Cat - does dry food have to always be available?

pinkteapot

Update on Pops.

Previous owner said he was fussy about which wet foods he would eat. We feed him a combination of wet and dry. Previous owner would always leave a large-ish bowl of dry available and put a pouch down next to it twice a day.

We've noticed that he prefers dry food. So, he'll eat a LOT of dry food and just pick at the wet. We realised he's filling up on dry food - easily eating the 30-50g a day recommended for cats who only have dry.

We want him eating his wet to help him get enough water. So, we've started only putting down 20g of dry a day - 10g with each wet meal. This is following the guidance on the wet food of combining 2 pouches with a small amount of dry.

Hey presto - he's eating all of his wet food, no matter what type it is. Happy days.

BUT, chatting to his previous owner this morning, she said that the reason she used to always have dry food out is that the rescue centre she got him from told her to always make biscuits available to him.

Is that true? Is it a problem that he's eating all his food and then has none out for a few hours?

He's a slow, grazing eater, fed two meals 12 hours apart. He doesn't finish the first until a few hours before the next.

We'll go back to putting more dry food down if what we're doing is bad for him, but we don't like throwing the wasted wet food away, and as he's a neutered male want to help him get enough water (he's not a big drinker). We are giving him sufficient dry food to top up his wet to enough calories - feeding him enough for his weight and will make sure his weight doesn't go down. If he starts miawing at his empty plates we'll increase the amount of dry food slightly so he's not going hungry.

calicocat

I have only had one male cat and that was years ago when dry food was different, and the "in" thing.

There is a train of thought (and I know of friends cats who have had this) that just dry food for boys is bad.

Having seen my friends cats be very ill due to dry food only, personally I wouldn't do it.

Talk to your vet about new foods.

arbroath_lass

My cats get no dry food at all, if that helps. Oldest one has just been to the vet for her booster and annual health check and we've been told she is in tip-top condition.

We feed a variety of Bozita, Animonda Carny and Lily's Kitchen with the odd tin of Cosma as a treat.

LEJC

My cat on the other hand eats nothing but dry food,simply because she is a grazer who will return time and time again to the bowl.


We buy a quality complete food like hills or royal canin in huge bags which last for months and are very economical.


A fresh bowl of water next to the feeding bowl and our girl is happy.


Cant abide the smell of we food so dry was the only way to go for us,and when talking to the vet its also been suggested that its been good for removing excess tartar on the teeth.

pinkteapot

Sorry - may not have been clear in my long rambling post.

We put down 2 pouches and 20g of dry food a day, split into one pouch and 10g of dry each morning and evening.

Pops eats the whole meal gradually (grazes), then has a few hours until the next meal where there is no food available to him.

Is this OK?

His previous owner was told by the rescue centre that he should always have dry food available to him (whenever he wants), so she always kept the dry topped up.

However, online advice seems to say this isn't true (cats don't need food to be constantly available) and that it can contribute to fussy eating (which it was with him - he's now eating all his wet that he used to sniff at when more dry was available!).

Water is of course available all the time.

gettingready

My boys have dry food always out - 2 full bowls of it. I top up whenever it goes down.

3 out of 4 eat it, Fred never ever in millions years would touch dry food. Ever. But as he was diagnosed with kidney disease - this is not a bad thing that he only eats wet food.

They also get pouches in the evenings (all of them - Fred a double portion) and Fred gets 1-2 pouches before I go to work.

his_missus

Are you worried that Pops is getting hungry between finishing one meal and starting the other? If so I would increase the amount of dry food. If you don't think he is, I would stick with the routine you have.


Does he graze on the meat or just the biscuits? Mine will scoff a pouch down instantly and graze on biscuits during the day. If Pops eats the pouch quickly, maybe pick up the dry food until he's eaten the wet food, if time allows.


I think if he's grazing on both during 12 hours, he's probably not overly hungry so a few hours without food is ok. The amount of food he needs will depend on how active he is too.


I think if you're really concerned about what is suitable, ask your vet for advice.

pinkteapot

Thanks.

We don't think he's hungry - he's not looking at his bowls when they're empty or whining by them. If he starts doing that, we'll increase the dry quantity a bit until he's happy again. We'll also check his weight periodically.

We're happy with the new regime (as it means he eats all his wet food) and he is too as far as we can tell!

Only became concerned when his previous owner said the rescue centre told her to make sure he always has dry food available to him. Wouldn't normally go against their advice, but if there's lots of dry food down he'll eat that and leave his wet food, which we want him to eat.

Just not quite sure why the rescue centre think it's important that they always have food available to them...

LEJC

As a new cat owner have you registered with a vet?
Lots of practices do an initial consultation very cheaply,some free.
When we first became "Parents" we found it a great help and it was an opportunity to make sure fluffball was healthy and we were all doing things right.


sometimes you can read up loads on the internet but its no substitute to checking their teeth for decay/tartar...thats how we were originally steered down the path of dry food only...
The vet will also be able to pop pops on the scales and see that he's the right build and size for his weight,and again some cats carry a lot of excess weight around far easier than other dependant on their initial size.
although looking at the pics you have posted,he looks to be settling in well with you,so dont stress too much over what he used to have when in the rescue centre or even at his previous owners...he's clearly becoming part of your family now.

fairy_lights

I can't imagine why a cat would need to have a constant supply of dry food, if you're concerned you could try to contact the rescue centre he originally came from and ask why they advised that.
Though the rescue centre could themselves be misinformed. Vets often give people bad advice about pet food so it might be the same for a rescue centre.

pinkteapot

We've registered with a vet, yes. He last had jabs and a check-up in April so we weren't going to bother taking him in until his jabs are due again next year. I work with his previous owner and she looked after him diligently so we've got no health concerns.

Basically, we've kept his diet the same (including same brands of food for the moment). The only change we've now made is to put down a limited quantity of dry food each day, instead of always keeping it topped up. It's made a real difference with his wet food - he now eats it all whereas before he'd pick at it and often eat barely half of each pouch.

We'll check that the vet is happy with that approach when we do next take him in. I'm not unduly concerned, just trying to work out the basis for the rescue's advice. We're following the instructions that come with the food now so can't be going too far wrong! Food is going in and, er, coming out normally.

He's not got any current medical conditions, and hasn't ever been treated for anything, so he's not on a special diet of any kind. He had all his normal jabs as a kitten and boosters since, and they've been his only vet visits so far in life.