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The Maine Coon is probably one of the most well-known breeds of cat in the US. A big old fluffy ball of cat with strong bones and a thick fur coat, the Maine Coon is sweet, affectionate, and loyal to its owners.
The History Of The Coon Cat
The Maine Coon cat was born and bred right here in America. In the late 1800’s, the Maine Coon was known as the Maine cat, the Coon, the Shag or the Snughead. It was a popular breed in shows and won first place best in show for several years leading up to 1911. When the Persian cat was imported, Maine Coons lost their popularity until the late 1970’s when they were “rediscovered” and officially named Maine Coon.
Today, everyone loves the Maine Coon and you can see why. Their personalities make them perfect pets for families. They are social, friendly, goofy, intelligent, and have a lot of patience. They are big cats with strong bodies that made them survival experts, and they need good bone and joint support to stay healthy and strong.
Below is a cat food guide that lists some of the important things to keep in mind, as well as important ingredients to look out for, when choosing the best food for your Maine Coon pal.
The Real Meat Deal
Just like every other cat on the planet, your Maine Coon has to eat meat! This should be the number one ingredient to look for on your cat food package. You want to look for a food that contains real meat, not just a by-product. For instance, if you look at the ingredients in a package of 9-Lives Daily Essentials Cat Food, you’ll see chicken by-product meal. Chicken meal itself will provide a good amount of protein for your cat because it contains a dehydrated combination of meat, so it’s concentrated protein. However, the by-product part is what scares us; this can be any combination of meat, including the lungs, spleen, intestines, and blood, just to name a few. By-product is anything that is unfit for human consumption, so you don’t know what is going into kitty’s dish.
Meanwhile, Blue Wilderness Adult Chicken formula contains Deboned chicken, which is nothing but chicken. It also contains chicken meal and turkey meal, which provide substantial amounts of protein, but there are no by-products in this formula. The only additions might be skin and bones, but no brains, no heads, and no feathers like a by-product can contain.
If you do choose a product with a by-product, be sure that there are other real-meat options listed before the by-product on the ingredient list.
The Grains
Unless your Maine Coon has a specific allergy to grains, he’ll be fine with a food that contains a few of them. In fact, grains can be good for your cat because they provide healthy carbohydrates and a little protein, too. Corn meal is okay if it appears lower down on the ingredient list, but it should not be first. Try to steer clear of corn gluten meal or wheat gluten, which can be irritating for cats who are sensitive and cause GI troubles.
Stick with grains such as rice, rice flour (milled rice), or barley and barley flour. These should not be the top ingredient, though, as meat should always come first.
The Vitamins And Supplements
Most cat food guides say that Omega 3 is important for your Maine Coon cat to keep her thick coat shiny and soft. Look for Omega fatty acids, including 3 and 6, and keep an eye out for foods that also include biotin and zinc which are both excellent for the coat and skin. Vitamin D is also good for healthy bones and tissues. Any food that contains salmon or fish meal will yield a high concentration of Omegas, so good ones to consider are:
Also good for your Maine Coon is taurine, which is a naturally occurring amino acid found in muscle meat and organs like heart, liver, and kidney and in seafood. It is absolutely essential for eye and heart health. Though it is mainly found in meat, sometimes there is just not enough after processing to provide the amount that your cat needs, so a look for a food with added taurine, such as:
- Wellness Complete Health Deboned Chicken, Chicken Meal Rice Recipe
- Rachael Ray Nutrish Natural Chicken & Brown Rice commercial brand)
- Blue Buffalo Indoor Health Adult Chicken and Brown Rice
Why Not Use A Formula Made For Maine Coons?
When it thinking about a cat food guide, you might be tempted to say, “Let’s skip all of this research and go for a brand that is specifically aimed at the Maine Coon breed,” such as Royal Canin’s Maine Coon Dry Cat Food. But one look at the ingredient list will have you rethinking that decision. The first ingredient is chicken by-product meal, and that means anything and everything can be in your cat’s food dish, from intestines to feathers. And though this brand does include good-for-kitty essentials such as chicken fat, fish oil, and taurine, there is no other real meat beside the by-product. Also included in the top 5 ingredients are corn and wheat gluten. You’d be better off going with Royal Canin Feline Health Nutrition Intense Beauty, which has plenty of other real meat products included with the by-products.
There You Have It
Now you have a basic cat food guide to know the most important ingredients for your Maine Coon cat’s health. Be sure to stick with the ones that will keep his joints and bones strong and his fluffy coat shiny.
