[JohnnyRad]

HI new member here. I kinda looked around and search but figured I'd ask it even though there's probably a million posts about it.

I now have 4 cats... every year we've added a new adopted cat. The newest guy loves the wet food, won't touch the dry. 2 of the others like the dry much better. The 4th will eat whatever is left over, he's a shy one.

I'd LIKE to get them all on wet food, but it costs a fortune I found out the other day.

So my questions are:
1. would it be best to get them all on one type of food to make my life easier
2. would an all wet diet be okay, or should i go for wet in the morning, dry in the evening type of combo?
3. what are the better quality wet & dry foods? We've been using Natural Choice, the weight control stuff, and i bought the same type in the wet also.

Thanks! I'll try to make the rounds and post pictures of the cats and all that when I have more time. For now I'm busy adjusting to having 4 cats... the new ones a real spitfire.

 

[opokki]

I have six, all of them like dry food but 2 of them don't really care for canned.....they nibble at it but don't get as excited as the others do. Because I have so many I can not afford to feed all of them canned food exclusively so I feed them a combination of the two. Dry food is measured and left out all day and I give some canned food in the evening. They seem to enjoy the combo and its not inconvenient because they all get the same thing. An all wet diet would be fine but if cost is an issue I'd say a combo of wet and dry would be good.

Nutro is a decent brand. My favorite dry foods are currently Innova, California Natural and Chicken Soup for the Cat Lovers Soul. For canned food I've been really happy with Innova, Wellness, Eagle Pack and Active Life. I'm sure others will have more suggestions for you.

 

[Wayne]

Does your vet give out samples of types of dry cat food? You may have to try different types of dry until you find one that they all like. I know my menagerie all loves kitten food, and would prefer that over their regular dry and canned food. Personally, I mix dry with canned for a breakfeast for them. Some of them are beginning to expect canned food all the time, qespecially those with digestive problems, which I usually comply with their wishes.

 

[kitkat]

I feed my cats wet in the morning and free feed dry all day. They like to nibble alot but sometimes I give wet at night too. A combination would be good or if you can, an all wet diet if you can afford it. I feed my cats higher quality canned goods like Solid Gold, Innova, Wellness and Nutro Natural. I can't quite afford feeding my cats all canned exclusively but they're very happy. :lol:

 

[ForJazz]

To answer your question about whether it's okay to feed an all-wet diet....YES! An all wet diet is ideal because it's closest to what a cat's body naturally needs. Dry food is just a convenience -- it's full of carbs that cats don't need, and often contributes to weight gain. If you put your cats on an all wet diet, hopefully you won't need to worry about their weight as much. Timed feedings are what I was recommended by Dr. Jean here -- leave food out for your cats 2-3 times a day for 30-60 minutes each time. Your cats will get used to the schedule. Leave the food out for 30 - 60 minutes each time and then if they don't eat it all, pick it up. They will learn to eat what they need, and this also stops the "all day nibbling" that also causes fat cats.

Sometimes hunger is the best way to get cats to eat certain kinds of food. And when you put the food down, you should just walk away and let them eat, or else they will learn that they can manipulate you by refusing, and get you to put some dry food down after about 10 minutes. But don't let your cat skip more than one meal because it doesn't like the food -- if this happens, leave the wet food down for a half hour, and if your cat hasn't touched it, put dry down for a half hour. Good luck!

Oh -- and yes, your brand is a good food. Other good ones are Wellness, Chicken Soup, Felidae, Solid Gold, Wysong, and Felidae. There are others but those are a few.