Do you have a fussy cat who only wants to eat dry food? If so, you’re not alone. Many cats are notoriously picky when it comes to their diets. Home-cooked wet food or canned wet food are two options your cat might refuse to taste.
You might someday prepare a feast for your cat from raw food while adding some of her favorite ingredients, but she refused to eat. It would help to focus on the flavor, texture, and smell to bring the food to state that your cat cannot refuse. Keep reading to figure out this dilemma (how to get cat to eat wet food?).
- The Benefits of Feeding Your Cat Wet Food
- How to Transition from Dry Food to Wet Food
- Choosing the Best Cat Food is Important
- Why Cats Refuse to Eat Wet Cat Food
- Is it bad if my cat won't eat wet food?
- Why won't my cat eat wet food anymore?
- How long does it take for a cat to get used to a new food?
- Why Do Cats Get addicted to dry food?
We recently made a list of the best outdoor cat foods that might like to read because they are full of nutrients and vitamins.
The Benefits of Feeding Your Cat Wet Food
Most cats are more than happy to eat dry cat food. But if your cat seems less enthusiastic about the food you put down for them, you might be wondering whether it’s okay to give them wet food instead. The truth is that there are lots of benefits to feeding your wet cat food.
What exactly are the benefits? Here are just a few:
- Better dental health – The best way to keep your cat’s teeth healthy is by feeding them wet food. It does a better job of scraping away plaque and tartar than dry food, reducing the risk of tooth decay and bad breath.
- More energy – Wet food usually contains more animal protein than dry food, which means it’s easier for cats to digest. This can give them more energy, making their coats healthier-looking and shinier.
- Leaner muscles – There are fewer calories in wet food, which is why it helps keep your cat lean. It can also help control weight gain if your cat tends to put on the pounds easily.
- Better hydration – Cats that eat wet food are less likely to become dehydrated than cats that eat dry food, who tend to get more of their moisture from the kibble itself.
- More satisfying meals – Wet cat food contains more water and is softer than dry cat food, which means your cat will feel fuller after eating it. This can be beneficial for cats that tend to overeat or have a tendency to puke up their food shortly after eating it.
- Healthier skin and a shinier coat – Wet cat food is rich in omega-3 fatty acids, which can improve your cat’s skin and hair quality.
Now you know what the benefits are of feeding your wet cat food.
How to Transition from Dry Food to Wet Food
If your cat is used to eating dry food, it can take a little while for them to get used to wet food. Here’s what you need to do:
Gradually mix more and more of the wet food into the dry food over a week or so until there isn’t any dry food left in their bowl. This way, they won’t notice a sudden change in the flavor or texture of their food.
If your cat isn’t used to having water available, you should place a bowl of fresh drinking water next to their wet food. Some cats might take longer than others to get used to eating wet food, but you’ll start seeing the benefits straight away once they do.
Make sure you read the label of your wet food to make sure it’s healthy for your cat. Some wet foods are high in salt, which isn’t good for cats.
Choosing the Best Cat Food is Important
Even though some wet foods might be healthier than others, the reality is that cats need a lot of nutrients and minerals in their diet. And let’s face it: There isn’t always time to read every label and figure out where all the vitamins and minerals come from. So what can you do?
The best thing you can do is choose food with added vitamins and minerals and plenty of animal protein. The ingredients of the food you choose will help determine how healthy it is for your cat.
As was already mentioned, wet food doesn’t contain as many calories as dry food, which means cats who eat it are less likely to become overweight or obese. On top of that, they’ll get the vitamins and minerals they need to stay healthy, which is especially important to stay healthy.
Why Cats Refuse to Eat Wet Cat Food
Sometimes, you might find that your cat refuses to eat wet food. There are lots of reasons why this might be the case, but one thing’s for sure: You need to make sure they get their nutrients somewhere!
Some of the Main Reasons are:
Lack of routine – Cats are creatures of habit, which means they don’t like it when things are different. If you haven’t been feeding them enough wet food or haven’t been mixing dry and wet food, they could be refusing to eat because it’s too different from their routine.
1. Change in water
Your cat might stop eating if the tap water suddenly starts tasting different. This can be something as simple as a change in the temperature of the water, so try running it for a few minutes before filling your cat’s bowl to see if that helps.
2. Boredom
If your cat is bored, they might refuse to eat wet food because they’re looking for some excitement in their lives. In this case, you need to make sure your cat is getting enough mental stimulation and playtime.
3. Too many treats
If you’re giving your cat too many treats, they might refuse to eat wet food because it doesn’t taste as good in comparison.
4. Fussy about flavors
Try a different flavor of wet food and see if that helps.
5. Food served in dirty plates
Some cats are very particular about their plates, so wash them thoroughly before serving your cat food.
6. Different texture
If the wet food you buy doesn’t have a soft enough texture for your cat, they might not be able to eat it. Try mixing wet food with softened dry food or water to see if that helps.
Is it bad if my cat won’t eat wet food?
It is terrible if you plan to move from dry to wet food, but your cat isn’t willing to eat it. You need to make sure felines are getting their nutrients, even if that means mixing the wet food with dry food or water.
Why won’t my cat eat wet food anymore?
If your cat stops eating wet food, that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with them. Instead, it means felines might not be getting their nutrients in the right ways anymore. Color, taste, texture, water content, anything can be responsible for this behavioral change.
How long does it take for a cat to get used to a new food?
It might take up to two weeks for a cat to get used to new food. So you need to make sure you give them some time before giving up on fresh food and going back to the old one.
To educate cat parents we recently write about what is the healthiest wet cat food? Which helps you to better feed your cat and take care of her needs.
Why Do Cats Get addicted to dry food?
There are too many reasons for this! One of the main reasons cats get addicted to dry food is that it’s full of artificial colors and flavors, which cats love. The other reason is that it has a lot of calories, which makes them want to eat more.