wow! thank you all so much for your advice, encouragment and info, I really appreciate it and, and I do have to say a little of me was wondering - due to the fact the vets have a shop and sell food as most of them do - if there might be a bit of a kicker in the advice!.

I was working on the principal that a varied diet and everything in moderation, like with the family, is a good thing and though I do appreciate cats are very specific in their nutritional needs, I was very much hoping that -as you mention - if Im giving the majority of food as complete, then a small portion of Applaws etc once a day would satisfy my wish to give them high quality protein, whilst still giving them the majority of their diet as complete in the hope that overall the balance will be right. But I will monitor them very closely too.

I was hoping to aim for Hilife in the morning (half pouch each) then JW in the day but a gradually reducing portion (its the bulk of their diet now) and then give half a small tin of Applaws each at tea time, but do appreciated the advice that this will need to be done slowly.

They are given cat milk every day so Im hoping this can be cut down gradually too, maybe to once or twice a week, as I dont really think it has much nutritional value as such and with tubby tabby it may help her a little.

If I can wean them down to much less of the dry, would it be a good idea to introduce half a pouch of Hilife at tea time and then a small portion (half small tin) of Applaws/cooked chuicken before bedtime do you think?

Ive bought Da Bird and lots of toys to hopefully interest her to become more active, there are 4 of us to play with and to encourage her to play and even encouraging her to trot up and down stairs a few times a day Im hoping in combination with a more wet/higher quality diet and less carbs over time it may help.

I really appreciate you all taking the time to advise me and your knowledge has helped me so much to stick to my guns, so thank you all again - and Im checking out that book as I type!

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