Your cat is a dry food fiend. And you’re worried that it may be pushing your cat’s food limit.
Dry cat food isn’t so bad in moderation, but your cat eats dry food for almost every meal. With so much dry food, there’s not much moisture left, and that’s causing problems.
It also doesn’t help that the dry food your cat loves is coated with special sprays that make them enticing. And with your cat being so picky about its meals, what can you do to balance the moisture content in your cat’s diet?
Let’s find out how to make wet cat food out of dry?
The best hard cat food is also said to be good for a kitty’s teeth. It has an abrasive texture that can safely scrub away any buildup of plaque or tartar.
Why Won’t My Cat Eat Wet Food?
If your cat doesn’t like eating wet food, it may be because wet food doesn’t settle well for them.
In most cases, cats prefer dry food because they don’t like drinking as much. It may give them an upset stomach or make them feel uncomfortable. However, this doesn’t mean they can’t ever eat wet food. All that matters is that you use the proper process to introduce wet food.
But, before you go about choosing different wet foods, make sure that your cat doesn’t skip wet food because of a medical reason.
Some health problems do prevent cats from wanting wet food. These include:
- Urinary obstruction
- Constipation
- Inflamed pancreas or pancreatitis
- Upper respiratory infection
- Kidney disease
- Dental problems
- Digestive obstruction
- Stress or anxiety
Take your cat to the vet and talk about their dietary changes before starting them on a new regimen. If you give your cat a different food, the chances are that your experimentation might cause even more problems than anticipated.
Turning Dry Cat Food into Wet Cat Food
Before we begin, keep in mind that you’ll find the same flavors in wet food that you have in dry cat food. So, making wet food from dry may not even be necessary.
However, if that’s not a good option and your cat hates wet food, it may help to turn dry food into wet, so your cat can become used to having the same flavors, just in a different texture.
There are different methods of turning dry food wet. Let’s go through each one.
1. Simply Add Water
This is the simplest method of turning the kibble into mush. Use about ¼ cup of water with one cup of kibble. Use warm water, not cold, and use a fork to mash the dry kibble gently. You’ll want to leave the dry food in water for about ten minutes before mashing. If that doesn’t happen, add more kibble with warmer water, so the mixture does not get too diluted.
This mixture can be eaten in a day, but afterward, it will harden like cement. Serve the food immediately, but throw the rest away down the garbage disposal or in the trash after your cat has eaten.
2. Use Gravy
And by that, we mean cat gravy.
The gravy we use in human food contains many unwanted ingredients such as salt, garlic, and onion. On the other hand, cat gravy is unsalted and is what companies add to wet cat food.
These gravy packs are available in any pet food store. Just remember, though, before buying, you’ll want to read the ingredient list and nutrition information. You don’t want the gravy to add too many unwanted calories to your cat’s meal.
3. Add Wet Food
When adding wet food, keep the food amount balanced, and use small amounts, so you don’t overfeed.
Our recommendation is to half the amount of dry food and replace it with wet food. If your cat likes room temperature food, microwave it for 10–15 seconds, and mix well. We also recommend using the same brand, so the flavors gel well with one another.
4. Use Cat Milk
Cats are lactose intolerant, so regular cow milk is not an option.
Instead, use lactose-free cat milk and add a bit to your cat’s kibble. Again, add a small amount so that you don’t overfeed your cat. And use this opportunity to add different wet food to the milk, too, to shake things up.
5. Use Toppers
You’ll find plenty of healthy cat food toppers online and in-store. Sprinkle them on the kibble and mix the food thoroughly to make it palatable. These food toppers improve the taste and smell while making the food more appealing for the cat.
Just keep in mind that if the kibble is a specific flavor, like meat, you’ll want to use a meat topper, and so forth.
With all the above tricks, our goal is to minimize the kibble we use with each meal. For a week, use half amounts of kibble and wet food. Once your cat gets used to the taste and texture of wet food, decrease the amount of dry kibble and slowly wean them off it.
Within a few weeks, your cat will start eating wet food with ease.
Tips on Making Different Foods More Appealing for Your Cat
1. Try Different Brands
If you’ve stuck to the same cat food for years, use this opportunity to try some new brands. If your cat doesn’t like wet food, it might be because your cat is bored with the food you offer.
Try organic brands or use this chance to cook food at home. Even boiling meat or chicken in broth works well. Cats don’t need extra spices or flavoring. Use their favorite protein and make a meal of it. If needed, blend some kibble and add it to the boiled food, so your cat gets a special flavor kick.
2. Keep Your Cat’s Bowl Clean
Cat food, whether it’s dry or wet, leaves a residue, even if you wash it with water.
Firstly, if you use a plastic bowl, replace it with a ceramic or stainless steel bowl. And wash it regularly and properly as you would with your plates. Cats are more sensitive to smells and tastes. If your cat’s bowl is improperly cleaned, that will make the food smell foul.
As opposed to dry food that will not transfer much flavor, wet food will become less appealing to them.
3. Learn about Whisker Fatigue
Cats often experience something known as whisker fatigue which prevents them from eating a particular food. It may even prevent them from eating food altogether. So, brush up on the facts.
Whisker fatigue happens when your cat’s whiskers are touched too much. Understand that your cat’s whiskers are not simply hair. These are touch receptors that connect to the nervous system.
Their whiskers send signals to the sensory system and the brain. If your cat’s whiskers are touched too much, that causes a sensory message overload, leading to various symptoms, including mood swings, stress, agitation, and loss of appetite.
Even if you don’t touch your cat’s whiskers, whisker fatigue does occur if their whiskers touch something repeatedly. In this case, it may be the edges of a deep bowl or a large amount of food.
If your cat paces in front of the food bowl, refuses to eat from their bowl, or paws aggressively at the food, this indicates that your cat might be experiencing whisker fatigue and needs help.
You need to store your dry cat food in a proper way so it does not stale. It will also help you if you learn how long can a cat go without food, it the times when you are not near you can make better arrangements for your cat.
Conclusion
Cats are fickle and do create problems if you don’t give them the right food.
But this doesn’t mean you should panic. If your cat stops eating or doesn’t eat wet food, take them to the vet to rule out any medical reason. Then, with the vet’s help, start experimenting with food mixes and different brands.
Sooner or later, you will find the perfect combination that will turn your cat into a wet food connoisseur.