Weaning off dry food - Help!!

peachyprice

We have a new rescue addition, a 6m old little boy, and beautiful he is too!

His foster mum fed him on Go-Cat and nothing else. I've had him for 3 weeks now and have been trying to wean him off the stuff to wet, but he just won't entertain wet food at all.

I've tried wet mixed with dry, I've tried wet to the side of dry, I've tried just wet, he just won'r eat it. When I say wet, I've tried premium cat food, I've tried sachets, I've tried bog standard cat food and I've tried fresh chicken and fish. Still not happening. He'd rather eat the dog biscuits than anything wet.

He's just about properly settled and on a growth spurt at the moment so it's not really a good time to go with 'just give him wet, he'll eat if he's that hungry' which is what I would normally do.

So, WWYD? I'm veering towards, if he's insistent on eating dry just making sure it's good quality. He drinks well, really well in fact and poos and wees well. Is it worth pushing the issue atm?

sofiar

If he's in good health then I would hold off, my kitten he's 6 months too. I tend to leave his bowl full all day and he'll take what he wants when he wants. He also enjoys sharing the dog food, the dogs are not amused! But if he's gaining weight then I would say he's generally ok, but if you're worried then I'd take him to the vet to make sure everything is ok, and more importantly give you peace of mind x

Ilona

My four year old girlie won't touch wet cat food at all, so it's dry and lots of water for her. She is lively enough with a shiny coat, normal pees and poos, so I'm not worried.
Ilona

rising_from_the_ashes

tbh he needs to eat - I'd get him off the go cat & onto a good dry (Orijen, Acana, Applaws, Porta 21 spring to mind) and at least you know he's not filling up on c**p!

Once he's on a decent dry you may well find he's more receptive to wets - he's having the equivalent of a Maccy D's everyday so, like most of us, will enjoy that far more than what's actually good for him!

peachyprice

Yes, that was my thinking TBH, I think it's going to be much easier to get him onto a decent dry than wet. I'll just keep an eye on the amount he drinks.

I have no concerns about his health atm, he's as lively as anything with a beautiful coat, he's just been neutered and chipped and has been given a clean bill of health, but as you say, he can't carry on eating junk food permanently.

I have never come across a cat that refuses roast chicken, he's certainly a first for me!

GwylimT

Have you tried hand feeding?

peachyprice

Yes. He'll only eat dry food from my hand.

GwylimT

peachyprice wrote: »

Yes. He'll only eat dry food from my hand.

How did it go with the wet food?

peachyprice

GwylimT wrote: »

How did it go with the wet food?

He wouldn't eat it. Not cat food, not chicken, not fish, nothing. I even tried the old putting it on the end of his nose trick. Still nothing.

SensibleSarah

Don't worry too much. Just get him on a really good dry food. I had a litter of foster kittens in recently who were only 10 weeks old but absolutely refused anything but dry - they just didn't see wet food as food! I always gave the option of both and by the end of their stay with me as they went to their new homes (couple of weeks tops) then a couple of them had moved to eat a little wet but the other 3 were resolute. As long as he's drinking well then I wouldn't worry.

peachyprice

SensibleSarah wrote: »

Don't worry too much. Just get him on a really good dry food. I had a litter of foster kittens in recently who were only 10 weeks old but absolutely refused anything but dry - they just didn't see wet food as food! I always gave the option of both and by the end of their stay with me as they went to their new homes (couple of weeks tops) then a couple of them had moved to eat a little wet but the other 3 were resolute. As long as he's drinking well then I wouldn't worry.

That's him exactly!

All the other cats bowl hop and eat their own fave bits of each other's dinner and there he is with his bloomin Go-Cat!