How can I get my kitten to eat wet food?

Question

My kitten is almost a year old and I want him to start eating wet food (fancy feast, friskies, etc). He eats dry kitten food, but if I put some wet food in a bowl he smells it and never eats it. How can I teach him to start eating wet food?

Answer 1

I would not stress about it some cats like wet food and some don't every cat is diffrent just like we are.

And also dry food is better for their teeth. If you are worried that he is not getting enough vitamins. There are plenty of dry foods out there that have awesome nutrition.
Such as Science Diet.

Answer 2

Try very small amounts of a fish flavor such as ocean fish, tuna or salmon. Offer it once a day usually in the morning as that is likely when your kitten will be the hungriest. Feeding wet food as at least part of your cats diet is a great idea. Cats were made to extract moisture from their food.Also cats fed at least some wet food are less prone to UTI, stones, crystals and other kidney/bladder issues. Wet food also has less calories & fat then dry so a cat fed at least some canned is less likely to become overweight. Most vets are aware of the new studies that say that wet food is healthier for a cat then dry. Contrary to old belief wet food isn't bad for a cats teeth. Cats don't chew like people and the foods don't stay in the mouth long enough to cause problems. Some cats like some people are prone to tooth problems regardless what they eat.

Answer 3

Try very small amounts of a fish flavor such as ocean fish, tuna or salmon. Offer it once a day usually in the morning as that is likely when your kitten will be the hungriest.

Feeding wet food as at least part of your cats diet is a great idea. Cats were made to extract moisture from their food.Also cats fed at least some wet food are less prone to UTI, stones, crystals and other kidney/bladder issues. Wet food also has less calories & fat then dry so a cat fed at least some canned is less likely to become overweight. Most vets are aware of the new studies that say that wet food is healthier for a cat then dry.
Contrary to old belief wet food isn't bad for a cats teeth. Cats don't chew like people and the foods don't stay in the mouth long enough to cause problems. Some cats like some people are prone to tooth problems regardless what they eat.

Answer 4

The best way to entice your kitty to eat wet food is to start out by putting a half teaspoon of wet food in with the dry. Then every day put more wet food and less dry until you are only feeding wet food all the time. This way he/she will build up a taste for the wet food. I would start with a food that has alot of fish in it. Cats seem to love the taste of fish. Good luck.

Answer 5

Although canned soft foods seem like a yummy diet for your cat it is not healthy for them to do so. I recommend dry food (any kitten formula of high quality will do-purina, iams, eukanuba, hills) available at all times to a kitten until they are 6mo-1year of age then restrict their intake and switch them to adult foods-intake based on amount on bag of food (twice a day feedings so split the amount in half per feeding). The dry food is best for their teeth, urinary tract, and digestive system small infrequent amounts of the soft stuff as treats is ok but unnecessary and your cat at 6 months would probably prefer some catnip or a toy. Be sure to get a scratching post, soon so he can become familiar, rub his feet on it occassionally mimicking the way he would do so if sharpening his claws he will learn this is an acceptable place and the couch is not.
Good luck with your kitten!

Answer 6

My kitten also would not touch wet food becuase he developed an extreme liking for dry kibble. So, when I switched him, I just withheld the dry food and just kept giving him wet food. He got hungry enough to eat it the first day (and when he was convinced that nothing else was forth-coming). Get the kind of wet food that had plenty of sauce or gravy to make it more enticing to kitty.

Answer 7

Cats (and dogs for that matter) are like humans. There are some things they just don't like. My cat hates canned food or even the moist cat food or treats. He eats his Iams everyday and doesn't want to even try anything else. It's much healthier for them. If you reallly want your cat to eat different things, all you can do is try all of them and see if he will try them. Try mixing a little of the wet with his dry food. This might get him to eat it and it will be better for him. He needs that hard food for his teeth.

Answer 8

Your kitten is better off eating the dry. Don't change a thing. I have had so many cats, and the wet food is horrible on their teeth. The dry is so much easier, and less smelly for you too. Good luck with whatever you decide. :)

Answer 9

What you can do is what I did. I noticed it didnt like wet food so I started to crush up dry food and mix it with wet. Then gradually, put less and less dry food in thew mix. Eventually, there will be no dry food and all wet food. It works very well.

Answer 10

Add some dry food to the wet food, (maybe a scoop) and keep adding less and less until its gone all together and there's just wet food, that's what I did with my cat.