Hi, just looking for a bit of advice on changing over from dry food to wet.
The cat I am getting is on Go Cat/Whiskas biscuits , his owner says she has given him wet food before but he gets a runny bottom.
This can is un-neutered and not vaccinated though so I wonder how much care has been taken to introduce wet food gradually.

My plan is to let him settle in for a week or so and keep him on his biscuits but then after a week introduce some Animonda Carney as well. I was thinking to start with maybe just a dessert spoon full then if thats ok for 3 days or so maybe up it to 2 spoon fulls while continuing to give his biscuits but slightly reducing the quantity.

He is 1 year old and has always been on dry food.

Does this sound gradual enough?

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Good for you for wanting to do better for him

Firstly, have him neutered as soon as possible. A boy of this age should have been done at around 6 months old.

Animonda Carny is a good food, but my cats have all gone off it and refuse to touch it now. I would have at least 3 foods and rotate them every day or two to keep him interested. Try Bozita, Nature's Menu, Hi-Life and Smilia too

Start as you said and see what happens. You may find that he won't touch the wet and favour the dry (they tend to prefer the foods that aren't good for them). See how he goes but you might need to remove the dry completely. Also, if he does become runny, it will stop after a day or so.

Good luck with your new boy, don't forget to share photos

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Ali.

A life without animals isn't worth living.



CHECK OUT MY DOG GROOMING SALON! http://www.prodogstyling.co.uk

Hi, thanks for the advice.
I collect him on Monday 5th September, On Weds 7th September I plan to take him to the vets for a health check, worming/flea and his first vaccination. I am also thinking a blood test may be a good idea too. This depends though how he is behaving after only being with us for 2 days. If he seems very stressed I will leave it till the week after.

About 2 weeks after that he is being neutered and microchipped.

Then after that he needs his final vaccination.

Good advice on the food, I will see how he goes and as you say, maybe i'll have to remove the dry food completely till he eats his one spoonful of wet, then give him his dry back. When i changed my rabbits food over i did the same, doing it gradually. He just used to pick out all the old stuff and leave the new. Little monkey!

If you think of any more advice then i'd love to hear.

Here is a pic I have of him, more will follow when he's home.

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Aww, he looks lovely, i love gingers

Great to hear you're planning to get him 'sorted out'

Has he never been vaccinated? Remember to worm him too.

Not sure about bloods, what will they test for? Do you have any other animals?

After 2 days he will still be stressed, usually takes around a week for a new pet to settle in, maybe more for an adult who will take a little longer to adjust than a kitten.

Bet you're excited! Does he have a name?

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Ali.

A life without animals isn't worth living.



CHECK OUT MY DOG GROOMING SALON! http://www.prodogstyling.co.uk

He's a lovely looking boy
To add to Alison's great advice you could try crumbling a few biscuits over his wet food if he doesn't seem keen on it. Having two or three brands of food is an excellent idea, especially a brand that is also easy to obtain in case there's ever a delay in an online order.
Re: the vets, they should give him a thorough check over and advise you if they think he needs further tests for anything. Were you thinking of getting him tested for leukemia and feline aids? He can be vaccinated against leukemia as well as the usual vaccines for flu and enteritis

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How we behave toward cats here below determines our status in heaven. - Robert A. Heinlein
http://www.lambchopsiamese.webs.com

Great that you are taking in this cat and being so careful with his diet, meds, etc - lucky cat! He's beautiful as well x

If he's not keen on the new wet food, you could try crushing his dry food and sprinkling it on top. I used to do this when changing my cats over - I used the breadcrumb attachment of my food processor to whizz it into granules.

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Rescue cats for many years, currently one moggie and 3 young Maine Coons.

He has had no vaccs at all
He has been out and about probably creating more ginger kittens, so i'd like to check for FIV. His vaccs I am getting him include the leukemia one.

As I say, I am told wet food makes him runny but judging by previous health care (or lack of) i doubt these introductions to wet food have been gradual.
Maybe as well as the Animonda (if he eats it) then I need to find a half decent "off the shelf" wet food he will eat. Good ideas everyone thank you.

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I'll probably leave it a week then. He has been like this for his whole one year (un vaccinated and not neutered) so no worries to wait a week longer.

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Another thing to keep in mind that it might just have been the brand of wet food he was fed (as you say possibly without any decent introduction) that got him runny. And as Lynn or Alison have already said, he might be a little looser initially but it should firm up over time. You could always invest in a tube of prokolin, which is a probiotic that also bungs them up a little (a great thing to have in the cupboard just in case).

He looks adorable!

Good luck and enjoy the next two decades (hoepfully!) with the little ginger man.

Oh great tip thank you. I always have a few key products like Fibreplex (for rabbits) in my rabbit first aid kit so this is a great thing to have info on cat alternatives. Maybe another post is in order.

2 decade.. I do hope so

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