Hi all!

My first post so please be gentle

I've had my cat for about two years, he is roughly 7 years old (we're not exactly sure since we're his second re-homing), weights about 7kgs (not overweight just fairly large), and is currently fed Origin dry food which he seems to enjoy and seems healthier than when we got him, he was being fed go-cat dry food by the previous owners and had quite greasy looking fur. Since the change his fur looks in good condition it has a nice shine to it without looking greasy or like a slick. He's nice and active, spends about 50/50 split doing whatever cats do outside and sleeping in his favourite window watching his garden. Oh, I also give him wet food once a week - applaws, which he also enjoys, I did try him with natures menu (mostly because the cat on the front looks exactly like him!) but he won't touch that at all!

However, after reading the stickies on here and a few other places I'm wondering if I should gradually switch to a full-wet diet? If so, what would be a good recommendation to try? Is the applaws stuff suitable as a full-time food (it's the stuff in the small tins with the white labels)?

We've stuck with the dry food since we also have a dog which totally ignores his dry food when placed on the floor, however is always very interested in his weekly wet food serving and so the cat has to be watched to make sure he eats all of it, and any remaining is taken off the floor away from the hoover, I mean dog! Hence why he gets wet food once a week, at the weekend, when I can spare the time stand and make sure he actually gets his servings.

But I'm worried that as approaches his more "senior" years wet food might be better for him, and I'll have to get up 10 minutes earlier to guard his feeding's.

Thanks!

Jon.

Hi Jon,

I'm far from being a nutritional expert but what I've learned from here is that Applaws isn't a complete food, so can't be fed exclusively on its own. I've just moved my two very fussy eaters away from Whiskas/Felix onto a diet of Grau, Animonda and Smilla.

I've got to say, this is the first time in years that my cats have licked their bowls clean especially with the Animonda - they love it!

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I agree with Shamykebab about the Applaws and also recommend the foods they are using for their cats.

A wet diet is better for a cat than a dry diet, dry contains little moisture so you need to make sure they drink a lot whereas they get a lot more moisture from wet food. Vets will say dry food is better for their teeth but they don't actually chew most of the dry food, just swallow it whole.

Do you not have a ledge or unit you can put the cats food on out of reach of the dog? I have to watch my dog as I have 2 kittens which stayed in one room when I was out so had their food in there on the floor when I was out and if it wasn't all finished when I got home the dog would be in and clean the bowls like a shot! They now get fed on a unit in the kitchen that doesn't get used so they have their bowls and water fountain up there out of the dog's reach.

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Thank you both for the advice! There seems to be two different Animonda's listed on Zooplus, Vom Feinsten and Rafiné / Carny, are they both okay?

As for putting the cat somewhere else, guess I'll have a tidy up in the front room this evening and look at putting his bowl up on a side or table.

I think the Carny one is best as it doesn't contain any cereals/grains. I could be wrong though...

It is the Carny one that most people on here use I think.

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