Why won't my cats eat dry food but still love wet? Are they underfed?

The exact amount of calories that a cat needs certainly depends on their weight and activity level, but will tend to decrease slightly when a cat reaches an adult age. So, that might be why Baluu is eating less canned food than he used to. If he did not used to eat the dry food along with the canned food, then that would also account for why he is eating less canned food. In general, we usually recommend about 5 ounces of canned food for each 10 pounds of body weight if they are not eating any dry food. Based on that, it sounds like Baluu is eating a sufficient amount since he is also eating some dry food. If it seems like Baluu is losing weight, then I would recommend having your veterinarian examine him to make sure there isn't something going on internally. Otherwise, I would suspect that his metabolism is just slowing down a little and he doesn't need as much food as he did when he was younger. Some cats really desire some variety in their food, and it sounds like Baluu is one of those cats. Good luck! I hope that answered your questions. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

One of the things we have found is that wet food is actually healthier for cats than dry food. I feed my cats wet food only. It is better for their kidneys long term and seems to help prevent obesity since dry food has to have carbohydrates in it that cats can't utilize well. I have included a link below with a lot more information for you. http://catinfo.org I hope that was helpful. Thanks for using PetCoach.

It's possible they could be picky eaters, however a complete checkup with your vet is a good first step to make sure there aren't issues such as GI upset, allergies, parasites, illness, etc that could be causing them to not eat as much. If they check out healthy, removing all extra snacks and treats between meals and only offering their food may encourage them to eat. You can moisten the food or add in a little bland boiled chicken to make it more enticing as needed. Cats also tend to be drawn to things that are smelly, so warming up the food to make it smellier may encourage them to check it out as well.

The amount of food they eat depends on how many calories are in that food. Pets should eat enough to maintain a normal body condition. You should be able to feel their ribs like your fingers on the back of your hand. They should have a waist from above and 'Tuck' from below. Adding regular dry food to the canned will only increase the calories they are getting and make them gain more weight. If pets are gaining weight, there are pet foods that are formulated for weight loss and to maintain an ideal body condition that are available from your veterinarian. Ask about weight loss foods and see what they suggest. Unfortunately, housecats are prone to becoming overweight as a lack of exercise and read access to food make a perfect situation to pack on the weight.

Your cats are adorable! It's actually fine to feed cats only dry food, that's all I feed my own cats. The important thing is to make sure they get enough water, so I recommend a pet water fountain. It provides a constant source of fresh, aerated water which encourages them to drink. I have one for my cats and they love it. You can get a pet water fountain online or at a pet store. Keep feeding them the dry food if that's what they want to eat. I hope this helps Constance!

The answer is up to you and your cat. Some cats prefer dry only, some wet only, some enjoy both. Kitten food is still needed at six months of age and will be until he is a year old. Cats are carnivores, and canned, pate-type wet food is the closest to what they would get in the wild. Dry food has to have some carbohydrates in the form of grains or vegetable pulp in order to be made into dry nuggets. Cats have a very low carbohydrate requirement and some gain excess weight on dry food. Feed the best food you can afford. My personal favorites are Science Diet and Royal Canin. Both offer excellent quality, specifically formulated diets that are nutritionally complete for your pet's life stage and condition and both offer money-back guarantees if your pet doesn't like them. Just make sure when switching to a new food to introduce it gradually. Transition your pet onto a new food by offering the old food in one bowl and a mix of 1/4 new food and 3/4 old food in another bowl next to it. Do this for a week, then offer 1/2-1/2 new/old food in the second bowl for a week. Change to 3/4 new-1/4 old for a week and gradually stop putting old food in the first bowl. By the end of the month she should be transitioned to the new food with a minimum of digestive upset.

Many cats who did not get wet food when they were kittens never will eat wet food. You can continue with a small amount of wet food once daily and cut back on the dry to see if they will eat more when they are hungry. I like giving some wet food as it makes them take in more fluids. Dry is fine just make sure they have access to plenty of fresh water. You can try adding some canned pumpkin also. It will increase their fiber uptake and increase the fluid also. My cat loves it so he gets if with every meal. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for your cats.