Cats are delicate animals, and like any other animal, it needs a balance in everything. A cat needs a balanced activity-eating balance to keep its weight at a healthy level.
Now, that threshold may vary from one cat to another, but a healthy balance should always be the cat owner’s goal.
Often Maine Coon owners report the problem that they sense a perpetual hungry attitude from their cats.
It may be due to countless harmless reasons, but it can also indicate a concerning disease or health condition in the cat.
In this article, we will explore some of the possible reasons behind the always starving condition of Maine Coon cats and look at the probable remedies.
If your cat is always asking for food, my suggestion is to meet a veterinarian for a check-up.
But before that, you can observe the behavior for hidden clues that you can convey to the veterinarian. Let’s start by going through the plausible reasons.
Why Is Your Maine Coon Always Hungry?
Maine Coon is one of the largest domesticated cats in the world. They can grow up to 18 pounds, which is above the average of regular house cats.
If you have adopted a Maine Coon after having a smaller size cat, you will notice the difference in eating habits between an adult Maine Coon and other cats of smaller size.
You would naturally expect this discrepancy of eating habits due to the sheer size difference.
However, if you notice that your Maine Coon is asking for more food than asking a few months ago, there is probably something wrong with the cat or the food.
In those cases, you should pay attention to the Maine Coon and observe its behavior changes. It will come in handy when you visit a veterinarian.
But first, you need to know what you are looking for, and the following list will be helpful in that regard. Here are 13 probable reasons behind this behavior:
1. Low Nutrition Value:
Maine Coon cats are purebred cats, and they need high-quality cat food at all times. You cannot compromise on the quality of food for the Maine Coon.
You can find high-quality protein, fatty acid, vitamins, and carbohydrate-rich food for your cat. If the cat is not getting enough nutritious food, it will try to gain more nutrients by eating more.
2. Eating Less:
Maine Coon cats have a constant growth till they reach maturity at 3 or 4 years of age. It is highly unlikely for any other breeds to grow for so long.
So, you can make sure that the cat is receiving enough food for its natural growth. This breed requires much more food than others because of the size of the cat.
So, don’t be shy while treating your Maine Coon. You can consult a veterinarian or a nutrition specialist for an effective feeding schedule.
3. Boredom:
This trait is relatable to a lot of us. Cats also like to scribble through food whenever they are bored. You can give the Maine Coon an army of toys, but they will still become bored.
So, you can keep a separate playtime with your cat. Otherwise, it will keep asking for more food to get your attention.
4. Fast Eating:
Maine Coons cats have the habit of eating significantly fast. It could result in barfing or scarfing.
This behavior often results in vomiting, and it leaves nothing in the stomach. So, they will naturally ask for more food as they have an empty stomach even after eating.
5. Pregnancy:
A female Maine Coon has to support many life forms inside her womb, and they need more food than a typical Maine Coon cat.
Hence, if your cat is pregnant with multiple kittens, it is likely that they will ask for more food. A cat can even ask for more food after giving birth.
6. Hairball Problems:
Cats like to keep their fur clean, and they groom themselves almost all the time. Maine Coons have medium length, dense coats on their bodies.
So, this behavior can cause some of the fur to enter the digestive system. If this habit continues for a long time, a furball can block the digestive tract entirely. It will increase the appetite of the cat.
7. Roundworm:
Roundworm is a parasite that can go into the cat’s digestive system from uncooked meat. Cats feel hungry all the time because the roundworms take most of the nutritions from the ingested food.
The Maine Coon may look fat because of the swelling that comes as a side effect of roundworm infestation, but it is starving.
8. Hyperthyroidism or Diabetes:
Both of these diseases increase the food requirement of cats.
In Hyperthyroidism, cats start to burn too many calories, and there is a constant need for nutritious food.
Whereas, in diabetes, cats cannot convert ingested food into energy. As a result, the cat needs more food.
9. Cancer:
Apart from the mentioned diseases, the Maine Coon might also have intestinal cancer.
In that case, the intestine cannot absorb the food, and the cat feels hungry all the time. You can take the cat for a check-up as soon as possible.
10. Depression or stress:
Cats can suffer from depression or anxiety-related problems.
If the Maine Coon is clinically depressed, it is likely to stress-eat its way out of its depression.
It is not only a trait of humans; your cat might have the same method for dealing with stress.
11. High Metabolism:
The food requirement can vary from one cat to another. If a cat has a high metabolism rate, it is more likely to eat more food. You can give those cats enough food.
12. New Food Formula:
If you have recently changed the food formula, and your cat is asking for more, the extra demand may result from that.
It is possible that the company has changed the food formula of the cat product and replaced the nutritious items with non-nutritious ones. In that case, the cat is just asking for more nutrition.
13. Old Habits:
If you have adopted an adult Maine Coon, it might struggle with the new feeding schedule. Cats are creatures of habit and breaking one to form a new one takes time.
It is possible that the Maine Coon had a completely different schedule in the previous home, and it is asking you for food as per that routine only.
Recommended read:
- The actual cost of a Maine coon cat
- Norwegian forest Vs Maine coon Cat Similarities & Differences
- Do Maine coon cats shed a lot?
- How easy going and friendly Maine coons are?
How to Deal With Maine Coons Hunger Issues?
Now that you have understood all the probable reasons behind this problem, let us look at some remedies:
- Consult your veterinarian for a healthy food schedule and feeding amount.
- Take your Maine Coon to a veterinarian if it is asking for food consistently. If there is an underlying ailment, you should address it as soon as possible.
- A nutrition expert can give you a food chart for the Maine Coon according to the cat’s size and age. It should help in fixing a strict feeding schedule for the cat.
- You can be patient with the cat when introducing a new regime. Cats take time to adapt to a new situation. So, you can give them as much time as possible.
- Groom the cat regularly to avoid any furball clotting in their digestive tract.
- If you sense that the Maine Coon is suffering from depression or anxiety, you can find the reason and quickly address it.
Conclusion:
An eating disorder is a sign of diseases or any underlying ailment. Most of the time, you need to be careful about the cat’s health if it suddenly shows any abnormality in food habits.
There are several reasons for which the Maine Coon might show extra hunger. The best bet is to take the Maine Coon to the veterinarian and get a check-up.
If there is nothing wrong with your cat’s health, you can try addressing the reasons we have mentioned in the article.
Additional Reading:
- Everything you need to know about grey Maine coon – check out here
Hi There, AJ Oren here. I am the founder of this amazing pet blog & a passionate writer who loves helping pet owners to learn more about their pets through my articles. I am also the content manager of this blog. I have experience in pet training and behavior, sheltering, and currently working for a veterinary clinic.