Can Maine Coons Eat Cooked Chicken?

Can Maine Coons Eat Cooked Chicken?

You’ve cooked some chicken and your Maine Coon is sitting there looking at you knowingly. Those pleading eyes and a small chirp.

The desire to flake off a bit and feed your ball of fur a bit of cooked chicken is overwhelming.

But is it OK? Is it harmful? Can you feed your Maine Coon a bit of cooked chicken?

Maine Coons can eat and consume cooked chicken without any detriment to their health. Cooked chicken contains animal proteins vital for their health. The chicken should be as close to cooked meat as possible, so remove skin, seasonings, and oils. Grilled or boiled chicken is best for this reason.

Poultry contains versatile proteins that can be found in numerous dishes. When we are lacking energy, it is a good idea to introduce chicken into the diet.

Yet even with this knowledge, some people have concerns about feeding their cats poultry.

Chicken is one of the most popular birds for meat consumption and can be used in a variety of different meals. 

It’s a tasty meat, so it’s no wonder your Maine Coon will look at you longingly as you get the chicken out of the refrigerator.

Poultry is a great meat for humans as it has vital minerals and nutrients to survive, so what about your favorite cat breed? Can they have some without harming them?

Is Cooked Chicken Nutritious For A Maine Coon

Maine Coons like all cats are obligate carnivores.

So Maine Coons not only love a bit of cooked chicken, but it’s particularly good for them.

Chicken has one of the highest protein counts for the meats, and Maine Coons need a high protein diet.

A Maine Coon will thrive on animal proteins from the chicken as a sideline to their normal diets. The chicken proteins are good for their health.

Cooked chicken should not be thought of as a ‘replacement’ meal for your Maine Coon, as it needs other nutrients, but it’s not poisonous to them either.

It’s recommended by vets that the chicken is as close to ‘pure cooked meat’ as possible.

So, while you may add seasonings or layer on oil that’s not so great for your Maine Coon. If you’re going to give them chicken, take off the skin to remove seasonings, and treat them to just the cooked meat.

It’s important to realize that both onions and garlic are two common additions to chicken preparation, and these are toxic to cats.

When feeding your Maine Coon cooked chicken, make sure the skin is removed so any toxic seasonings are removed.

If you know you will be feeding your Maine Coon a bit of cooked chicken, then make sure you don’t marinate the chicken in spices that are toxic to the cat (chilies, onions, garlic), obviously.

How Often Should You Feed Your Maine Coon Cooked Chicken

A Maine Coon should not be fed just cooked chicken alone.  They should have a well-balanced diet of wet and dry food to ensure their health.

They can be fed cooked chicken but make sure that the skin is removed so there are no toxic seasonings on it. You don’t want them getting sick from your cooking.

Not sure there are any firm figures for it, but I’d assume a plate reasonably often wouldn’t be damaging to your Maine Coon.

The vets recommend a balanced diet so only cooked chicken would not be a balanced diet without additional foods like fish.

I feed Alita cooked chicken quite often. We have street food here in Thailand and many sell cooked chicken. I often buy a BBQ’d piece of chicken and feed her the raw meat.

She loves it and happily munches away on it.

I think as long as you don’t overdo it, then feeding your Maine coon cooked chicken should be perfectly fine.

Are There Harmful Seasonings On The Chicken For Maine Coons

Yes, the best kind of cooked chicken for your Maine Coon is as close to ‘naked’ meat as possible.

While seasonings, along with oil make the chicken taste better for humans, they are not as great for your Maine Coon.

Seasonings that are commonly placed with chicken that are harmful to your Maine Coon include

• garlic
• onions
• chilies
• food dyes
• uncooked eggs
• dairy products
• chives
• alcohol (white wine sauces)

Try not to worry too much about the seasonings. While they are toxic to a Maine Coon, a small amount ingested wouldn’t be too dangerous.

The above list is meant to try and steer you clear of continually placing onions and garlic on the chicken to feed to your Maine Coon.

As alluded to earlier, the closer the chicken is to being plainly cooked, the better.

Can A Maine Coon Eat Grilled Chicken?

Yes, a Maine Coon can eat grilled chicken.

In fact, it’s one of the better forms of cooked chicken for your cat. Grilling a chicken means there aren’t any oils and if you keep seasonings off the meat then plain cooked flakes of meat can be perfect for your Maine Coon.

Just remember the temperature.

A Maine Coon isn’t used to cooked food at the temperature you might prefer your chicken.

Let it cool down a bit before you feed them.

Can A Maine Coon Eat Boiled Chicken?

Yes, a Maine Coon can eat boiled chicken.

Boiled chicken is the best kind of chicken for your Maine Coon.

The absence of seasonings and oils make the chicken as close to plain as possible. Boiling also keeps the animal proteins within the meat.

Again, remembering the temperature is important. 

Cooking chicken in boiling water means the chicken will be at boiling temperature too. Letting it cool down a while seems sensible.

Conclusion

So, in general, a cooked chicken, or pieces of it are good for your Maine Coon as an occasional meal.

It’s good for treats and can be eaten knowing the animal proteins within the meat are good for your Maine Coons health.

If you are going to give your Maine Coon some chicken regularly then it’s best practice to serve them only the meat and not the skin. The skin contains many of the seasonings and oil that are harmful.

Removing the skin also removes the fats.

Also keep in mind that the cooked chicken might be too hot if you feed it too soon after cooking, and it’s best to check there are no bones within the meat pile. Bones are not good for a Maine Coon to eat.

The Maine Coon gets the best result from cooked chicken if it’s pulled from the bones having been cooked without oils and seasonings.

Serve at room temperature and watch your Maine Coon tuck into their delicious meal.