Dry to wet food transition - ok to start with inexpensive food?

Remi&RiRi

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Hi! I am preparing to switch from dry to wet food. I am anticipating that it may take up to several months to make the switch as I have a very stubborn boy who loves his dry food and did not take to wet food in the past. Knowing this, I am anticipating having to waste a good amount of wet food during this process and trying to be as cost effective as possible. The following paragraph is from an article I found regarding this topic:

“Try various brands and flavors of canned foods. Try Friskies, 9-Lives, Fancy Feast, etc. Many cats love the foods that are all by-products and turn up their noses at the ‘higher end’ foods like Merrick, Wellness, Nature’s Variety, etc. You can worry about feeding a higher quality canned food later and you can always mix different types of food together. The initial goal is just to get your cat used to eating canned food and not dry kibble. And keep in mind that it is better to feed Friskies or 9-Lives canned food than any dry food because, even though they are made up of by-products, they have the Big Three covered: 1) high in water, 2) usually low in carbohydrates, 3) animal-based proteins – not plant-based”

I would appreciate any thoughts you might have about starting out with inexpensive wet foods or if anyone has done this and eventually switched to higher quality wet foods. Thank you!
 

Furballsmom

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Hi
There's this which may be helpful:
Transitioning Your Cat From Kibble To A New Type Of Food - TheCatSite

When I was working with my angel Poppycat to find a canned food he liked, I had a perceived issue that he needed a broader menu than just Fancy Feast. Since he'd been "imprinted" on that brand since forever, my challenge was nearly as great as yours. The approach I took, rather than high end vs not so much, was to rely on reviews from a number of Best Cat Food websites.

That said, the thing of it is that Fancy Feast pates aren't necessarily horrible. What it all really depends on is what ingredients you don't want him to ingest, including fillers and (In my opinion) nasty substitutions manufacturers make such as using synthetic vitamin K, or maybe you want to avoid carrageenan, high levels of iodine far beyond what the aafco requires, cans that have bpa, that sort of thing. One of the reasons I expanded Poppy's menu was to try and avoid him eating any one thing all of the time, plus having the ability to rotate brands gave me a lot more breathing room when a variety was discontinued or changed.
 
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mrsgreenjeens

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Definately take a look at that article above. Cats can be picky about their food, just like humans. It's a matter of finding what they like, and that may not be what YOU want them to eat. But starting them out on the less expensive brands is fine. It may be that you end up feeding only these brands, which is also fine. My new motto is, feed them what they will eat and don't stress too much about it. This after 14 years of living with an extremely picky cat and just trying to get him to eat, period. So I can't be too choosey about WHAT he eats.

Anyway, some cats like pate, some like shreds, some like cuts, etc. And some like chicken, some like lamb, some hate chicken, and on we go.

Make use of toppers, if you like. Crush some of his beloved kibble and sprinkle on top of wet food to see if he'll eat it that way. But whatever you do, do not let him starve. Cats will try to wait you out for what they want and can actually make themselves very sick by doing that.
 

lisahe

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Definately take a look at that article above. Cats can be picky about their food, just like humans. It's a matter of finding what they like, and that may not be what YOU want them to eat. But starting them out on the less expensive brands is fine. It may be that you end up feeding only these brands, which is also fine. My new motto is, feed them what they will eat and don't stress too much about it. This after 14 years of living with an extremely picky cat and just trying to get him to eat, period. So I can't be too choosey about WHAT he eats.

Anyway, some cats like pate, some like shreds, some like cuts, etc. And some like chicken, some like lamb, some hate chicken, and on we go.

Make use of toppers, if you like. Crush some of his beloved kibble and sprinkle on top of wet food to see if he'll eat it that way. But whatever you do, do not let him starve. Cats will try to wait you out for what they want and can actually make themselves very sick by doing that.
I agree with everything mrsgreenjeens mrsgreenjeens writes here but especially the sentence I bolded!

We have a backsliding cat who was taken off dry food nine years ago... Ireland did okay on wet food all those years but sometimes went through picky stretches. About a month ago she started vomiting stomach acid during the night, which made us realize she hadn't been eating as much as she used to. She did, though, eat the dry food -- Dr. Elsey's dry Clean Protein chicken -- that we were using as a treat or topper.

Now she's eating mostly Dr. E's food. We continue to give her small portions of wet food when we feed her sister; Ireland eats those an average of about once a day. Is this how I'd prefer she eat? No! I'd rather she only eat wet food. But there are pluses to all this. One of the best things it that she seems happier, less stressed, than she had been. (She has asthma so that's important!) As for the food itself, Dr. E's has no fillers so the carbs are very low (lower than some of the wet foods we feed) and Ireland almost always has a good drink of water after she eats her dry food. Dr. E's food is also very calorie-dense, which is great for Ireland since she's always been a little skinny: she's just not motivated by food. Like mrsgreenjeens mrsgreenjeens 's cat, Ireland has always been picky and it hasn't always been easy to get her to eat.

As for food ideas for your cat, Remi&RiRi Remi&RiRi , those three guidelines you mentioned -- low carbs, animal-based protein, and water -- are good to use. There's nothing wrong with feeding inexpensive foods (including those with by-products), particularly if they fit those guidelines! Ireland happily ate some Fancy Feast turkey and giblet pate the other day 👍 and she'll eat small amounts of Tiny Tiger turkey and giblets, too. She has some food limitations (no fish, agar-agar, etc.) so we don't have a lot of good, cheap options but every little bit helps. I'm hoping we can bring her back to at least eating more wet food again but (per mrsgreenjeens's motto!) if she just keeps eating Dr. E's food -- and drinking water -- I'm going to be happy she's eating decent food. I'd rather she eat that way (given that she drinks water and that Dr. E's food is good) than, say, eating an expensive wet food with chickpeas or pea protein. There's a lot of give-and-take in feeding cats commercial foods.
 

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While making no judgements one way or another about Friskies (et al), many of the ingredients that are categorized as "by-products," including items such as liver, kidney, spleen, and other "odd bits," are items I actively seek out for inclusion in my own cat's fresh food diet as a positive part of the overall balance.

My concerns come from items that a cat would never eat naturally as part of their diet, such a legumes, excessive carbohydrates, and binders.

Remi&RiRi Remi&RiRi best wishes on the transition.

Bill
 

lisahe

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While making no judgements one way or another about Friskies (et al), many of the ingredients that are categorized as "by-products," including items such as liver, kidney, spleen, and other "odd bits," are items I actively seek out for inclusion in my own cat's fresh food diet as a positive part of the overall balance.

My concerns come from items that a cat would never eat naturally as part of their diet, such a legumes, excessive carbohydrates, and binders.

Remi&RiRi Remi&RiRi best wishes on the transition.

Bill
Thank you for mentioning by-products, Box of Rain Box of Rain , it's very unfortunate that they get such a bad rap!

It's very unfortunate that so many pet food manufacturers eliminate those but add carby vegetable matter to their foods, including wet foods.
 

Box of Rain

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Thank you for mentioning by-products, Box of Rain Box of Rain , it's very unfortunate that they get such a bad rap!

It's very unfortunate that so many pet food manufacturers eliminate those but add carby vegetable matter to their foods, including wet foods.
The reputation of "by-products" has--in part--been undermined by some the unfortunate practices that are allowed under the law at slaughterhouses if those by-products are then sent to rendering plants.

But as items that really ought to be part of a feline (or canine) diet, most of these "by-products" (if clean, wholesome, and fresh) are a highly desirable, and arguably essential, part of the mix. Things to seek, rather than to avoid.

Bill
 
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Remi&RiRi

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lisahe lisahe and Box of Rain Box of Rain you have made good points and given me lots to consider! I agree that what he ends up eating may not be my first choice but as long as he tolerates some wet food I will feel better regarding his health (one of the big reasons I’m making the switch is to prevent urinary crystals as my boy does not drink much water). I recently had to take him to the emergency vet because of the urinary blockage it caused. I’m trying to do whatever I can to prevent this from happening again. I purchased a water fountain in hopes that he starts drinking more water. I’m going to try my best to find out which flavors or textures he enjoys most so that I can at least have a couple wet food options to feed him in case he continues to be very picky. It’s nice to hear that about byproducts and that they aren’t all “bad”. Like you stated, out in the wild, cats would naturally consume them and not the vegetables that they use in some of the wet foods. It helps to know that I won’t have to be concerned about purchasing wet foods that may contain byproducts. Now I just have to buy some different options and see what takes. Slowly but surely he’ll try something, fingers crossed!
 

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lisahe lisahe and Box of Rain Box of Rain you have made good points and given me lots to consider! I agree that what he ends up eating may not be my first choice but as long as he tolerates some wet food I will feel better regarding his health (one of the big reasons I’m making the switch is to prevent urinary crystals as my boy does not drink much water). I recently had to take him to the emergency vet because of the urinary blockage it caused. I’m trying to do whatever I can to prevent this from happening again. I purchased a water fountain in hopes that he starts drinking more water. I’m going to try my best to find out which flavors or textures he enjoys most so that I can at least have a couple wet food options to feed him in case he continues to be very picky. It’s nice to hear that about byproducts and that they aren’t all “bad”. Like you stated, out in the wild, cats would naturally consume them and not the vegetables that they use in some of the wet foods. It helps to know that I won’t have to be concerned about purchasing wet foods that may contain byproducts. Now I just have to buy some different options and see what takes. Slowly but surely he’ll try something, fingers crossed!
Sounds like a good plan. I'm fairly convinced that few cats will drink enough water to compensate for the dehydrating effects of dry food and that there are a wide number of health consequences that come with chronic dehydration. And more that are associated with high consumption of carbohydrates.

I have a cat who must be among the least picky eaters on the planet--makes it easy on me--but I can appreciate how vexing that would be.

Trying to mix up the offerings would be something I'd try to achieve if possible, but I understand that some cats have other ideas.

But getting on a "wet" diet seems like a hugely positive move to me. Especially as your boy has already had crystals.

Bill
 

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When I switched Willow from all dry to wet foods I started by first stopping free feeding and then getting her on a meal schedule. Once she was used to that I switched one of the meals to wet. I would leave it out til her next meal and if it wasn’t eaten I assumed it was a no from her. I did start with Fancy Feast and when she wouldn’t eat most of them moved on to try more expensive brands.
 

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[Now I just have to buy some different options and see what takes. Slowly but surely he’ll try something, fingers crossed!
Yes, it's good to have lots of different options available... and take things slowly. That's what we did when we took the cats off dry food back in 2014. First we stopped leaving a bowl of dry food out at night, then we kept reducing it, a little at a time, as we increased the amount of wet food. I guess I should feel fortunate that it worked for both cats for about nine years!
 
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Remi&RiRi

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When I switched Willow from all dry to wet foods I started by first stopping free feeding and then getting her on a meal schedule. Once she was used to that I switched one of the meals to wet. I would leave it out til her next meal and if it wasn’t eaten I assumed it was a no from her. I did start with Fancy Feast and when she wouldn’t eat most of them moved on to try more expensive brands.
Yes it’s good that we already have the scheduled feedings down. I am going to start with the wet food in 2 days because that’s when Remi will be finished with the medication he got from the vet. I didn’t want to start him too early and risk him not taking the meds because I’ve been mixing it in with his current food and he’s been eating it fine. I did order a variety back of Fancy Feast and Friskies. If he doesn’t take to those then I’ll try some of the more expensive brands like you did. Thank you!
 

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Yes it’s good that we already have the scheduled feedings down. I am going to start with the wet food in 2 days because that’s when Remi will be finished with the medication he got from the vet. I didn’t want to start him too early and risk him not taking the meds because I’ve been mixing it in with his current food and he’s been eating it fine. I did order a variety back of Fancy Feast and Friskies. If he doesn’t take to those then I’ll try some of the more expensive brands like you did. Thank you!
Also a good idea to avoid any unpleasant association that might come with the medications being linked with the new food.

Hopefully you strike on foods Remi likes that also suit your budget and nutritional goals.

Bill
 

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A tip not mentioned in this article is one that my vet gave me: Don't place your cat's water bowl right next to the food dish; move it at least a few feet away. My vet said that big cats in the wild avoid drinking water that is near their food source (a dead animal), and that our cats have that same instinct.

I tested it out by moving Sylvie's water bowl about 4 feet away from the food dish (about as far as was possible, given the limited real estate in my apartment kitchen) and was astounded by the difference it made in her water-drinking habits. Even though she eats only wet food, she used to ignore her water bowl entirely. Now she goes over and laps up some water a few times a day!
 

lisahe

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A tip not mentioned in this article is one that my vet gave me: Don't place your cat's water bowl right next to the food dish; move it at least a few feet away. My vet said that big cats in the wild avoid drinking water that is near their food source (a dead animal), and that our cats have that same instinct.

I tested it out by moving Sylvie's water bowl about 4 feet away from the food dish (about as far as was possible, given the limited real estate in my apartment kitchen) and was astounded by the difference it made in her water-drinking habits. Even though she eats only wet food, she used to ignore her water bowl entirely. Now she goes over and laps up some water a few times a day!
Someone in a pet food store told me this a few years ago. We have three or four bowls set out around the house and thank goodness because Ireland (the cat who's reverted to dry food after all these years) enjoys drinking out of them. She's one of those cats who's a bit obsessed with water and loves to splash her paw in it.
 
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Remi&RiRi

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Just thought I would post a little update on the current situation with Remi. He has been moderately interested in his wet food and I’m just glad he is trying it. He doesn’t really eat much of it though (mostly licking the gravy/ flavor). I know it will be awhile until he digs in more and actually starts eating it. There has been a setback as he did have another obstruction :(
2nd urinary obstruction - is blood work/ urinalysis worth it?
Here is a clip of him trying the food.
FullSizeRender.MOV
 

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Just thought I would post a little update on the current situation with Remi. He has been moderately interested in his wet food and I’m just glad he is trying it. He doesn’t really eat much of it though (mostly licking the gravy/ flavor). I know it will be awhile until he digs in more and actually starts eating it. There has been a setback as he did have another obstruction :(
2nd urinary obstruction - is blood work/ urinalysis worth it?
Here is a clip of him trying the food.
FullSizeRender.MOV
I don't know the answer to your question about blood work or urinalysis but want to say that it's good to hear he's at least moderately interested in his wet food. Ireland has been pretty much the same since she decided she'd rather eat dry food: she's eating an average of one small wet meal a day. Since Remi's licking the gravy, I'll mention that I serve (serve!) Ireland's food in a dab (1-2 tablespoons, I think?) at the middle of a small flat plate, put a couple pieces of dry food on it, and then add about a teaspoon or so of water around the edge of food. When she does touch these plats, she almost always laps up all the water/juice.

Good luck!
 
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