️If you’re a proud Maine Coon owner, or planning to be one, you’ve probably asked yourself an important question. “What’s the best food for my Maine Coon?” It’s a valid question because, let’s be real—you want your fluffy giant to thrive, not just survive.
But here’s the thing: there’s no one-size-fits-all answer.
You’ll find passionate opinions from breeders, pet owners, and even veterinarians. Some swear by raw diets. Others push premium kibble. Then there are those who insist that only canned food is acceptable. It can be overwhelming.
So, let’s break it down—no fluff, just real talk. I’ll share my personal experience with different diets. I’ll explain why I feed what I do. I’ll give tips to help you make the best decision for your Maine Coon.
🔎 Do Your Own Research Before Choosing a Cat Food
Before we dive into specific brands and feeding methods, let me be clear:
🚨 I’m not a veterinarian. I am also not a pet nutritionist. 🚨
I’m simply a Maine Coon breeder. I have tried various diets over the years. I learned what works best for my cats and my lifestyle.
The best advice I can give you? Do your own research.
✔ Look at the ingredients list—the first few should be real meat.
✔ Avoid fillers like corn, wheat, and soy—cats are obligate carnivores.
✔ Consider your budget and convenience—some diets are expensive or time-consuming.
✔ Watch your cat’s health and digestion—the best food is the one they thrive on!
Now, let’s get into the different types of food I’ve personally tried and my experience with each.
🥩 The Raw Diet for Cats: My Experience
At one point, I decided to go all in on a raw diet. It made sense—Maine Coons are natural-born hunters, so feeding them a raw, species-appropriate diet should be ideal, right?
🔪 Meal Prep Madness
I went to the butcher, got 40 pounds of chicken thighs, added liver, hearts, and bone meal, and made carefully portioned meals. Sounds great in theory. But here’s what I learned:
💀 Raw feeding is time-consuming—Prepping meals for multiple cats is no joke.
📦 You’ll need an extra freezer—Raw food takes up a LOT of space.
🦠 It’s messy—Cats don’t eat raw food like kibble; they drag it everywhere.
🙅♀️ Handling raw meat is gross—I personally can’t stand dealing with slimy chicken livers.
🦴 Bones freaked me out—Even though cats naturally eat bones, I just couldn’t relax.
At the end of the day, I had to admit: raw feeding wasn’t for me.
I respect those who do it, but I couldn’t handle the mess and hassle.
Verdict: Great for some, but not for me!
🥣 Dry Cat Food (Kibble): The Good, The Bad & The Ugly
After ditching raw, I turned to high-quality dry food (kibble). It’s easy, convenient, and doesn’t smell like a crime scene. But not all kibble is created equal.
🚫 Taste of the Wild – Rocky Mountain
This was the first kibble I tried after a breeder recommended it. It’s grain-free, which is great, but here’s what happened:
💩 Extremely smelly poop—Like, clear-the-room bad.
🤮 Frequent vomiting—My cat’s stomach clearly didn’t agree with it.
😿 Switched after one year—It just wasn’t working for us.
🚨 Blue Buffalo Wilderness
Another breeder suggested this one. It’s also grain-free and seemed like a great choice—until I learned about its recall history.
❌ Multiple recalls for contamination.
❌ Issues with dogs and cats getting sick from their products.
❌ I lost trust in the brand and switched again.
Verdict: Some cats do fine on these brands, but I wasn’t impressed.
🍗 The Final Choice: What My Maine Coons Eat Now
After trying several brands, I had a lightbulb moment. I remembered that my 14.5-year-old Himalayan cat thrived on Purina Pro Plan his entire life. So, I decided to try Purina for my Maine Coons.
✅ Purina One Tender Selects and Evangers Limited Ingredient
My cats have been on this combination for over 3 years, and here’s what I’ve noticed:
✨ Shiny, healthy coats
💪 Plenty of energy & playfulness
🐾 No vomiting, no digestive issues
😺 They actually love the taste
They get both dry kibble and canned food daily, and honestly? It works! I have no plans to switch again.
Verdict: Affordable, accessible, and my cats thrive on it. Win-win!
🐱 What Do Sassy Koonz Kittens Eat?
My kittens are gradually introduced to solid food starting at 4-5 weeks old.
🥫 They eat Purina One Healthy Kitten. I also add in Evangers Limited Ingredient canned food.
By the time they leave for their new homes, they’re already used to eating both wet and dry food. This makes it easy for new owners to continue their nutrition plan.
❓ How Much Should a Maine Coon Eat?
Maine Coons are big cats, which means they eat more than the average cat.
🐾 Kittens: Free-feed kibble & offer canned food 1-2 times per day.
🐾 Adults: About 20 calories per pound of body weight daily.
If you have a growing kitten, let them eat as much as they want—they need extra calories for growth!
🚀 Final Thoughts: The Best Food for YOUR Maine Coon
At the end of the day, the best diet is the one that works for you and your cat.
✅ Choose high-quality food with real animal protein.
✅ Monitor your cat’s health, digestion, and energy levels.
✅ Don’t fall for pet food marketing gimmicks—read the ingredients!
✅ Stick with what works—if your cat is thriving, don’t feel pressured to change.
And most importantly? Ignore the pet food snobs. Some people will insist that if you’re not feeding raw, you’re doing it wrong. But guess what? Your cat, your rules.
Whatever you choose—raw, kibble, wet food, or a mix—the goal is simple: keep your Maine Coon healthy and happy. 🐾💙
What do YOU feed your Maine Coon? Drop a comment below—I’d love to hear your experience!
Just stumbled upon your website today. I have a black/grey and white Maine Coon with the gorgeous racoon tail. She is 13 yrs old. We rescued her after the Flood in Nashville in 2010. She has always been an inside cat since the day we brought her home. She had an issue with her food so she is now on Blue Buffalo and is doing well on it. Thanks for your website! I have enjoyed reading it!
Hi!
I have a mainecoon that just turned one and is 15.5 pounds. I thought he would get much better by now and I’m wondering if I should change his food. He has eaten Purina Proplan kitten food (dry and wet)ever since I’ve had him. I was looking at your blog and the only Purina ProPlan true nature I see is the canned kitten food. Is there one for adult cats?can you provide a link or picture what you feed your adults (including instinct brand)?
We have a Maine Coon and he eats his dry food but has stopped eating his wet food. He just laps up the liquid. His dry food is in one bowl and the wet is in a separate bowl. Should I mix the two together or does he really need the wet food?
Its always suggested to give your cat wet food, to make sure hes getting the hydration he needs. This is especially important for males. You can try mixing it and see if he likes it. One thing for usre, you cant make a cat eat something they dont want to. 🙂 per haps offer a water fountain for drinking.