Wanna switch to wet food for senior but am worried about weight gain

[LokiWolf]

So I got a 16 year old kitty Bellatrix. She is on Nulo senior dry food and is doing excellent. I would like to get her on wet food but am worried about weight gain. She is skinny and I would like to keep her that way due to arthritis in her back legs and a fatty tumor on her lower back near her spine. How would I feed her? I can't give multiple meals during the day cause I'm gone from about 7:40 am to about 5:30- 6 pm. She also is skittish so sometimes the way I move or something will make her hide in the closet and not come out so I can't be sure she eats the food.

So I get up at 6:30 am. Feed kitties at 7:15. I will either leave it or pick it up depending on if I let kittens into bedroom for the day. Then at 7:30 pm all kitties get fed.

Any help would be appreciated

 

[FeebysOwner]

Generally speaking, wet food isn't as carb heavy as dry food, nor are they as high in calories for the most part, so not sure you really have to worry about her gaining weight. At least as a basic guide calculate how many calories she eats of the dry food and give her a comparable amount of wet food. To start with, gradually reduce her dry as you add more wet if you eventually want her off dry food altogether. Let her get used to the change over time.

There are timed feeders for wet food, even motion activated ones if that is what you would prefer (her approaching the feeder would open it up for her). Some of these feeders have compartments for ice to keep wet food cooler, thereby reducing them from drying out and going bad as fast. I am sure some are 'louder' than others, if that would be an issue with her skittishness, so you might need to look for ones that are quieter.

 

[mrsgreenjeens]

So it sounds like sometimes you "free feed' and sometimes you don't? If that's the case and she is still skinny, I don't think you have anything to worry about. You could still feed her wet food at meal times and leave out the dry food during the day for all the cats to nibble on and if she gets hungry she can eat some if she wants. As stated above, wet food is less caloric for the most part, and we usually recommend people feed it when the want their cats to lose weight. You can just keep an eye on her and see what happens. It's possible she may even lose weight, which you probably don't want. It may be harder to get her converted to wet food at 16 than you think,unless you've been giving it to her all along as a treat. When I converted mine from kibble to wet food you's have thought I was trying to poison them

 

[LokiWolf]

Generally speaking, wet food isn't as carb heavy as dry food, nor are they as high in calories for the most part, so not sure you really have to worry about her gaining weight. At least as a basic guide calculate how many calories she eats of the dry food and give her a comparable amount of wet food. To start with, gradually reduce her dry as you add more wet if you eventually want her off dry food altogether. Let her get used to the change over time.

There are timed feeders for wet food, even motion activated ones if that is what you would prefer (her approaching the feeder would open it up for her). Some of these feeders have compartments for ice to keep wet food cooler, thereby reducing them from drying out and going bad as fast. I am sure some are 'louder' than others, if that would be an issue with her skittishness, so you might need to look for ones that are quieter.

So it sounds like sometimes you "free feed' and sometimes you don't? If that's the case and she is still skinny, I don't think you have anything to worry about. You could still feed her wet food at meal times and leave out the dry food during the day for all the cats to nibble on and if she gets hungry she can eat some if she wants. As stated above, wet food is less caloric for the most part, and we usually recommend people feed it when the want their cats to lose weight. You can just keep an eye on her and see what happens. It's possible she may even lose weight, which you probably don't want. It may be harder to get her converted to wet food at 16 than you think,unless you've been giving it to her all along as a treat. When I converted mine from kibble to wet food you's have thought I was trying to poison them

Thankfully she has been on wet food for a good portion of her life. So that's not an issue. But when she was on it she did gain weight.

 

[Kwik]

Hi again LokiWolf !
Glad to see you start the Topic,I was looking for ya!
So is it that you basically want to add more "moisture "into her diet? Of course the benefits are tremendous so I think you are making a good decision now,while she's in good shape
Have you heard of Delectables? It's a lickable treat by Hartz and they do make a "Senior" delectable....they come in a variety of flavors,no added fillers , by products or preservatives & are 93%(max) moisture...just a little suppliment,they have stews or bisque.... I'm sure she'd gobble it up so you might be able to go to work knowing she's had some "wet".... just for starters

 

[Alldara]

Senior or indoor formulas might be your best bet! Royal Canin has wet formulas like that for sure.

She might gain a little water weight at first, nothing as drastic as a full pound.