Being ‘Hangry’ is a real phenomenon – not only in humans but also in cats. A hungry stomach can make your cat feel agitated, irritated, and demanding with loud meows. It is hard to miss cues. If your Maine Coon too feels the same, but in frequent intervals of time, here is why.
Maine Coons generally have high energy, which contributes to their fast metabolism. But if you observe them demanding more food, it could be one or more of the reasons such as – not getting enough of their dietary requirement, intestinal worms, not having a proper meal schedule, digestive problems.
Your Maine Coon could be going through the above-mentioned problems if there is a frequent demand for food. A series of ravenous hunger pang could be pointing towards possible diseases that should be checked out immediately. We will tell you how to check out all the possibilities.
Exploring Reasons Behind Your Maine Coon’s Unusual Hunger Pangs
When the demand for food increases exponentially by your Maine Coon, you might start to wonder if it is actually their normal appetite.
The first thing you need to do is to observe the amount of food you feed them regularly. After that, observe how often they ask for food.
Also, look out for any other behavioral changes in them like irritability, aggression, destructive behavior, etc.
If every box is checked, then it is time for you to check the following symptoms, situations, and conditions.
1. Their Dietary Needs Are Not Being Met By The Portion Of Food
Do they lick their bowls even after the food is over? This means that their appetite requires more food.
Do you go for home-cooked meals or do you go for regular cat food? When you formulate a food plan for your Maine Coon, make sure it is mainly made from meat than grains.
Grains and plant-based food are not enough to sate their hunger and dietary requirements. Some cats can also be allergic to gluten and it can upset their stomach. Make sure there is enough meat on their plate.
2. Gulping It All Down At Once
This eating behavior is generally observed in feral and stray cats who have to fight for every morsel of food. A Maine Coon is generally not a feral cat. But if you have found it as a stray or have recently adopted it, then you might notice this behavior.
Pierre’s Maine Coon Cat, Maze. She looks a little unreal here 
This makes them ‘hunt’ and gulp down food they find anywhere at home.
3. Vomiting Out Food Right After Having It
Cats can be observed vomiting out the whole of their food a few moments after having it. This generally happens when they haven’t eaten properly and have gulped down food without properly chewing it.
This is called regurgitation.If they vomit out food like this, chances are they will get hungry after few moments of being fed. If you miss where and when they have vomited their food out, you might think that they are being really hungry.
Check for any clues of them regurgitating then act accordingly.
4. Responding To Stimuli
Sometimes, your Maine Coons hunger can be tickled due to their environment. Some cats cannot resist eating more than required if it is accessible to them.
If there is a certain behavior pattern of yours before you feed them and you do that quite often, then they can think that it is meal time every time you do it.
Cats respond to stimuli as much as others do. Also, if you are guilty of giving your cat treats way more often without any cause and irregularly, they might be expecting to be fed and hence, meowing all around you.
5. Is your Maine Coon pregnant?
If you have an unneutered female Maine Coon and you let it mingle with other males, chances are that it is pregnant. When a cat gets pregnant, their demand for food increases to make room for litter’s nutrition inside of the womb.
Check out for signs of pregnancy, especially if your cat isn’t neutered. Take your Maine Coon to the veterinarian and exercise caution. Take advice from your vet.
6. Eating and weight change
Your Maine Coon can be eating like a horse and still not gaining weight. This is especially alarming if you start to see their bones sticking out.This could be due to intestinal worms/parasites. In such cases, your cat is getting only a quarter of the nutrition.
If your Maine Coon doesn’t have intestinal worms/parasites but is still losing weight or gaining weight, there might be other issues. Their ravenous hunger can be due to a condition called Polyphagia – which might be a symptom to larger issues.
It could be indicating to medical conditions such as diabetes, hyperthyroidism, Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency, Inflammatory Bowel Diseases, Acromegaly, etc. to name a few.
Effective Measures To Curb Your Maine Coon’s Hunger Pangs
Hunger from pregnancy and symptoms from other diseases have to be resolved with the discretion and consultation of your veterinarian. For other conditions, there are solutions.
Gulping Down Food Due To Feral Behavior
If they growl when eating their food and show aggression when you try to come near them when they are eating – chances are that they have a feral or stray background.
In such situations, giving them meals at a regular time each day will ensure them that they don’t have to fight for food or gulp it down all at once just to stay alive.
Regurgitation
Sometimes your Maine Coon might attack food just for fun and eat it all at once without properly chewing. The best thing to do in such situations would be to spread out their meals in smaller portions. This will make them slow down and chew their food during their meal time.
Not Getting Enough Dietary Need
This type of hunger can only be sated if you prepare their meal portion according to their age, activity type, and their appetite. Maine Coons are generally active so they would need a little more portion.
Kittens will generally eat more than adults. Adult cats shouldn’t be fed to the point of obesity. Make sure that there is enough meat on their plates or meat protein than plant protein.
Stimuli response
You would need to observe your own behavior and exercise control. Do not feed them more than necessary. Give them treats in a moderate amount and when you are training them.
This will make it easier for them to associate actions and adjust their expectations of getting a treat. This will regulate their hunger.
Related Questions
Why does my kitten want to eat all the time? Kittens need ample of nutrition in their growing-up days. This is why they will demand food more often than adult cats. Make sure you give them a well-balanced meal at regular time every day; else, they will miss out on their nutrition.
Why is my elderly cat always hungry? When cats have hyperthyroidism, they respond by demanding more food. A blood test will clear your doubts about hyperthyroidism and then you can start its treatment accordingly. It is very uncommon to see elderly cats have increased appetite.
What do Maine Coons like to eat? Maine Coon is a larger breed and would benefit from having meat protein in their diet. Add chicken, fish, and other meat to their diet to keep it interesting and healthy for your Maine Coon. Meat protein is more preferred over plant-protein diet.
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