Unveiling the Top 8 Wet Foods Tailored for Maine Coon Cats in 2024

Wet food is something most cats can’t resist. Not only does it work for finicky eaters who turn up their noses at dry foods, but it’s also an effective way to hydrate cats who tend to avoid drinking water.

That said, not all wet foods are created equally, as many of them have fillers, cheap protein sources, and not enough nutrients. So we’ve made shopping for cat food easier for you – here are 8 of the best wet cat foods for Maine Coon cats in 2024 reviewed thoroughly with an analysis of their ingredients and opinions on whether or not they’re the right fit for your cat.

Quick Look: Best Wet Foods for Maine Coon Cats

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What Wet Food Should I Feed My Maine Coon?

Although wet diets are generally considered healthier than kibble, it’s also important to know that not all wet foods are necessarily better. There are some things you need to be on the lookout for that make many wet foods undesirable (even the popular ones!).

The first thing to take note of is the protein content, which is one of the main reasons why people offer wet diets to their cats. It should be no less than 8%, although AAFCO states that the minimum percentage should be 26% on a dry matter basis, so around 6% in wet cat foods.

However, it’s better to have at least 8% of protein for Maine Coon cats, who need more protein than the average cat.

This protein should be sourced from high-quality meat, such as chicken, turkey, beef, or salmon. The first ingredient should not be a by-product or ‘meals’, although having these two further along the list is okay.

It’s also ideal if the wet food is grain-free and doesn’t have any vegetables or fruits either, as they’re usually unnecessary in cat diets. Keep in mind that Maine Coons with their large bodies typically require more food than the average cat, so the wet food should not be too expensive, especially if you’re not going to feed any dry food and rely on a wet diet alone.

In case your Maine Coon has a sensitive stomach, you want to avoid wet foods that have a variety of protein sources and plant-based ingredients. Opting for a single protein formula and minimal ingredients is the best way to go for such cats.

If you’re keen to learn more, our website also offers a detailed guide on how to choose the purrfect cat food for your Maine Coon. Check it out for insightful information!

Exploring 8 Best Wet Food for Maine Coon 2024

1. Best Overall: Wellness Complete Health Chicken & Herring Formula

Made in: USA – Grain-free: yes – Guaranteed protein: 11% – Calories per can: 82 kcal/5.5 oz

The Wellness Complete Health formula is an all-rounder, featuring plenty of protein and no grains to provide a complete, balanced, and healthy wet diet to your kitties. With a minimum of 11% protein, which comes around to 50% on a dry matter basis, this chicken and herring formula is a pretty solid option if you’re looking for a high-protein diet.

This protein mostly comes from chicken, chicken liver, and whitefish, all of which are listed as the primary ingredients. It’s all put together in a chicken broth with some herring in it, making it a delicious and appetizing pick for most cats. Although it does contain carrots and cranberries, these ingredients can help boost vitamin A and antioxidants. Other than this, there aren’t any fillers or grains in it.

With a 5.5 oz can, you’ll have to shell out about $2.30 – $2.50, depending on where you get it from, so it’s not too expensive and more moderately priced. You can also find this recipe in a 12.5 oz can and seven other flavors, with some available as gravies and others in a smooth pate form.

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2. Best High Protein: Tiki Cat Succulent Chicken Recipe

Made in: Thailand – Grain-free: yes – Guaranteed protein: 16% – Calories per can: 153 kcal/6 oz

Out of the many protein-packed wet foods available, the Tiki Cat Succulent chicken recipe offers the highest protein value at a whopping 16%, which converts to 80% on a dry matter basis. It’s derived from chicken in a chicken broth, and the company claims to use hormone and antibiotic-free chickens to provide quality meat to your cats.

There’s no other meat source in the formula, so cats with food sensitivities will do well with this recipe. Of course, it’s also grain-free and has no vegetables or fruits added, making it the perfect carnivore diet for large Maine Coons who need a lot of protein to maintain their muscle mass.

With the moisture topped at 80%, this is also one of the best ways to provide extra hydration to your cat while boosting their protein intake. Of course, these quality meals come at a rather high price of around $3 to $3.50 per 6 oz can.

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3. Best for Weight Control: Nutro Grain-Free Chicken & Shrimp Pate

Made in: USA – Grain-free: yes – Guaranteed protein: 11.5% – Calories per can: 42 kcal/1.32 oz    

Low-calorie diets are often necessary for indoor cats who tend to quickly gain weight, and this is where the Nutro grain-free chicken and shrimp pate can prove useful. With just 42 kcal per serving, the recipe offers a nutrient-packed meal without the addition of grains, veggies, or fruits.

It has chicken, chicken broth, chicken liver, shrimp, water, and dried pork broth listed as the first six ingredients, which brings the total protein level to a minimum of 11.5% (52.3% on a dry matter basis). Added to this formula is also some fish oil that provides omega-3 fatty acids, alongside some vitamin E and vitamin D3 supplements as well.

The best thing about opting for this wet cat food for weight management is that you get a lot of control over the portion sizes you offer since one portion has 1.32 oz or 37.5 grams. This not only lets you precisely calculate the total calories your cat consumes in a day but also lets you offer many smaller portions throughout the day – a practice often recommended for overweight cats.

The only downside is the hefty per-day cost it comes with. The per-serving price is a little over $1, which doesn’t seem a lot, but since each serving is only 37.5 grams, you’ll need several of these to meet the daily caloric requirement of your cat.

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4. Best for Food Sensitivities: Merrick Limited Ingredient Diet Grain-Free Pate

Made in: USA – Grain-free: yes – Guaranteed protein: 9% – Calories per can: 192 kcal/ 5 oz

For cats who have food sensitivities, Merrick’s limited ingredient and grain-free pate can help ease any such digestive problems. With just one meat source and no grains or veggies, the chances of any allergies or sensitivities are greatly reduced.

For instance, their turkey pate has deboned turkey and turkey liver in a turkey broth as protein sources. Apart from flax seeds, there are no other plant-based ingredients in the formula, making this a relatively safe option for cats prone to digestive upsets. That said, it does lack some probiotics, which would have offered some extra help with digestion.

This recipe will set you back around $2.30 – $2.50 per 5.5 oz can, which isn’t nearly as pricey as some of the other limited-ingredient diets. You’ll find it in four different flavors – duck, salmon, chicken, and turkey, depending on what suits your kitty’s stomach.

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5. Best for Senior Cats: Wellness Complete Health Age Advantage Tuna & Salmon Pate

Made in: USA – Grain-free: yes – Guaranteed protein: 10.5% – Calories per can: 98 kcal/3 oz

The Wellness Complete Health Age Advantage pates offer all-rounded benefits to older felines that need a bit of extra TLC. For one, it has plenty of protein – 10.5% to be precise, which will help maintain the muscle mass of those Maine Coons who start to lose weight as they get old. Even so, it doesn’t have that many calories, so it won’t make your senior kitty put on any extra weight.

With plenty of protein sources, such as chicken, chicken hearts, salmon broth, and salmon, it offers high-quality ingredients to ensure your cats get the best of the best. That said, it does contain dried peas and dried beet pulp, which isn’t really necessary for cats. But apart from this, there aren’t any veggies or grains in the recipe.

There are also plenty of omega-3 fatty acids in it to support hair health, derived from fish oil and flaxseeds. Priced at under $2 per 3 oz can, it’s a moderately priced wet food when compared with other senior cat diets.

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6. Best Budget: Blue Buffalo Tastefuls Turkey and Chicken Pate

Made in: USA – Grain-free: No – Guaranteed protein: 10% – Calories per can: 180 kcals/5.5 oz

Wet food doesn’t necessarily have to be heavy on your wallet – the Blue Buffalo Tastefuls pate isn’t just affordable but also has plenty of protein and moisture to keep up with a Maine Coon’s dietary and hydration needs.

Featuring turkey, chicken liver, and chicken in a chicken broth (which are listed as the first ingredients), the protein content of this recipe is at a minimum of 10%. The added fish oil ensures your cats get plenty of omega-3 fatty acids from a high–quality source, while other supplements like vitamin D3 ensure good bone health.

The only ingredients that are unnecessary are brown rice and sweet potatoes, which is why it’s comparatively higher in calories. For active Maine Coons, though, who need plenty of energy in a day, opting for this recipe can be budget-friendly and healthy. One 5.5 oz can is typically less than $1.50, which is much less than the average wet cat food.

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7. Best for Kittens: Wellness CORE Natural Grain-Free Turkey & Chicken Liver Pate

Made in: USA – Grain-free: yes – Guaranteed protein: 12% – Calories per can: 205 kcal/5.5 oz

If there’s one thing necessary for young kittens, it’s high-quality wet food that aids in their rapid growth phases, and the Wellness Core turkey and chicken liver pate does this job well with its abundant protein sources.

With turkey and chicken liver in a turkey broth, alongside chicken, herring, and chicken hearts, the minimum crude protein in this pate is 12%, which is around 54.5% on a dry matter basis.

Fish oil and ground flaxseeds provide plenty of omega-3 fatty acids to promote silky hair, while cranberries (that most of their recipes have) provide antioxidants. It also has some chicory root powder – a prebiotic fiber – which can help kittens who tend to have constipation.

Apart from these plant-based ingredients, there’s no vegetable, fruit, or grain added, so your kitten gets a pure carnivorous diet through this. The texture of this pate is pretty smooth, so kittens that have just weaned will have an easy time consuming it.

You can find this recipe in 6 different flavors, depending on what your kittens prefer. The turkey and chicken liver flavor costs about $2.50 per 5.5 oz can, which is more expensive than other kitten wet foods but cheaper among the Wellness kitten wet food line.

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8. Best for Urinary Care: Purina Pro Plan Urinary Tract Health Formula Beef & Chicken

Made in: USA – Grain-free: no – Guaranteed protein: 10% – Calories per can: 181 kcal/5.5 oz

The Purina Pro Plan urinary tract health formula can prove to be very useful for indoor cats that are prone to urinary tract issues.

It’s specially formulated to reduce urinary PH, as a PH higher than 6.6 can cause stones in the urethra or bladder. It also has low magnesium content – another necessary measure to avoid stone formation and other urinary tract problems.

Ingredient-wise, the recipe has enough protein (10%) sourced from meat by-products, chicken by-products, chicken, and beef. Although meat by-products aren’t necessarily a bad thing since they contain extra nutrients derived from ground bones, we do wish Purina was more transparent about what this ‘meat’ source is. It also contains rice – an unnecessary addition to an otherwise plant-free and healthy formula.

Nevertheless, it has proven useful in relieving symptoms of urinary tract issues for many cats. It’s also moderately priced at just over $2 for a 5.5 oz can.

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