Does the kitten need wet food?

[Bemyclementine]

Current Dcat will only eat dry food, and will only eat Iams or Royal canin. Old dcat was diabetic so had special diet wet and dry.

Stray kitten (5 months ish) is eating the iams, won't eat the kitten iams. Begs for other food, tries to drink milk from dc cereal bowls, stile ham, coleslaw off dc plate and tried to drink soup

She was very thin, still underweight. Does she need wet food?

stole

Cats naturally eat wet/moist food, dry food is purely for human convenience. If she's stealing she's potentially hungry, and clearly doesn't like the Iams kitten..

I'd get her wet food.

She was starving when she arrived, literally skin and bone, she eats the adult iams (lots of it!) . I've got out of the habit of the stinky wet food and litter tray as my other cat won't eat it or use a tray. I'll get her some pouches, thanks

Yes she needs wet food. Feed dry in small amounts as it is convenience, sugar loaded junk that can cause various kidney and urinary tract problems. All animals need a form of wet diet. Do you only live on dry food?!

Kittens need a lot more food than adult cats. If the dry isn't filling her up properly then she absolutely needs wet food on top.

I don't only live on dry food but my current cat won't eat anything other than biscuits, she's 8 and had been like it since a kitten. As I said my last cat has a special diet so there was no question about it.

So my feeding my current cat just iams is bad for her? She won't eat anything else.

Kitten has access to food at all times, Shes not hungry buy I think was "fed" on scraps before she arrived.

A dry-only diet is more of a concern for male cats as it can cause blockages in the urethra which can be fatal. But females don't have the same biology or structure so it's not really a big problem in that respect.

If your older cat is happy on dry, carry on with dry, but it sounds like your kitten wants/needs more food and more variety so I would absolutely look at adding some wet food in there too.

My 15 year old female cat has only ever eaten dry food. She's been very healthy until very recently when she got diagnosed with diabetes but I think that's age related

My cats have never eaten wet food. From kittens to now (both aged 12)
I made sure the dry food they eat is good quality, high protein.

You can keep trying different wet foods if you're worried but just wanted to let you know that my girls are perfectly happy & healthy and have only eaten dried food for 12 years x

This happen to my boy when he was under one. He's had a mix of wet and dry since and no further issues. Expensive operation though at the vets.

Sorry I didn't read your post properly 🤦🏻‍♀️
Sounds like the dried food isn't satisfying the kitten so might be worth trying wet food too.
Also you say the kitten is a stray? It might be that she's still in panic mode of when she might get her next meal.
Over time she'll realise that she's safe and will always be fed. I think it just takes time.

Yeah, I've had issues with 2/3 of my male cats over the years - it's really common in neutered males unfortunately. All mine were fed wet/dry from day one but still had problems!

Now my current one is on an expensive urinary food plus supplements 😬

@ToDoListAddict yes, stray. Turned up a couple of weeks ago. Absolutely starved. She has free access to food and is eating plenty and has almost doubled in wright (though still thin). I do think she's been scavenging previously. She just tried to take a corn cob.

She's also riddled with round worm poor thing, was wormed a couple of days ago, theyre coming out now i siluppose tgat wont help!

I'll get her some sachets tomorrow.

Female cats are not immune to urinary issues from crystals. I'm currently on my third girl with this problem and she is worse than the other 2 combined.

OP it sounds as if your kitten is hungry but I would be monitoring her weight as if she has had the experience of being hungry and relying on scraps she may not be able to self regulate her eating.

Cats and kittens love the pouches of wet meat, also cooked chicken or beef. My cats get 2 pouches of wet food each for breakfast. Dry kibble and sometimes a piece of fresh chicken shared between them for lunch then 2 more pouches each for dinner. A bit of kibble overnight. They are not overweight at all.

@caringcarer my older cat won't eat wet food, or chicken, ham, fish, treats, nothing. She does hunt though. Your cats have 4 pouches a day each?? That seems loads.

Set good have my cat the shits. We also use good quality dry food - James Wellbeloved

Experienced cat foster person and cat servant here...

I would definitely get your kitten - and adult cats - used to some wet food as part of their diet. Many cats like or even prefer dry food, but this can cause problems as they get old - urethra and kidneys - and they can be very set in their ways by then.

I once fostered a 15 year old cat and I must have gone through at least two dozen types of wet food to eventually find one she would eat.

@ShellsOnTheBeach I'm sure the kitten will eat it, she seems up fir eating just about anything. My older cat just won't though. I've tried everything.