Maine Coon Care Guide | ZENCATZMCO

Welcome to Our Maine Coon Care Guide!

Whether you’re a first-time Maine Coon parent or a seasoned cat lover, this is your go-to resource for everything you need to raise a healthy and happy Maine Coon. We’re excited to share the knowledge and experience that has helped so many of our families feel confident and prepared.

Explore each section to give your Maine Coon the care they truly deserve.

Key takeaways:

Diet

Grooming Supplies

DIET

Balanced and high quality diet is crucial for your Maine Coon. High-protein diet works best for supporting their size, energy, and that signature luxurious coat. In our care guide, we share the products and meal routines that have worked well for us—not as rules, but as helpful suggestions for new families. Every cat is different, but if you’re unsure where to start, our go-to foods and homemade recipe tips can give you a solid foundation for raising a healthy Maine Coon.

Our cat and kittens are on mixed diet. That means they get dry/wet and raw food. Mainly, their diet consists of our raw mix. If you like the idea of feeding your Maine Coon raw diet – explore the links below. We prepared a few variations of recipes that you might like.

NOTE: Be cautious about sourcing the ingredients for your raw mix. Make sure it’s fresh and processed correctly. We do not recommend feeding poultry to kittens younger than 6 months. Always DYOR

Raw Diet Recipes (click to download PDF file)

Raw Cat Food Recipe

Raw Food Recipe using Fresh+Oasis

🔗Raw Food Calculator

Premade options some of our families use: Big Country Raw; Raw Performance.

Dry&Wet Food – Our choice

Since the start of our breeding journey, we’ve tried a wide variety of brands, as you can imagine. Royal Canin, Purina, BLUE Wilderness, Nutrience and so on. Our final choice is Nulo.

We are not going to get down to the nitty-gritty of our experience with each brand. To describe it simply – our cats encountered GI issues ( you know when it seems like it’s working for a week or two and then BOOM, literally); we are not quite happy with the ingredient list ( protein content as well as its’ source, unnecessary fillers and starches). But the best way to tell if you feed your cat the right diet – it’s simply paying attention to the well being of your pet, including the coat. We were not happy.

Our Maine Coons get limited amount of dry food and most of their diet consists of Raw Food ( kittens get wet food daily as well). Feeding a mixed diet makes it easy to cover missing nutrients in your raw mix, unless you are using supplements like Fresh+Oasis.

Calcium is a crucial part of our Raw Mix. Since raw meat alone is high in phosphorus but low in calcium, it’s important to balance the diet with raw meaty bones or a safe calcium supplement to ensure your Maine Coon grows up healthy and strong. In our case, feeding bones (chicken necks) always turns into a game. Most of cats will start playing with large pieces of food and you will end up cleaning the after-fun mess. Eggshell calcium is a great supplement.

Feeding Guide

Let’s talk about Maine Coon Feeding Schedule. It’s important to note that every cat is unique and requires special approach. Some cats do well on wet, some on raw, some refuse to eat anything BUT dry food. Make sure you pick the diet that fits your Maine Coon the best – including choosing the right protein, the right amount of calcium and making sure your beloved pet is not allergic to any of the ingredients.

🐾 Kittens (8 weeks – 6 months)

Meals per day: 3–4

Portion size: Small, frequent meals (adjust based on appetite)

Type of food: High-quality kitten food or balanced raw diet with calcium. High moisture diet.

NOTE: It’s recommended to free feed kittens. Make sure your Maine Coon kitten has food available at all times. They require a lot of fuel to compensate their rapid growth.

🐾 Adolescents (6 months – 12 months)

Meals per day: 2–3

Portion size: Moderate, increase as needed for weight and activity.

Type of food: Transition to adult formula wet/dry + raw ( if you choose to). High moisture diet

🐾 Adults (12 months and older)

Meals per day: 2

Portion size: Adjust to maintain healthy weight

Type of food: Adult cat food (wet, dry, raw). High moisture diet

TIPS 💡

-Add Extra Water for Hydration

-Prioritize High-Quality Protein

-Go Easy on the Dry Food

-Monitor Weight & Adjust Portions

-Use Slow Feeders or Puzzle Bowls

– Avoid Common Fillers and Low-Quality Ingredients

Not sure what to feed your Meowzilla? Check out our 🔗Maine Coon Diet where we talk about pros and cons of different diets. All our families get 24/7 support + our custom mix of raw food when adopting a kitten.

GROOMING

Maine Coons are known for their thick, luxurious coats, but that beauty comes with maintenance. A consistent grooming routine helps prevent matting, reduces shedding, and keeps your cat comfortable and clean. Starting young is key—early positive experiences will make grooming a breeze as they grow.

Degreasing the Coat: Why It Matters

Maine Coons can develop oily buildup, especially around the tail, neck, and chest. Left untreated, this can lead to matting or a condition called stud tail (a greasy, often blackened patch at the base of the tail).

Use a Cat-Safe Degreasing Shampoo:

We recommend starting your bath routine with a degreaser specifically formulated for cats. Apply it to greasy areas before the main shampoo to break down oils effectively. Follow with a gentle, moisturizing cat shampoo to avoid drying the skin.

We really enjoy using Groomer’s Goop as our go-to degreaser – it not only cuts through heavy coat oils but also leaves a nice, clean scent. For our adult Maine Coons, especially the boys, we often use Davis Chlorhexidine Shampoo. It’s a gentle medicated shampoo we trust for maintaining skin health, and when needed, we pair it with Miconazole Shampoo. This combination is incredibly effective in managing mild fungal or bacterial skin issues, and in our experience, it works wonders on stubborn stud tails. Always check with your vet before using medicated products, but this combo has truly made a difference in our grooming routine.

✂️ Claw Trimming: Start Early and Keep It Stress-Free

We begin trimming kitten’s claws early. Start slow – just a nail or two at a time. Regular trimming every 2–3 weeks keeps claws healthy and prevents snags or scratches.

Tips:

Use sharp, small pet nail clippers.

Avoid cutting into the quick (the pink part).

Gently hold and press the paw pad to extend claws.

Here is a video of Kenzo getting his claws trimmed. I own a few clippers, but these basic ones are my favorite. We start trimming our kittens’ claws at just 5 weeks old, so they get used to the process early. This gentle, consistent introduction helps reduce stress later in life and makes grooming a routine they actually tolerate (and sometimes even enjoy!).

🦷Dental Health

Let’s be real – dental care for cats isn’t fun, but it makes a big difference! While brushing is best (if your Maine Coon will let you!), we’ve found that adding a cat-safe water additive is a great everyday boost. It helps freshen breath and fight plaque without any fuss.

But one stage that often gets overlooked is teething. Around 4 to 6 months of age, kittens lose their baby teeth, and during that time, it’s very common to see mild gingivitis (red, sore gums). You might notice your kitten chewing more, dropping kibble, or even getting a little drooly. This is normal—but it’s also a crucial time to support their dental health. We monitor closely during this stage and always recommend a vet visit if there’s excessive swelling, bleeding, or bad breath that sticks around.

As they grow, regular vet checkups help catch early dental issues, and depending on the cat, your vet may recommend a professional dental cleaning later in life. Healthy teeth mean better eating, less pain, and a much happier cat all around.

Find the water additive we use below