part 85% is poultry (chicken, turkey), fish (flounder, herring, mackerel, sardine), eggs, poultry liver, chicken necks, chicken and fish oil. And 15% vegetables, fruits (beans, lentils, apples, cabbage, blueberries, pumpkin, parsnips) and other herbal supplements. There are no grains.
The main share in the composition is made up of fresh and raw animal products and only one third of dried ones. It is meat that is used for drying, not production waste. This is an important criterion why Orijen is preferred by many horse breeders. This is also the best product in terms of high-quality protein content, without which it is difficult for a Maine Coon to gain weight.
The food is suitable for any age and size, including sterilized cats, as long as they do not have diseases.
Orijen Fit&Trim is an option for overweight Maine Coons. Fit Trim contains a lot of protein, but the number of calories is limited by reducing fat.
The advantages of Orijen include the absence of grains and the fact that the basis of nutrition is meat and fish.
In cats prone to allergies, the transition period to Orijen should be gradual. This is due to the variety of animal protein sources.
What to feed a Maine Coon kitten: recommendations
Giant cats grow slower than other breeds; the musculoskeletal system is formed up to 1.5 years. Another distinctive feature of the Maine Coon is its large, well-developed jaw. In nature, cats hunt small prey: rodents, birds, lizards. They satisfy hunger with a small amount of food, but often up to 10-15 times a day.
Pets have retained the habit and often go to the bowl throughout the day, spending a total of up to 30 minutes eating.
Natural nutrition
Kittens and adults should absolutely not be offered food prepared for people.
The diet should include:
- Meat. The best option is beef, chicken, veal, offal (unpeeled beef tripe, kidneys, lungs). Occasionally it is allowed to pamper your pet with a portion of boiled liver.
- Milk, fermented milk products - kefir, cottage cheese, yogurt, fermented baked milk. Sour cream is suitable as a delicacy; it should not be greasy. You should not give hard cheeses, feta cheese, suluguni due to the high concentration of salt in the product.
- Once every 1-2 weeks, give sea fish, boiled until half cooked, cleaned of bones. It is enough to simply boil capelin, sprat, and anchovy; there is nothing dangerous in these varieties for the esophagus and gums.
- Boiled quail eggs are preferable; they are hypoallergenic; 4-5 eggs per week are allowed.
- Cereals - rice, oatmeal, buckwheat. Valuable sources of fiber necessary for normal functioning of the stomach and intestinal peristalsis, offered once every 2-3 days. The cereal is washed, poured with boiling water, covered with a lid, letting it brew for 2-3 hours.
- Boiled, fresh vegetables - carrots, beets, broccoli, cauliflower, pumpkin, cucumbers, dried seaweed, fruits.
- Necks and heads of chickens - soft bone, brain and eye tissues help cleanse the stomach of hair, are sources of valuable microelements, remove plaque, and train the jaws. The beak is first removed.
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Before appearing in a bowl, raw meat should lie in the freezer for 2-4 days. During this time, pathogenic bacteria and worm eggs will die in it.
With natural feeding, it is necessary to additionally give vitamin complexes and dietary supplements, since even with a well-formulated, complete diet, it is difficult to ensure that the body receives all the necessary nutrients in sufficient quantities.
You cannot give hot or cold food; it should be at room temperature, cut into portions.
Dry and wet food
A convenient and favorite way of eating by most owners. Ready-made food has a balanced composition and does not require time to purchase ingredients, preparation, or cooking.
Babies are fed premium, superpremium, holistic-class food:
- Ekanuba;
- Nutro;
- Purina Pro Plan;
Of the cheaper options, Royal Canin, Yams, and Gourmet canned food have proven themselves well.
These manufacturers create a high-quality product, balanced in protein, fat, carbohydrates, fiber, enriched with vitamin complexes, amino acids, taurine, omega 3,6 acids, and healthy food additives. The food is selected taking into account the age of the animal.
Cheap options are contraindicated for kittens and adults, as they contain mineral salts and carbohydrates in excess. For the production of Whiskas, Pan Kot, Friskas, Sheba feeds, waste meat products - feathers, bones, skins - are used. They provoke the appearance of kidney stones and cannot cover the cat’s need for nutrients.
Mixed diet
Mixed feeding is allowed. Granules are poured in small quantities, replenishing the volume as needed. When exposed to air, they lose their aroma that is attractive to pets, and in summer they quickly oxidize due to the heat. The water should be fresh, clean (filtered), and changed regularly.
Cats drink less than dogs, often do it at night and need a free opportunity to quench their thirst. Wet food becomes unsuitable for eating 3-4 hours after being removed from an open package; the bowl is filled with it strictly before eating.
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Professional breeders and veterinarians are divided into two camps: some say that with this style of feeding, the cat is at risk of vitamin deficiency, excess calories, and digestive system disorders. Others practice mixed feeding, considering it healthy and practical.
This method is convenient if the Maine Coon spends the whole day at home alone, and working owners have the opportunity to feed their pet natural food only in the morning and evening.
Pedigree feed lines
Leading manufacturers offer Maine Coon owners a breed-specific line of dry and wet food adapted to the characteristics of the breed.
They:
- enriched with components that maintain the coat in a presentable form, making it shiny, silky, smooth;
- have a large fraction, suitable for powerful jaws, providing a load that cleans the teeth;
- have high energy value;
- contain additives intended for the prevention of breed-specific diseases - joint dysplasia, heart pathologies.
Adapted nutrition within the line is divided according to the age of pets, health conditions: pregnant cats, lactating cats, kittens, neutered cats, etc. It is advisable to use dry and wet food from the same manufacturer for feeding.
Acana
Country – Canada
Many coon breeders say dry food for Maine Coons from Acana is the best. Manufacturer: Canadian company Champion Petfoods. The peculiarity of the product is that it is made according to the principle of what cats eat in the wild. The cat eats the prey whole. Therefore, the basis of the diet is raw or fresh meat (at least 75%) and offal. The remaining ingredients are fruits and vegetables.
All feeds are grain-free. They do not contain potatoes, GMOs or synthetic additives. The benefits include the presence of probiotics, which normalize digestion.
The advantage of Akana is the large proportion of meat and the absence of grains. But overweight Maine Coons are better off choosing a product with less fat.
AATU
Country – Great Britain
Many owners prefer to feed their Maine Coon dry food from the Atu company. One option is Adult Cat Free Run Chicken Grain Free, made from fresh chicken meat and dried chicken. The total share of meat products is 85%. The rest comes from plant components. The products do not contain synthetic dyes, flavors or GMO components. It is also gluten, white potato and grain free. Chicken broth is used as a flavor enhancer.
Is it possible to feed a Maine Coon natural food and dry food at the same time?
Many experts disagree on this issue. Some believe that a mixed diet is unacceptable, as it leads to problems with the gastrointestinal tract. Others are inclined to believe that if you accustom your Maine Coon to natural nutrition and dry food from childhood, then there will be no problems.
In fact, the issue is really complex and not fully studied. However, many nurseries feed Maine Coons with a mixed diet and the animals are in excellent shape without any pathologies of internal organs. Therefore, if you properly balance your pet’s diet, then there is absolutely no reason to worry.
Note. To understand whether a mixed diet is suitable for your pet, you can always take a biochemical blood test. It will help determine the animal’s health status and decide how and what to feed the Maine Coon in the future.
Wildcat
Country: Germany
The best food for Maine Coons can be found in the Wildcat brand line. Etosha croquettes are made from dried and raw chicken (79%), turkey. Chicken sauce serves as an aromatic and flavoring additive. The source of fatty acids is chicken fat. Additionally contains berries and roots.
In terms of the number of proteins, Wildcat is ahead of Orijen. The food is nutritious due to its high protein content, but nevertheless easily digestible.
There is no corn, wheat, rice, GMOs or trans fats, but there is a lot of meat and a good vitamin supplement. Therefore, Wildcat is the choice of many coon breeders. However, the brand is not widely distributed in stores and you have to buy it to order.
Applaws
Country – Great Britain
British cat food Applaus belongs to the holistic class, as it uses only natural ingredients, so it is suitable for Maine Coons. There is a line for kittens - Applaws Kitten Chicken Grain Free and for adult cats - Applaws Senior Cat Chicken Grain Free.
For small pets, the food consists of 80% chicken and 20% vegetables and herbal supplements. For older cats, the amount of animal protein is the same – 80%. The fiber in the composition is beet pulp, and instead of cereals there are potatoes, but there is not much of it - 6%. There are no chemical preservatives. They are replaced with natural ones (rosemary, vitamin E).
Grandin
Country – Germany / Czech Republic
Of the entire Grandin line, the product Kitten Chicken Grain Free (food for kittens) has the best composition data. This meat and fish mixture contains 78% animal protein. The manufacturer claims that Kitten Chicken supports the urinary and immune systems and ensures healthy digestion.
A special feature of the product is its high content of pork liver - 19%. It is not used as a flavoring additive, but as a source of protein. Apples and beets are a source of fiber, potatoes and peas are sources of carbohydrates. Grandin Kitten is suitable not only for a Maine Coon kitten, but also for pregnant and lactating cats. The company also produces croquettes for castrated, sterilized pets and older cats.
What to feed a Maine Coon kitten
The health and development of your pet depends on adequate nutrition. Complementary foods are introduced gradually, allowing the body to get used to the new food and get used to it.
Any behavioral disturbances, vomiting, redness of the mucous membranes, ears, rash are alarming signals that require the attention of a veterinarian and adjustments to the diet.
Diet in the first month
Complementary feeding is combined with suckling mother's milk, which is necessary for the formation of strong immunity and intestinal flora. Children are additionally given porridge boiled in 1:1 diluted milk (goat, cow), scraped or ground boiled meat once a day.
What to feed a Maine Coon kitten: at 2 months
When feeding with industrial food, choose an option based on age; the granules are pre-soaked with clean water. With natural feeding, 80% of the menu consists of meat, dairy products, 20% - vegetables, grains, fruits, fish, supplements. Kittens are fed 6 times a day (the norm is 100-120g).
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What can you feed Maine Coon kittens: at 3 months
The products remain the same, the portion size increases to 150 g, and the number of feedings is reduced to 5 times. Milk is replaced by kefir, fermented baked milk, and diluted cream. Add eggs. Dry and wet food (for kittens) alternate.
Diet for six months
Serving weight is 200 grams, the number of daily meals is 3. The diet consists of products from previous months, it is permissible to increase the amount of fish, seafood, add ¼ teaspoon of cold-pressed olive oil to porridge with meat.
Diet from six months to a year
The cat is given 2-3 meals a day, and the portion is 200-300 grams. It is useful to give porridge in broth, soft cartilage, which helps with changing teeth, to cook jellied meat from beef bones, chicken paws (giving the paws themselves is prohibited).
Optima Nova
Country – Spain
Dry food for Maine Coon can be selected from the Optima Nova brand products. Optima Nova Adult Cat Rabbit & Potato croquettes are considered the most nutritious - for adult cats with rabbit and potatoes. The Grain-Free label indicates that there is no grain in the composition. Due to the absence of corn, chicken and wheat, it is considered hypoallergenic. However, allergies manifest themselves individually and a cat can have any product.
Animal protein contains 75% - this is different types of rabbit meat: fresh and dried. Dehydrated potatoes (14%) rank third in percentage among ingredients. Potatoes are the only source of carbohydrates and vegetable protein. To improve intestinal function, fiber was added in the form of beet pulp and other vegetable fibers (without decoding). The composition contains vitamin and mineral supplements and prebiotics. Preservatives are represented by plant components. There are no synthetics.
How to choose dry food for Maine Coon
If you still decide to feed your pet dry food, then you need to choose it correctly. The first thing you should pay attention to is the presence of meat. It should be in the first place, and, of course, with an indication of its percentage in the feed. Next, you should familiarize yourself with the additional components. These can be cereals, vegetables, and other meat and fish products.
Always make sure that all components are indicated in expanded form. For example, if the composition contains meat, then it must indicate what kind (lamb, rabbit, beef, etc.). If it is written that the composition contains meat products, but there is no list, then such food should alert you. These may be products that are unsuitable for Maine Coon food, for example, spleen, lard cuttings, and more.
The same applies to vegetables and other ingredients. All components must be indicated as percentages. If this information is not available, then most likely there is little meat in the food, but there is a lot of cheap grains.
In addition, it is better to give preference to food without corn, as it is very allergenic. This can lead to hair loss, dermatitis and other diseases. Based on the quality of feed, they are divided into:
- economy;
- premium;
- super premium;
- holistic.
The last group of feeds has the highest quality, since they are prepared using products suitable for human consumption. But it is not recommended to feed them on an ongoing basis. This is due to the fact that the feed is quite fatty and can have a detrimental effect on the animal’s liver.
The best option is super-premium. It is better to choose among foods that are divided into breed groups, as well as by age categories, since different breeds and ages have their own needs.
Important! Economy class food should not be used for Maine Coons, because it contains nothing but ash and chemicals. Such food significantly reduces the life expectancy of your beloved animal and contributes to the occurrence of various dangerous diseases.
Primordial
Country – Italy
The manufacturer Mister Pet produces a line of cat food for different ages:
- For kittens, the main component is turkey, chicken, and duck meat. Sources of fats are chicken and turkey fat, carbohydrates are potatoes and peas.
- For cats with urolithiasis and those who have undergone sterilization (castration) with turkey and herring.
- Fish diet with tuna and salmon for adults.
In all varieties, 70% is animal protein, 30% is plant components. Primordial is a grain-free food. Cereals in the composition are replaced by beans, potatoes, and peas. Fiber, as in many brands, is replenished with dried beets. The ingredients also include vitamins and minerals. However, Primordial is not sold in all specialized stores.
Canagan
Country – Great Britain
The best food for Maine Coon from the Kanagan brand is Canagan Country Game Cat Duck, Venison & Rabbit. These are rabbit, duck and deer croquettes. The product is universal and suitable for all ages. Ingredients of animal origin account for 75%, the rest are vegetables, fruits, berries, and seeds. With such a large percentage of animal protein, the plant analogue does not have any significant effect on the diet.
Kanagan County is often chosen if a Maine Coon cat is allergic to chicken or lamb.
For an adult cat
Natural food for Maine Coon should always be present in the diet of an adult cat.
The most suitable and best food for Maine Coons, if combined with dry food:
- Meat and meat products (beef, rabbit, turkey or chicken).
- Meat can be given to an animal without fear only when the product has been frozen for at least 3 days;
- Kefir and cottage cheese (fat content no more than 2.5%);
- Eggs (rarely and only quail).
- Sea fish after heat treatment (rarely and very little).
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