I read about this a little while ago

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/arti...-vet-rich.html

Seems like a good idea to give both dry and wet food. As another poster mentioned, have you considered/researched raw food too?

For the Daily Mail, that's a very good article. It's just common sense to me. I mean you wouldn't feed your child dried biscuits every day just for your own selfish convenience would you?

Yes, I agree it is common sense. But you'll be surprised how many well meaning and very loving pet owners can get taken in by the convenience of dried food therefore feeding their pets nothing but that (also pets do seem to enjoy it)

Dry food was heavily recommended by vets in the past, a bit less so now I think. I can remember 15 years ago a vet telling me to change my 3 month old kitten's diet from wet food to dry so the litter tray wasn't so smelly. I didn't take his advice. Good quality dry food has its place but IMO it is not a good idea to feed it as the only, or even the main, component of the diet.

I sometimes feed my neighbours' cats and all they ever have is low quality dry food - because like you say it's convenient for the owners .

Oh I know. When I worked in the pet industry I learnt a lot about their food. An ex-vet who became disillusioned with the practice taught me a lot. I appreciate people are generally uninformed as they're suckered into feeding dried foods and tinned meats by the pet food manufacturers.

The manufacturers' main concern is making money. A lot of companies fund and carry out research into their foods by testing on animals. Many people think there's nothing wrong with this. They think 'what's wrong with feeding dogs for research?!' but what they don't understand is those dogs are kept like any other animal involved in laboratory tests.

Most of our information is fed to us and vets alike, by the pet food industry

Many dried foods contain ingredients that make the animals they're fed to addicted to them. It's like sweets for kids. Also, the cheaper and more coloured the food is, the worse it is.

Research is required when switching to a raw diet but it really isn't complicated. It's generally just a simple matter of learning which foods are bad for your pets and calculating the quantities. It's also so much more satisfying feeding your pets a diet of foods you have prepared yourself and seeing the difference in their overall condition.

Very interesting post digami... totally agree the manufacturers' main concern is making money and we only have to look on the pet food shelves... what is now available compared to a decade or two ago. As a consequence, there is a variety of pet health issues such as the painful FLUTD due to dried cat food. Hopefully, more pet owners will become aware of the the truth about the pet food industry.

Just as most types of animal testing, the pet foods testing on animals annoys me more. Wish more vets would encourage raw foods/freshly cooked foods but sadly that's not going to happen. Although, I understand the convenience of dried foods, it's best taken in moderation (as everything else in life ).

Hills Science Plan Hairball Control is amazing. Our cat is ridiculously fluffy and I rarely ever see her coughing up hairballs nor see any evidence of it around the house. She has a small bowl of that in the morning to come back to whenever she likes during the day and then a Whiskas jelly sachet in the evening.

Since starting the thread Amber has been having a lot more wet food. Instead of just an occasional treat we've been giving her a pouch a day. I put half down before I leave for work and OH gives her the rest when he gets in.... I'll start giving her some before bed too too (she tends to be quite greedy with wet food and can eat it very quickly - then vom it back up so I don't want to give her vast amounts until I know she isn't gobbling it up like a maniac)

We're still keeping her dry food topped up and she is still picking at that too...

Tried her with a raw chicken wing on Sat (I was marinating some for us) Amber looked at me as though I'd just served her a pile of hay to eat she wouldn't go near it!!

Do you know how much dry food she is eating per day? weigh the bowl when you top it up, weigh it next time you top it up, keep that going for a week and you will have an idea. Compare that the the guidelines on the packing and see how it compares.

For the pouches the ones I have say 3-4 per day for an average cat, so she is (probably) eating 1/3 or 1/4 of her daily requiements that way.

If you find you are feeding her a lot more than an average cat should eat you probably need to cut back.

However unless you keep track of her weight it's all just guessing in the dark.

My kittens are currently on an all dry food diet (Royal Canin Sensitivity control) as recommended by the vet in an attempt to clear up ongoing diarrhea. And it finally seems to be working.

We're def not doing it for convenience, but as a last resort to make our kitties better.

However I do feel mean not giving them wet food, as it looks far more exciting (erm to a cat, i imagine!).
So I'm wondering whether when they seem to have completely gotten over their diarrhea to give them a bit of wet food a day (sensitivity control also comes in wet food). But I'm really worried about them getting ill again!
Anyone any experience of going onto wet food after dry for a poorly kittie?
Will ask the vets opinion when they have next appointment!

Amber has never been a massive eater - If I put a whole pouch down in one go it would most likely just go bad? Some brands she seems to prefer just licking the jelly / gravy off the 'meat'

She weighs 4.2kg so isn't a massive cat (in fact I think think she just falls into the 'large cat' bracket with her Advocate). She had put on 0.2kg in a year - not sure if that is good or bad?? Vet has never mentioned her weight though.

I will try weighing the food though, I suspect if anything she is eating too little

I never take any notice of the recommended feeding amounts, I don't even know what they are Obviously that is important if your cat is overweight, but none of mine are, and from what you say neither is Amber?

I usually dish up half a pouch at a time because that is all they usually want, if they ask for a second helping they get it. I don't think the food would go off in a couple of hours providing your flat isn't heated like Borneo but she may not find it appetising a couple of hours later when it has dried out, so it could go to waste.

One of my girls licks all the jelly off first. If she then leaves the meat it generally means she wasn't that hungry.... when she's hungry, she eats it all!

Sorry yes, was confused with another thread where there was an overweight cat!

If any raw food enthusiasts want to treat their cats to something very special, try Woldsway minced wild rabbit - bone in, not to be served cooked. You don't have to pay VAT on it if you state you are feeding a working dog

For prepared wet food, mine go crazy for an occasional treat from Lily's Kitchen.

Aww, I hope they get better soon I would suggest to check first whether it is safe to introduce them to wet food due to their sensitive tummies, you may need to wait until they have recovered.


My own experience, Kitty was only ever used to dried food (before coming to me), as a result he developed FLUTD and was put onto Royal Canin dried food. However, as it was important for him to be hydrated as possible, as well as trying to get him to drink water (a tough job) I also tried to get him to eat more wet food (an even tougher job )

The best way I found was to mix just a little of wet food with Kitties dried (and gradually increase the amount of wet food every few days or so).

Royal Canin also sells wet food, but I prefered to cook homemade freshly cooked chicken (and stock) for him, he was soooo poorly bless him and although lots of patience was needed, it eventually paid off

Kitty wasn't a big eater and was eating far less than the manufacturers recommended. But when he did eat wet food in pouches, he'd have no more than a 1/3 of pack all day!

I'd be concerned that the rest of the food would go bad until I thought it was best just to serve him 1/3 at a time and keep the rest in the fridge until his next meal. However, most cats do not like cold foods, so I'd wait for it to warm up to room temperature first.

After contacting the manufacturers, they said most cats eat a pouch at a time but also assured me that once opened, the pouch could stay in the fridge for up to 2 days. I would imagine this is the same for more or less all brands but best check with the manufacturers who does the food which Amber eats - I hope that helps Rainbowgirl