She is skinny, but her energy level is great. She loves to jump up on the furniture and race around the living room. However, she has started to get wobbly when she plays, which you don’t like. You have had her checked by several veterinarians, but they all said that it was normal for a young cat to have arthritis in older cats.
Why Is Your Maine Coon So Skinny?
Here are some things that you can try if your Maine Coon cat is skinny:
Poor Nutrition
The biggest reason for skinny Maine Coons is that they don’t get enough nutrition. Their diet should be complete, balanced, and rich in protein, fat, and carbohydrates. Unfortunately, the following three issues can cause your cat to gain too little weight:
Thiamine Deficiency (Thiamine, Vitamin B1)
This condition occurs when the body cannot use thiamine efficiently for metabolism or energy generation. It can affect all aspects of your cat’s life, including its energy levels and ability to perform the exercise.
Lack Of Water
Your cat needs 10–16 ounces of water per day, depending on its size. If your cat doesn’t drink enough water, he will be dehydrated and lose nutrients.
Lack Of Appetite
Sometimes cats gain weight because they aren’t hungry. Certain illnesses, such as kidney disease or diabetes, can cause your cat to eat too little or not at all. Without the right nutrition, your pet will become malnourished and lose weight rapidly.
Lack Of Exercise
Cats with high levels of energy need to get lots of exercises. This includes playing, chasing toys, climbing, and jumping up onto things. Without sufficient exercise, your cat may lose too much weight.
How Big Do Maine Coon Cats Get?
Cats are known for their big size, but the Maine coon is among the very largest. Major urban centers in the United States such as New York City and Boston have Maine coons that add up to 20 pounds. That’s quite a few, considering that some individuals weigh only 5-pound cats. The Maine Coon originating from Maine,” and some say its origins date back to the Mohegan tribe of Native Americans who bred their long-haired wildcats into domestic pets.
Why Is Your Maine Coon So Skinny?
Overfeeding Your Pet
If you give your Maine Coon cat too many treats or feed him at the wrong times, he will gain too much weight. Instead, he should only eat what his body needs to maintain a healthy weight and level of activity.
Vitamin Deficiencies
If your cat doesn’t eat the right food, he may end up with a vitamin deficiency. A deficiency in any one of these vitamins can cause weight loss naturally or naturally increase its tendency to gain weight.
Mental Disease
Some mental diseases are also linked to weight problems. If your cat exhibits these signs, you should visit your veterinarian right away.
Anatomical Differences
Cats have very different metabolisms than dogs or other cats. This means that although they are the same breed, each individual has a unique energy level and metabolism rate.
Maine Coon Growth Stages
Maine Coons are not just large cats. Their size may be the first thing you notice, but there’s more to them than that. They grow at different rates, typically reaching full size at around four years old. For reference, here are the Maine Coon growth stages:
- Kitten Stage – Birth to 12 months
- Young Adult Stage – 12-24 months
- Adolescent Stage – 2-3 years
- Mature Adult Stage – 3-4 years
- Senior Stage – 4+ years
- Fully Grown Maine Coons are very large and range in weight from 15-30 pounds when fully grown. The average weight ranges from 20-25 pounds.
- The coat is short and dense, and the fur is soft and silky to the touch. The fur may spike up at the back or form a tuft in the center of the back. This tuft, or center part, will usually be longer than other parts of their coats. Although Maine Coons are not common, one can occasionally find a black Maine Coon with a fair amount of patches. In addition, many black and white Maine Coons have more intense colors than what you’d normally see on a Maine coon cat, usually ranging from cream to dark chocolate brown.
Is Your Maine Coon Underweight?
Maine Coons are formidable, intelligent cats with a lot of energy. But this breed is also prone to several health issues, many of them coming from their tendency to overeat. If your Maine Coon has been living at a healthy weight for a while and then seems to “blip” without any change in diet or exercise, there is a chance they may be underweight. This can happen when they fight off an illness or virus or result from less common underlying medical conditions such as hypothyroidism.
The first step is to identify if your cat is underweight. If your cat is skinnier than before or has a loss of muscle tone, it could be a sign that they are not eating enough. As a general rule, you want to check for the following things:
Sunken Ribs
When viewed from the top/side, you should see a small layer of fat covering your cat’s rib cage. If their ribs are visible and pointing out too much, this could signal that they are underweight or possibly even starving.
When viewed from the top/side, you should see a small layer of fat covering your cat’s rib cage. If their ribs are visible and pointing out too much, this could signal that they are underweight or possibly even starving.
Shortened Tail
Another way to check if your cat is underweight is by tail-to-body ratio. You want to look at the tail length compared to body size (length of tail/length of your cat). If your Maine Coon has a shortened tail and an overdeveloped abdomen, it could be a sign of malnutrition or even acute starvation.
How To Make Your Maine Coon Big If It Is Underweight?
The Maine Coon is a gentle giant, but its size can be intimidating. So how do you know if your cat is underweight? Here are some signs for you to watch out for.
- Stands on its toes or tiptoes (instead of all four paws)
- Thin, bony frame with ribs and spine visible
- Hides away on its own, avoiding touch
- Reduced appetite for wet food or food in general
- Loses interest in playing with toys
If any of these signs sound familiar, you might want to contact your veterinarian. Many vets offer discounts for senior citizens or low-income families. Some might even do house calls if you’re unable to travel. So don’t let your Maine Coon get too skinny. It’s a problem that can be easily fixed.
Also Read: Do Maine Coons Live In The Wild?
What Is A Healthy Weight For A Maine Coon Cat?
It’s always a good idea to know the weight of your cat. It’s not only important for their health but yours as well. You’ve seen the different weights and shapes that they carry. Here’s a comprehensive list of what is considered a healthy weight for Maine Coon cats:
- The average weight of an adult Maine Coon is 14 pounds (6 kilograms). However, it has been reported that some males can reach weights of up to 25 pounds (11 kilograms).
- The optimal range of weights starts at 10 pounds (4 kilograms) or less until 20 pounds (9 kilograms) or more at most. There is no definite number for what constitutes a healthy weight because there are other factors and factors that come into play.
Why Does Your Maine Coon Cat Get So Skinny If It Is Eating Enough?
They are prone to losing weight no matter how much food they have eaten, which is why it’s so important for their caregivers to ensure that they’re not just getting enough but also eating healthy. If your cat doesn’t seem to be gaining weight despite being well-fed, you should follow these steps:
- Remove the food bowl until after dinner time. When your cat is anxious, its stomach will growl and make it difficult to stay calm long enough to eat a proper meal. This can cause it to become hungry, making it eat all of its food at once.
- Offer it wet food. This is more filling than dry cat food, which means the cat will feel full faster and digest its food without wasting too much energy.
- Make sure there are no other cats in the house that your cat is competing with for food. If there are, make sure they are being given their supplies of wet and dry foods so that they do not have to wait for your cat to finish eating before they can have something to eat themselves.
Final Words
The Maine Coon cat is a breed of large domestic cat renowned for its distinctive markings and thick fur. It originates from the state of Maine, United States. The breed’s name comes from the French word “main” (meaning paw) and “you,” meaning tail, which together means “in front of the paw.” The Cat Fanciers’ Association recognized the breed in 1951.
