With Maine Coons being a breed that is slow to mature, it is especially important to ensure you are feeding often enough and a premium cat food. One of the questions we hear over and over again, either with individuals who inquire about one of our kittens, or from members that ask in one of the many Maine Coon related Social Media groups is this:
“What type of food and litter do you use for your Maine Coon Cats?”
While we touch on the topic briefly with our website FAQ page, I thought it might be helpful to do a deeper dive into the products we use and why we use them.
Premium Cat Food
For those who are unsure how to tell if a specific cat food or brand is considered to be premium (hint: price is not always a determining factor as some expensive foods do NOT have quality ingredients), this website is a fantastic resource: http://catfooddb.com. We try to stick to foods listed that have at least 3 star rating (preferably 4 star) for ingredients/nutrition.
In the past we have tried various brands of cat food. Some recommended by previous vets, and others recommended by those in the Maine Coon Community. We are constantly learning and growing, and as we do, our food choice for our kittens and cats may evolve.
Currently, we feed a mix of kibble, freeze dried raw, and wet food.
In the morning we put down about a half cup of Orijen Kitten & Cat kibble topped with Stella & Chewy's freeze dried raw. We have several food stations strategically placed throughout the house and we replenish them as needed.
We also give Merrick’s Backcountry real meat grain free wet food as their main source of calories. Our kittens and cats are used to all flavors of Merrick, including kitten, duck, chicken & trout, beef, rabbit, chicken, and turkey. Kittens are currently fed approximately 1-3 oz of wet food 2-3x a day, but as they mature and grow you will likely see their consumption increase. Adults age 2 years and older are fed 3-6 oz of wet food 2x a day.
NOTE: Felines are obligate carnivores and need a high protein diet to thrive. If you are able, feeding a well balanced raw diet is the best way to go; however, we understand that feeding raw is not for everyone (Ex.: we do not feed raw due to having an immunocompromised individual living in our home). For more information on feeding raw this is a fantastic resource: Raw Feeding Advice and Support.
Transitioning to a New Food
If you opt to transition your kitten or cat over to a different brand of food, it is VERY IMPORTANT to do this SLOWLY; otherwise, you risk causing stress and along with it digestion troubles, including loose stools.
Here is one example of how you could transition the kitten to new food, feeding 100% new food after 10 days:
Food & Water Bowls
Bowls for food and water should always be made from an easily washable material like stainless steel, ceramic, or porcelain. We avoid plastic. Not only does plastic have a tendency to absorb odor and bacteria, but cats eating from plastic food and water bowls can sometimes develop chin acne.
We have tried several different pet water fountains and found that the Drinkwell 360 is our cat’s favorite. It is made of stainless steel, dishwasher safe, and is very easy to clean.
As for food bowls, whether it’s a fancy raised dish or a paper plate, our kittens and cats do not seem to have a preference. As long as you keep the food coming, they do not complain. :)
Kitten Safe Cat Litter
For cat litter, all of our kittens and cats use pine pellet stall bedding from Tractor Supply. This type of litter is cost effective, compostable, and ensures that small granules of clumping litter are not ingested by kittens (which could cause intestinal blockages). If you do prefer to transition to a clay based clumping litter, we would recommend doing so after the kitten is 6 months of age or older.
While we personally prefer to use these wood pellets, we understand that they are not for everyone. In the past, we have tried several brands of clumping and non-clumping litter, and if for one reason or another we were forced to make a switch back, we’d probably go with one of the Arm & Hammer Slide varieties.
Litter Boxes
For those who may have other cats living in the home, it is recommended that you have one litter box available for every cat in your household PLUS one additional box. These boxes should be cleaned regularly and located in a quiet area in different areas of the home to provide ease of access and prevent feline elimination issues.
In our house, we currently use the Arm & Hammer sifting litter boxes and stainless steel litter boxes. Outside in our screened in catio enclosure (the sunroom off our kitchen which all of our kittens and cats have access to via a dog door), we use a large, 2 feet x 3 feet x 8 inch, plastic mixing tub commonly found in the drywall mud aisle of the big box stores like Lowe’s or Home Depot.
We did try but quickly retired not one, but two of the Litter Robot Wifi Connects (and despite them both still being under an 18 month extended warranty!). The rotating dome, self cleaning litter box is a great idea in theory, but it was our personal experience that they are not only impossible to keep properly disinfected, but they are also not suitably sized for the extra long bodied Maine Coon cat.
The only automatic litter box that has made the cut in our multiple Maine Coon cat household is the CatGenie; (not to be confused with the Litter Genie); however, it requires proprietary biodegradable plastic pellets and cleaning solution, and an electrical, water, and waste disposal hook up, so it’s understandable why it might not be an ideal option for everyone.
Optional Supplements
Last, but certainly not least, here are a couple optional, but highly recommended supplements we currently give to our kittens and cats:
KITTY BLOOM VM 900+3 - Multivitamin. Formulated with 15 Vitamins, 10 Minerals and Taurine.
Combats dry, flaky skin and dull coat.
Enhances coat color for show animals.
Boosts immune system against disease and infection.
Improves reproductive success.
Increases feed efficiency through improved absorption of foods.
Balanced nutritional support during critical periods of stress or illness.
Helps prevent excessive shedding Reduces risk of cardiovascular, retinal and reproductive disorders
KITTY BLOOM Super Lysine - Effective in boosting immune system in cats and kittens. Use in conjunction with VM900+3.
KITTY BLOOM Xtrabloom Digest Aid - Use daily to increase feed absorption, consistency of stools, and protect against digestive upsets. Xtrabloom is useful in establishing “good” bacteria and aids in proper digestive action during times of:
Stress from travel, boarding, or showing
Diarrhea or Upset Stomach
Antibiotic Therapy or Illness
Summary
While we take the health and welfare of our kittens and cats very seriously, the information contained here is for general information only and should not be a substitute for advice from your trusted vet. Our hope is that by sharing what has worked for us, we can help others make informed decisions about food, litter, and optional supplements when bringing home their new Maine Coon kitten or cat.
