Pick up or leave down dry food

Bratcat31

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Hello! I have 2 almost 7 month old kitties. Forever (since they started to eat cat food) they have both greatly preferred their wet food and would either refuse completely (my female) or barely touch (my male) any kibble.

I work and travel enough that I need them to at least be willing to eat kibble so we tried a few different kinds from quality to not quality. Problem is that they only like trash kibble and my male now (mostly) stays away from the canned food and my female looks rather pregnant cause she'll eat everything.

I would rather they eat the canned first and the kibble only if hungry but since the kibble is always available they tend to fill up on that. Since they are still young and I work full time I don't really want to pick up the kibble. But I'm wondering if I should and instead feed the canned first and the kibble second at set times before and after work. Would that, or leaving the kibble out be a better idea?
 

Maria Bayote

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In my experience, I feed them majority wet canned food. Kibbles are only provided to them before I leave for work in the morning so they would not be hungry, aside from a bowl of wet food also left for them. When I get home, Usually the dry food is not even touched, only my Barley prefers that more than the wet, but I try not to give him kibbles when I am at home.

Yes, better to feed your cats the wet food first, and if you have this automatic timed feeder it is better.
 
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Bratcat31

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Thank you! I didn't think to just leave dry food down when I'm gone. I don't mind doing that. I have considered a timed feeder for them and my fosters but haven't found one I like yet. I'll keep looking!
 

KittyCatCove

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I leave kibble out all day for my cats, however I limit the amount I leave out... just about 1 fist-full per cat. I only buy high quality kibble. Their main food is wet, served morning and evening. Their water bowls are cleaned and refilled twice a day (filtered water only).

Fat cats may seem funny to some people, but feline obesity can be a very serious condition, especially as the cat ages. If your girl is getting heavy, I would try putting less in her bowl and feeding her in a different spot from the other cat. Do not let her finish off the other cats food.
 
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Bratcat31

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Fat cats may seem funny to some people, but feline obesity can be a very serious condition, especially as the cat ages. If your girl is getting heavy, I would try putting less in her bowl and feeding her in a different spot from the other cat. Do not let her finish off the other cats food.
I agree with this. But, she's not quite 7 months old and absolutely everything I have read says you cannot overfeed a kitten and all kittens under 12 months should be fed till they don't want to eat anymore. So, I am hesitant to restrict her food until she is older. Just trying to get her to consume the calories she wants with wet food first.
 

kittycatcare

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I agree with this. But, she's not quite 7 months old and absolutely everything I have read says you cannot overfeed a kitten and all kittens under 12 months should be fed till they don't want to eat anymore. So, I am hesitant to restrict her food until she is older. Just trying to get her to consume the calories she wants with wet food first.

I think you're right in that you shouldn't start restricting her until she's at least 12 months old. A little bit of chonk can always be worked off via diet and exercise, but you don't want a nutrient- deficient kitty on your hands!
 

KittyCatCove

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I agree with this. But, she's not quite 7 months old and absolutely everything I have read says you cannot overfeed a kitten and all kittens under 12 months should be fed till they don't want to eat anymore. So, I am hesitant to restrict her food until she is older. Just trying to get her to consume the calories she wants with wet food first.
She's a kitten, I understand that. I was referencing obesity in adult cats. I should've been more clear.

Forgot to mention... I would switch to a higher quality kibble. Animals (and humans) instinctively eat more if/when they are malnourished.
 
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Bratcat31

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She's a kitten, I understand that. I was referencing obesity in adult cats. I should've been more clear.

Forgot to mention... I would switch to a higher quality kibble. Animals (and humans) instinctively eat more if/when they are malnourished.
Yeah, she wouldn't eat quality kibble. Went through 12 different kinds and she wouldn't touch them. Her momma was the same way. Canned food ONLY, heated precisely 12 seconds served only on an all white plate for that little diva girl. Chilled filtered water only in a white ceramic bowl. Guess I should have figured at least one of her progeny would be like minded.

I'll try her again on the quality kibble I have in the house for the fosters to see if she'll eat it. And I'll check my notes on if she ate the Fancy Feast at all. I'm not a huge fan of it personally but I've heard it's actually decent quality. If not I think I may just buy an automatic feeder (I may just do this anyway) and she can just move to all canned. Before too much longer 2x a day will be fine and I can move the auto-feeder to the fosters. But I've been told to hold off on 2-a-days ntil she's older.

Thanks everyone for your help!
 
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Bratcat31

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I agree, you've got a diva in your hands! :)
Yeah. She had a litter of 5 babies, took in 2 one day old orphans the day after she gave birth, and got mastitis 8 days in. But she still managed to raise all 7 babies to full fighting weight and health all while weighing less than 6 lbs herself. She was a diva for sure, but if anyone deserved to be treated like one she did! The convo with her future adopters was pretty funny though. :p :p
 
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