If you find your cat won't eat wet food, start by introducing a small amount first by mixing it with your cat's dry food. Then, slowly increase the ratio of wet to dry until your cat is eating all wet food. Try adding in some warm water to dilute the wet food and to give it an easier to chew consistency.
Start by sprinkling a small amount of dry cat food into their wet food so they will eat small portions of the dry food, too. This can help them adjust to the taste and new ingredients. You can slowly increase the amount of dry food your cat eats with the wet food at each feeding.
In most cases, unless your veterinarian recommends otherwise for health reasons, switching cat foods should be done gradually over one to two weeks to avoid causing gastrointestinal upset by a quick diet change.
When switching your cat's food, it's important to slowly ease them into their new meal plan. If you change their food too quickly, it may result in new ones, such as vomiting or diarrhea, explains Pet Health Network.
By three to four weeks, kittens can begin eating moistened dry kibble or wet food. Between six and eight weeks, kittens are fully weaned from their mother's milk and can eat dry or wet kitten food.
Switching foods too fast can leave your feline friend with digestive upset, diarrhea, and vomiting, so whatever you do, avoid abrupt changes. When planning food transitions, think seven days. On the first day, offer your cat a mix of mostly the current food with a tiny taste of the new food.
Begin with a mix of 25% of your cat's new food and 75% of her old diet. Feed this for about two to three days. Slowly, increase the amount of new food so that you have a 50/50 mix for your cat to enjoy. After two to three days of half and half, you can move on to a mix of 75% of the new food and 25% of the old diet.
You can mix things up even more by mixing two or more types of dry food together in the bowl, which also works if you feed dry food only. To maintain freshness, make sure you buy smaller bags of food since you'll be going through them more slowly.
The mix is key: The right balance between dry and wet food
Mixed feeding – that is, feeding wet and dry food – combines the advantages of both food types. However, instead of mixing wet and dry food in a bowl, you should offer each food type in a separate bowl at a certain time of day.
Why do cats get bored of their food? While Mr Whiskers may like consistency in most areas of life, it is possible for your cat to feel bored of the same food. Part of this has to do with the innate nature of cats as apex predators.
Wet food is more expensive and less easy to use but can be beneficial in cats prone to lower urinary tract disease, constipation and that are overweight. Dry food can be a very efficient way to provide calories in thin cats with food volume limitations and allows for the use of food puzzles and food toy dispensers.
"Dry food is fine as long as it is complete and balanced," says Dr. Kallfelz. Dry food may be less expensive than canned cat food and may stay fresher longer. Cats that eat only dry food need to be provided with lots of fresh water, especially if they are prone to developing urinary tract blockages.
If your cat normally enjoys dry food but has suddenly become a fussy eater, you may need to replace your supply. As dry food absorbs moisture (especially in warm weather), your stocks may have turned stale. If your cat has started to turn their nose up at their usual wet food, it could be because it's too cold.
Too much snacking in between meals may be the reason why your cat won't eat wet food. Complementary food isn't a problem when kept below 3% of the overall diet. Anything over that is not healthy or helpful. Giving cats treats willy-nilly can mess up their appetite and hinder their metabolism in the long run.
As a general average, if you are feeding a commercially produced high-quality dry food with a good quality protein source, then an indoor cat would be fed about 1/3 to 1/2 cup of food per day. This amount of quality food is approximately between 167–250 calories.
An abrupt change in foods can cause your cat to have an upset stomach, so it's best to change your pet's diet gradually and systematically. You'll need to research different types of cat food to determine which cat food is best for your cat based on life stage, lifestyle and health consideration.
Even if your cat prefers to eat their food in a few sittings, don't be tempted to leave wet food out all day, as this increases the risk of disease-causing bacteria developing. After a maximum of four hours, throw out the old food and wash the bowl properly with soap and water before refilling with fresh food.
Cats should eat at least two meals each day, about 12 hours apart. But a breakfast, lunch, afternoon, dinner, and right before bed schedule is an equally great option. If more than 12 hours elapses between meals, the stomach can become hyperacidic causing nausea.
Answer: There is nothing wrong with feeding a variety of brands and flavors of natural wet cat food. In fact, it is actually a good way to ensure they are receiving a well-balanced diet and supports cats with food sensitivities. It is not a good idea, however, to free feed the dry kibble, even natural dry cat foods.
So, do cats need wet food? Not necessarily, but feeding a combination of wet and dry food can give your cat the benefits of both. The wet food will increase her total daily water intake and provide her the variety she wants and the dry kibble will help keep her teeth clean.
While switching “cold turkey” is not the preferred option, sometimes it's necessary if your old food brand has been making your pet sick or they refuse to eat it. If you decide to suddenly switch your pet's food, make sure they “fast” for one meal before switching.
How often should cats eat wet food? What do vets recommend? Wet food is not a special meal or an occasional treat. Cats can and should eat wet food every day because it agrees with the feline digestive system better than dry or semi-moist food.