Coat problems and weight issues can lead to illness and discomfort for your cat, and the wrong diet can also lead to other health problems. Meanwhile, there’s no “one-size-fits-all” diet for cats. Some breeds have specific needs. The basis for every healthy Maine Coon is a healthy diet that supports their large body and healthy coat.
We sorted through all the brands and found the best products on the market. These reviews of the best foods for Maine Coon cats are a guide for finding the perfect food to support your Maine Coon’s health, energy, and happiness.
A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2024
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Best Overall
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Smalls Human-Grade Fresh Cat Food Subscription Service |
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Click to Save 40% Use code: Catster24 |
Budget Buy
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Diamond Naturals Premium Real Meat Indoor Cat Food |
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CHECK PRICE |
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Blue Buffalo Wilderness Indoor Hairball & Weight Control |
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CHECK PRICE |
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Stella and Chewy Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw |
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CHECK PRICE | |
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Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Variety Pack |
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CHECK PRICE |
The 9 Best Foods for Maine Coon Cats
1. Smalls Human-Grade Fresh Cat Food Subscription Service – Best Overall
Chicken is one of the most popular cat proteins for a good reason. It provides cats with everything they need to thrive and is very accessible. In the United States, chicken isn’t very hard to find. Smalls Ground Bird is mostly chicken. Based on the ingredient list, it appears that nearly the whole chicken is used, including the chicken heart.
Based on this information, Smalls seems to be the perfect choice for your Maine Coon. It provides a high amount of protein essential for supporting your cat’s higher energy levels.
If your Maine Coon is overweight, this high-protein formula may also help them shed some pounds. It does not include any of the fillers that are common in cat food, so it contains fewer empty calories that may contribute to your cat’s obesity.
Overall, we think this is the best food for Maine Coons this year.
- Contains organ meat
- High in protein
- Tasty
- No fillers
- Expensive
2. Diamond Naturals Premium Real Meat Indoor Cat Food – Budget Buy
The best food for Maine Coon cats for the money is the Diamond Naturals Premium Real Meat Indoor Cat food. This dry food supports a healthy weight for indoor cats and has chicken meal and cage-free chicken as the first two ingredients. It has 32% protein, 14% fat, and 8% fiber.
It contains ingredients like dried kelp, pumpkin, carrots, and live prebiotic and probiotic strains from healthy bacteria like lactobacillus plantarum, bacillus subtilis, and lactobacillus acidophilus. The probiotics and high fiber support hairball prevention and gastrointestinal health.
- Chicken meal and cage-free chicken are first two ingredients
- Supports healthy weight for indoor cats
- High fiber supports hairball prevention
- Probiotics and prebiotics support GI health
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids support skin and coat health
- Moderate fat content
- Lower protein than some dry foods
3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Indoor Hairball & Weight Control
Another top choice for your Maine Coon is Blue Buffalo’s Wilderness Indoor Hairball & Weight Control. This dry food will help support your cat’s coat and help them stay at a healthy weight. It features deboned chicken as the first ingredient and has 36% protein, 12% fat, and 7.2% fiber.
Blue Buffalo includes omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids sourced from Menhaden fish meal and flaxseed to support healthy skin and fur. The fiber in this food, which comes from powdered cellulose and psyllium seed husks, will help prevent hairballs and constipation, both of which can be a big problem for Maine Coons because of their thick, long coats.
- Deboned chicken is first ingredient
- High protein
- Supports healthy weight for indoor cats
- High fiber supports hairball prevention
- Lower fat than many dry foods
- Omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids support skin and coat health
- Moderately expensive
4. Stella and Chewy Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw
For a premium cat food for your Maine Coon, try the Stella and Chewy Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw food. It contains 98% ground meat, organs, and bone, and the first six ingredients are meats or organs. It is shaped into small, freeze-dried morsels that should be rehydrated before feeding. For cat owners who prefer to feed it raw, Stella and Chewy provides a safer alternative to fresh, raw meat.
It has 40% protein, 30% fat, and 5% fiber, so it is much higher in protein and fat than many other foods. It supports cats’ natural need for whole protein sources, including organs and bone. Stella and Chewy’s Dinner Morsells are grain-free, have high levels of taurine to support heart health, and contain probiotics to support GI health, which is all that you need in a Maine coon diet.
- First six ingredients are whole protein sources
- Very high protein
- Freeze-dried to make feeding raw safer
- Supports natural need for whole protein sources, including organs and bone
- Probiotics support GI health
- Grain-free with high levels of taurine
- Premium price
- Higher in fat than many foods
- Lower in fiber than many other foods
Related Read: Stella and Chewy’s Cat Food Reviews: Recalls, Pros & Cons
5. Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Variety Pack
The Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Variety Pack is a great wet formula for Maine Coons that prefer a little variety in their food. This pack contains tuna with tilapia and pumpkin, tuna with ocean whitefish and pumpkin, tuna with shrimp and pumpkin, and tuna with calamari and pumpkin.
Flaked tuna and tuna broth are the first two ingredients in each formulation, and they all contain 11% protein, 1.8% fat, and 0.5% fiber. Each recipe includes pumpkin, which helps with hairball prevention and GI health. One benefit of feeding wet food is that it helps ensure your cat gets enough water, which supports their urinary and GI health.
Tiki Cat contains nutritious ingredients, like whole pieces of shrimp and calamari. The variety pack is not very expensive, but if you feed wet food as a primary food source, it will get very expensive since many Maine Coons require four to six cans or more daily.
- Provides variety
- First ingredients are flaked tuna and tuna broth
- Supports hairball prevention and GI health
- Wet food increases water intake and supports GI and urinary health
- Contains whole ingredients
- Expensive
- Low in fiber
6. Solid Gold Fit as a Fiddle with Alaskan Pollock
Solid Gold’s Fit as a Fiddle with Alaskan Pollock is an excellent formula for overweight or less energetic Maine Coons, but it also works well to prevent inappropriate weight gain and obesity. The first two ingredients are pollock and turkey meal, and the formula contains 31% protein, 9% fat, and 9% fiber, making it lower in fat and higher in fiber than many dry foods.
This improves satiety without leading to weight gain. Pollock, olive, and salmon oils support healthy skin and fur, while prebiotics and probiotics help maintain GI health. It is moderately priced, and while kitties seem to find the smell appealing, some pet parents may find the fishy smell of the food off-putting. Due to its low protein and calorie content, Solid Gold is not a great option for young, active cats.
- First ingredients are pollock and turkey meal
- Low in fat to support weight loss
- High in fiber to support satiety and GI health
- Supports healthy skin and coat
- Prebiotics and probiotics for GI health
- Moderate cost
- Not a good option for active and young cats
- Fishy smell
- Lower protein than many dry foods
7. Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain Free Cage Free Duck Recipe
The Instinct Ultimate Grain-Free Cage-Free Duck Recipe is a nice alternative to feeding a wholly raw diet. It contains bite-sized freeze-dried raw pieces that do not require rehydration, so it is the best of both worlds. The first four ingredients are duck, chicken, chicken eggs, and tapioca.
Instinct is a good formula for active young cats since it’s high in protein. It is grain-free and contains probiotics to support healthy digestion and help prevent hairballs. It also supports healthy skin and coat and contains multiple protein sources. However, for a 4-pound bag, it’s pretty expensive.
- 90% of protein from duck and chicken
- High in protein
- Good pick for active and young cats
- Supports healthy skin and coat
- Probiotics for GI health
- Expensive
- Higher in fat than many dry foods
- Lower in fiber than many dry foods
8. Royal Canin Feline Breed Maine Coon Canned Cat Food
The Royal Canin Feline Breed Maine Coon Canned Cat Food is a healthy wet food that is made specifically with Maine Coons in mind. The first two ingredients are water and chicken, and it has 8.5% protein, 2.8% fat, and 2.2% fiber. Royal Canin includes glucosamine and chondroitin for joint support, which is especially important for Maine Coons.
This Maine Coon cat food also supports healthy skin and fur with omega fatty acids and contains l-carnitine to help your cat metabolize fat. Royal Canin will quickly get expensive if you feed it as the primary food for your Maine Coon because most Maine Coon cats will need three to five cans a day.
- Second ingredient is chicken
- Low in fat
- Supports bone and joint health
- Supports healthy skin and coat
- Supports efficient metabolism of fat
- First ingredient is water
- Expensive as primary food
- Low in fiber
- Lower in protein than some other wet food options
9. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Indoor Recipe Chicken and Brown Rice
The Nutro Wholesome Essentials Indoor Recipe Chicken and Brown Rice is a dry food with chicken and chicken meal as the first two ingredients. It has 33% protein, 16% fat, and 7% fiber, making it a lower protein option than other dry food picks.
It contains a natural fiber blend that helps prevent constipation and hairballs, and it has flaxseed for omega-6 fatty acids to support skin and coat health, but it lacks a solid source of omega-3 fatty acids. Nutro is free of corn, soy, and wheat. It’s also more affordable than some of the premium products.
- Chicken and chicken meal are first two ingredients
- Natural fiber blend supports digestive health
- Omega-6 fatty acids support healthy skin and coat
- Free of corn, soy, and wheat
- More affordable than some other options
- Lower in protein than many other dry food options
- Lower in fiber than some other options
- Lacks omega-3 fatty acids
- Too low in protein for active and young cats
Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Food for Maine Coon Cats
- Meat: If you are looking at an ingredient that is a single recognizable protein, like “chicken” or “duck”, the ingredient was processed directly from its meat form into the food. This isn’t a by-product of another process, and it isn’t organ meat or bone.
- Meat Meal: If you see “chicken meal” or other specific meal listed on your ingredient list, it is a protein powder that has been manufactured from meat but can also contain skin and bone. This powder is highly concentrated and can contain significantly more protein than meat. However, avoid “animal meals” or other nonspecific meals since they may not be a nutritionally sound product.
- Meat By-Product: These ingredients are often byproducts of other processes, like meat processing for human food. It is listed in an ingredient list as a “chicken by-product” or “lamb by-product.” These products can contain organ meats and meat but not hooves, teeth, skin, or horns. There isn’t anything inherently bad about meat by-products, but they can have varying nutrient levels based on what was added to a batch, so they aren’t always a reliable source of healthy protein.
- Meat By-Product Meal: This is a concentrated powder made from the products contained in a meat by-product.
- Organs and Bones: Many organs, like the heart and liver, are incredibly nutrient-dense, making them great additions to your cat’s diet. Bones provide high calcium levels, and the marrow from within the bones is also nutrient-dense. These can be great additions to your Maine Coon’s diet, but they should not be the only protein source your cat receives.
- Cellulose Powder: This ingredient is added as a source of fiber. However, it may be an additive that is unfit for human consumption, which is why it’s in pet food. Therefore, avoid this ingredient in low-quality foods.
- Flaxseed: Flaxseeds provide a healthy source of omega-3 fatty acids and can help raise the protein content.
- Prebiotics and Probiotics: Probiotics and prebiotics are beneficial bacteria that help to ensure the GI tract is functioning at tip-top shape. They can also help support skin and coat health and immunity.
- Beet Pulp: This is added to food as a source of fiber to maintain GI health. Beet pulp is a very healthy fiber additive for cats and is unlikely to cause GI distress or discomfort.
- Montmorillonite Clay: Although it’s added to food as an anti-caking agent, montmorillonite clay also carries several health benefits, including supporting GI health and adding calcium, iron, magnesium, and other vitamins and minerals.
- Kelp: Kelp, a type of seaweed, packs a nutritional punch by adding vitamins and minerals into your cat’s food. It has also been shown to aid in dental health, reduce allergy symptoms, and reduce inflammation.
Choosing the right food and water bowls for our feline companions can pose certain challenges for pet owners. The Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl provides a chic and innovative solution that supports cat specific needs, such as shallow bowls and a subtle elevation that fosters whisker relief, posture comfort, and improves digestion. It features an elegant contemporary design with a wide wrap-around tray aimed at minimizing any messes from ending up on your floor! Furthermore, this bowl is entirely dishwasher safe, so pet owners are able to spend more time with their cats instead of cleaning up after them. Discover why the Hepper NomNom Cat Bowl is right for both you and your kitty by clicking here. At Catster, we’ve admired Hepper for many years and decided to take a controlling ownership interest so that we could benefit from the outstanding designs of this cool cat company! 
Final Verdict
The best overall food for your Maine Coon is the Smalls Ground Bird Fresh Cat Food, which is a high-quality formula that provides plenty of stable nutrition to your cat. For a high-value product, Diamond Naturals Premium Real Meat Indoor Cat Food will help support your Maine Coon’s health without breaking the bank.
These reviews are intended to make it less confusing when it comes to choosing the right food for your Maine Coon. It’s important to talk to your veterinarian before making any dietary changes. Your vet knows your cat’s health status and history and can make educated recommendations for foods that will work best for your kitty.
Featured Image Credit: Lita Keire, Shutterstock
Contents
- A Quick Glance at Our Favorites in 2024
- The 9 Best Foods for Maine Coon Cats
- 1. Smalls Human-Grade Fresh Cat Food Subscription Service – Best Overall
- 2. Diamond Naturals Premium Real Meat Indoor Cat Food – Budget Buy
- 3. Blue Buffalo Wilderness Indoor Hairball & Weight Control
- 4. Stella and Chewy Dinner Morsels Freeze-Dried Raw
- 5. Tiki Cat Aloha Friends Variety Pack
- 6. Solid Gold Fit as a Fiddle with Alaskan Pollock
- 7. Instinct Ultimate Protein Grain Free Cage Free Duck Recipe
- 8. Royal Canin Feline Breed Maine Coon Canned Cat Food
- 9. Nutro Wholesome Essentials Indoor Recipe Chicken and Brown Rice
- Buyer’s Guide: Selecting the Best Food for Maine Coon Cats
- Final Verdict
