This is a specific conversation about Cat food — getting it right — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Your vet has given you solid advice — an 11-year-old Maine Coon absolutely needs a high-protein diet, and getting the brand right matters. Maine Coons are prone to heart and kidney issues as they age, so you want something with real, named meat as the primary ingredient, minimal fillers, and enough moisture to support kidney function. Before I point you in a specific direction: is your cat currently showing any symptoms — weight loss, changes in thirst or appetite, anything like that — or is this purely a preventive shift the vet is recommending?
It's preventive mostly. He had slightly elevated kidney markers at his last checkup, nothing serious yet but the vet wants to get ahead of it. He's been on a dry food diet his whole life which I think might be part of the problem.
inparticular.ai
That's really useful context. Dry food for 11 years is extremely common and very likely contributing to those kidney markers — cats on dry food are chronically mildly dehydrated because they don't compensate by drinking enough water. Switching to wet food now is one of the best things you can do. What's he currently eating, and how is he with new foods — is he an easy eater or quite fussy?
He's been on Royal Canin Maine Coon dry kibble. He's generally a good eater, not too fussy, but he's never really had wet food so I don't know how he'll take to it.
inparticular.ai
Good news — Maine Coons tend to adapt well to wet food, especially if you transition gradually over a couple of weeks by mixing it with the kibble. For an 11-year-old with early kidney concerns, I'd recommend Applaws Senior Wet Cat Food. It's over 75% named animal protein — typically chicken breast or tuna — with no artificial additives, low carbohydrates, and critically, a high moisture content that directly supports kidney health. It's not specifically formulated as a kidney diet (that's prescription territory if things progress), but it's exactly what a vet-recommended high-protein, low-filler senior diet looks like in practice. It's also widely available on Amazon UK and reasonably priced for the quality. Given his size — Maine Coons are big cats — you'll likely need 2–3 pouches or tins daily alongside a gradual kibble reduction.
That sounds good. Should I cut out the dry food completely or keep some?
inparticular.ai
Ideally, yes — move him off dry food completely over time, or at least make wet food the vast majority of his diet. A small amount of dry as a treat is unlikely to undo the benefits, but if his kidney markers are already nudging upward, hydration is your biggest lever right now. Full wet transition is the cleaner move. Keep his next vet check in about three months so you can see whether those markers respond — they often do noticeably with a diet switch like this.
Really helpful, thank you. I'll order the Applaws Senior and start the transition this week.
inparticular.ai
That's a great call. Transition slowly — maybe 25% wet to 75% dry for the first few days, then 50/50, then flip it — so his digestive system adjusts without any upset. Maine Coons at 11 can have many good years ahead with the right diet, and you're catching this at exactly the right moment. Good luck with him.
