A Raw Diet for Maine Coons: A Personal Journey

Marwood Maine Coons
Apr 12
6 min read

Updated: Sep 24

Raw Fed Felines — Raw Meat using catnutrition recipe with bone

When I started breeding, I wanted to feed my Kings and Queens a healthy, nutritional diet that would provide them with everything they needed, especially for my Queens because their bodies would be doing all the work to grow and nourish their kittens. I tried so many different brands: Instinct, Royal Canin, GO! There were others, but these three were the ones that I used for the longest period of time. The whole time I was feeding my Kings and Queens dry food, I kept asking myself, why not raw? I had so many reasons why not.

It’s expensive
It’s messy
It’s time consuming
I need a grinder
It can’t stay out
What if I don't do it right?
Who says it will even help my cats?
People have been feeding dry for ages, it must be good for my cats.
Will my families even want to continue with it?

I confidently chose to feed my cats both dry and wet food, as it proved to be the simplest and least troublesome option. Whenever a litter began eating wet food, I often encountered one or two kittens developing diarrhea, which persisted despite my efforts. I managed the challenge of sending kittens home with gastric issues due to their sensitivity to the dry or wet food I provided. Despite numerous YouTube videos criticizing dry food, I remained steadfast in my decision not to switch.

Royal Canin Kitten Food

When I first started breeding, I chose this brand with confidence. I fed it to all of my cats, both wet and dry. Every breeder I found online said they had good results with it, and even the breeders I got my own cats from were using it for their Queens and kittens.

I used this brand for two years. During that time, I put up with the strong smell of my cats’ poop and some occasional diarrhea. The food itself had nutrition that was about the same as other brands, but it was made by an American company. When COVID came, stores ran out, and I could no longer find it anywhere.

GO! Chicken, Turkey, Duck

During the Covid pandemic, it was very hard to find Royal Canin. At that time, I decided to try a Canadian company, and that is when GO! became part of my life. I liked that it was made in Canada, and I was happy to support local businesses. For three years, it was my number one choice. I even bought a full year’s supply at once because I trusted it so much.

Did I have some stool problems? Yes, now and then my adult cats had loose stools or diarrhea, but it cleared up quickly. What about my kittens? Sometimes a few had issues, but not every kitten was affected, so I kept using it. Did my cats’ poop smell? Of course, all poop smells, and I did not expect my regal cats to be any different.

The challenge came when one of my Queens developed diarrhea right before giving birth. Usually that can happen and pass on its own, but this time it did not go away.

Homemade Wet Food

While I was feeding my cats Go! dry food, I also started giving them a homemade wet food. I made it mostly from whole cooked chicken blended until it was smooth. After adding this to their diet, I noticed my adult cats and kittens looked healthier. They still had some tummy upsets once in a while, but overall they did much better than when they were eating canned wet food from the store.

Raw Diet for Maine Coons

When my Queen Ursula got diarrhea, I tried many things to help her. First, I gave her only dry food, but that did not work. Then I gave her more probiotics, but that did not help either. I even tried only wet food, but nothing changed.

I started asking other breeders what they had done when their cats had the same problem. They told me they had tried many tests, including PCR tests, and even used antibiotics, but nothing solved it. The only thing that worked for them was feeding my Maine Coon a raw diet.

At that point, I had two choices. I could spend a lot of time and money doing all the same tests, or I could try a raw diet. After doing more research on how to feed raw correctly, I decided to try it. I used a recipe from catnutrition.org and started feeding it to Ursula and her kittens.

In just two weeks, her diarrhea was gone. I was so happy. For the past year, all of my Kings, Queens, and kittens have been eating a raw diet. None of them have had diarrhea since. My kittens are growing stronger and healthier, my Queens recover faster after having kittens, and all of their coats look amazing.

A Year on Raw 2024-2025

After a Year of Feeding Raw: Is It Still True?

I have now been feeding raw for a full year. At first, I had many of the same questions that other people ask. Here are the most common ones, and my answers after a year of real experience.

1. Isn’t it expensive?

No. At first raw food can seem costly, but it actually saves money over time. Raw food keeps cats healthier, so there are fewer vet visits. Cats get more water from raw food, which helps prevent urinary tract infections. Dry food only has about ten percent water, but raw food has sixty to eighty percent. I even add extra water when I serve it. Healthier cats mean less money spent on problems later.

2. Isn’t it messy?

No. I feed ground raw food so every cat gets the same portion. This stops them from trying to steal each other’s food. It keeps the feeding area cleaner and makes meal time calm. My cats are less stressed, and the space is easy to keep tidy.

3. Doesn’t it take too much time?

No. I buy an 80/10/10 mix that is already balanced. That means eighty percent protein, ten percent organs, and ten percent bone. All I do is mix it with water and a nutrient completer. It takes me about five to ten minutes a day. Some days I make extra and keep it in the fridge, so food prep is even faster.

4. Don’t I need a grinder?

No. I buy my raw food already prepared, so I do not need a grinder at all.

5. Can I leave raw food out?

Yes and no. It is not safe to leave it out for a long time. But there are ways to keep it cool. One way is to put a freezer pack in a bowl and set the cat’s food plate on top. Another way is to freeze some of the food into meatball shapes and put one in the middle of the dish. As it melts, it keeps the food cooler longer.

6. What if I do it wrong?

If you use a balanced 80/10/10 mix, add water, and a high-quality completer, you will do it right.

7. Does it even help cats?

Yes. My cats no longer get diarrhea or tummy troubles. Their coats shine, their weights are healthy, and their teeth and gums are much better.

8. Isn’t dry food fine since people have fed it for so long?

I used to think so, but after all the problems I faced with dry food, I will never go back. My Kings, Queens, and kittens are all doing much better on raw food.

9. Will families want to keep feeding raw?

I always encourage families to keep feeding raw. It is not required, but I am happy that most families do choose to continue. I can see the difference it makes for the kittens they take home.

Benefits of My Raw Fed Felines

My cats have less hairballs.
Their coats are healthier, not dry and brittle which also means they get less knots.
Their coats are shiny, but that is mainly due to the completer, KittyBloom, that I am now using.
They get all of their water from their raw diet and no longer drink out of a water dish.
Their poop does not smell, SERIOUSLY it does not smell!
Better dental health.
More energy and they fight with each other less.
Better gut health, I have not had a single cat or kitten develop diarrhea in the last year.
They poop less, their bodies are able to process more of the nutrients in the raw food so there is less waste coming out the other end.
I have quite a few cats who LOVE their raw food and eat A LOT, and I do mean A LOT, of it but not a single one is overweight.