You say that a 30 lb. Maine Coon is uncomon, or is grossly over weight. My Maine Coon is a male and is close to 30 lbs. but is no way near over weight, he's just REALLY big. Should I put him on low cal food? (he is 7 years old ) Pat

-- Anonymous, August 27, 1998

Answers

I would suggest that you be guided by your vet. Even if your boy needs to lose weight, it can be risky for such a big cat to lose weight too quickly, or to lose too much (can cause liver problems). You can check for yourself if he's too fat by rubbing him along his sides with your hand cupped over his backbone. You should be able to feel his ribs with gentle pressure.

This is not to say that a 30-lb, not-overweight Maine Coon is impossible, just that it's /very, very/ unusual. The biggest MC I've ever seen who was in proper weight for his structure was just under 27 pounds.

-- Anonymous, August 27, 1998

My wife and I recently got a Maine coon kitten who seems to be underweight. The breeder I got him from says this is normal, but our vet strongly disagrees. Another breeder told us that at a similar age, her kittens weigh much more. I know that all cats are different, but is there a general guideline of how much a kitten should weigh at various ages/stages of growth? Do kittens go through growth spurts, or should it be consistent? We did receive the kitten a bit earlier than the recommended 12 weeks.

We are feeding him moist food 3x daily and leaving dry kitten food out at all times. He seems to be eating fine and acting normally, but we are concerned with his condition. We are feeding the brand our vet recommended (Hills). Additionally, we are giving him Felovite, as a supplement 1x day. I am very interested in the early growth period for Maine coons. Thank you for the help

-- Anonymous, October 12, 1998

WE HAVE A 4 YEAR-OLD FEMALE MAINE COON WHO WEIGHS 20 POUNDS. SHE IS NOT FAT, BUT CERTAINLY NOT SKINNY.I WOULD SAY SHE IS PERFECT! SHE AND OUR 3 YEAR OLD SIAMESE MALE, SHARE ONE CAN OF MOIST FOOD PER DAY, AND HAVE CONSTANT ACCESS TO DRY FOOD BOB

-- Anonymous, March 28, 1999