Sammy my lovely cat

[maz24]

Just wondering if anyone can help. I have had a rescued cat who is !!yrs old, for nearly a year now. She causes me so many problems with feeding. She will eat dried food but ive been told she should have wet as well as she doesnt seem to drink a lot. I keep wasting money i reallly cant afford to on wet food and keep throwing it in the bin. Does anyone know or have had these problems with a cat. Should they have wet food? does it hurt them to eat just dry? Funny thing is she cries for her wet food at the time I feed her sniffs it and walks away. I am at my witts end and really dont know what to do. Never had this problem with all my Labrodors!! Marianxx

[Gwenoakes]

Hi - We feed our cats dry food with the occassional wet, but they both drink lots of water, so not a problem. I dont see any reason why you cant feed just dry food, the only concern I would have would be if she will not drink.

One of our cats will only, unless extremely pushed, drink water from a bowl but chooses to drink out of a water butt in the garden. I have brought water in from the butt but she will not drink it, so we keep a watering can under the butt and make sure its always full.

Is it just one particular type/brand of wet food that she will not eat?

[maz24]

Thankyou so much for answering. No keep trying differant ones and she eats them for a couple of days then turns her nose up. She drinks from the bird bath if I dont put in clean water. Ive not had a cat for years and after having to give up the chooks and the Guineapigs have all gone I decided a cat would be easiest for me to cope with but keep getting worried about her and no one seems to be much help. Vet says dry food but make sure she drinks a lot but you cant make them drink can you? I will try a bowl of water from the water butt today and leave it out side worth a try. I would prefer her to have a little wet food but you cant force feed that can you. I have been told to try some of the cheap shops own foods but am a bit weary have only used good makes realy. Do you know if all cats are a problem with eating?
Marianxx

[LisaB]

Hello!

Has the vet said that she's not drinking enough?
Our cats have always had just dry food (one of them gets a funny tummy with wet) and the vet always says they're very healthy. I wouldn't say our oldest cat drinks a lot, but he's asleep 23 hours of the day!!
If she goes outside, she'll probably be drinking whilst she's out so you don't notice.
It might be worth while putting a few bowls of water around the house to encourage her to drink?

If you're still worried she's not drinking enough, have you tried mixing her biscuits with a little water?

[Mad Chick]

I agree with Lisa

Unless the vet has said she is dehydrated, she IS probably drinking enough but from somewhere that you haven't noticed. Our cat has only ever been fed on dry food, he has a bowl of water down all the time but very rarely drinks from it. I sometimes find him drinking from the bottom of the shower tray after someone has been in there and I see him drinking from the water feature in the garden now and then. But he's a perfect specimen of health so he must be getting his water from somewhere...

[maz24]

Hi Lisa I didnt expect to get any answers to this I do apprieciate it. Yes she goes out for 5 mins in the morning or so but not very much in during the winter ( dont blame her) and all of a sudden she will scramble over the fence to go to the loo either in my garden or in doors to her litter tray. Then sleeps all day. Does her eating of dry food mostly over night .Bowls of water every where. Vet is quite pleased with her she worried me when she said to make sure she drinks plenty or she will have problems with kidneys etc. She sugested getting a water fountain( thinks I have loads of money) and wet food will help a s its mostly water. This probably seems stupid As all the animals I've had in my life and advice I've given out, and I'm worrying about a cat but like to look after any animals I have the best I can. I have put a bowl out side for her from the water butt( chickens used to prefer it) and she walked straight passed it. Maybe Ill just give her dry food and see how she gets on. Thanks for your help. iI'll let you know how I get on. Marianxx
Thanks all I knew you laners would help if you could.One day I'll manage to get a pic on here of her she is very healthy just Mum worrying (with the vets help)think i'll stop wasting money on wet food. Marianxx

[Annie]

You asked 'are all cats fussy eaters' , well I suggest you observe the pet food aisle next time you super market shop. The dog owners walk up , pick up the tins/dry food and get on their way, the cats owners walk up , then down the aisle, then back up again, then stand and scratch their heads, then mutter a bit , then turn to the person next to them and asks' is your cat a fussy eatert too'
My shy cat has super teeth as until she was about 6 years old she didn't eat anything but dried food, although nowadays she has about a packet a day but depending on her mood she either eats or just gravy/jelly licks.
I dont buy tins of food for my cats as they get bored half way through and it ends up in the bin,dogs or chickens. Usually get the satchets , they don't like own brands, though use different makes to ring the changes. I suppose you could try mixing a little wet food with a little dry food and offer that . Cats don't drink great amounts at a time like dogs do so maybe Sammy is taking in sufficient for her needs.

[MissEllie]

Hi Marian I agree with everyone else, I'm sure she's drinking enough, the vet's maybe just being cautious. Our cat has been fed tesscos own brand of dried cat food all her days until recenty and shes 18 so it cant be all bad! That was the brand which she liked the most and it suited my purse so everyone was happy. (We've switched her onto wet purely because of her poor teeth now).
Good luck

[albertajune]

My last cat Sophie who lived to 14, only ever ate dried food. When we first had her, she had awful stomach problems and was putl onto dried food on the advice of the vet. The problem cleared up overnight.
Neither she or my now cat Misty, appeared to drink much indoors, but prefer to drink rainwater etc. I do always make sure there is a bowl of water outside, but have seen both of them drinking from puddles and flowerpot saucers. The only exeption indoors is if I have the tap running. My cat Misty, will jump on the sink and drink the running water.
If your cat is an outdoor cat, he may be drinking more than you realise.

[maz24]

Thankyou so much everyone Im not so worried now. . Why do we allways think the worse with our pets. I seem to worry even more since the girls went. I was just thinking something awfull was going to happen to her. Sounds to me that Samantha is just a normal cat( not really cause she is mine and twists me round her little finger ) Yers she licks up the jelly /gravy and leaves the meat . Yes she is right now sitting on my chair in the sun thinking she owns the place. she does go off out in the nice weather. Not in the cold, wet, windy or that horrible white stuff, weather. Yes she uses the cat flap when I am not available to open and close the door for her and yes she will steal my pack of quavers and take them off to her bed if I take my eyes off them. And Yes I think she must be a normal cat with a big Im spoilt sign round her neck. thankyou so much again I wont listen too much to what im told and come on here with my problems over her in future.
Marianxx

[sandy]

My auntie's cat only ever ate dried food and lived to 23!

[HedgeHugger]

There is a horrible disorder that can happen with cats that eat only dry.
Can't remember all the details, but basically a plug type thing forms and blocks the bladder, in it's extreme case, the cat can die. This happened with one of ours, FatCat. I would NEVER feed a cat just dry food, but I do appreciate that millions of cats do exist on a dry cat food diet and have no problems whatsoever.

[Mumma J]

I have 4 cats and they all only have dried food. All are, and have been in good health, the eldest is 10!
I really wouldn't worry, cats are not stupid and she will drink what she needs to as there is plenty of water available. You can't MAKE her eat the wet food so i'd give up trying!
Relax