DON’T Do These 2 Things When Feeding Your Cats!
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- Опубліковано 4 бер 2023
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#JacksonGalaxy #Cat #Advice - Домашні улюбленці та дикі тварини
My cat literally will not eat wet food.
We've spent hundreds of dollars on every brand our local stores have to offer. He only eats one kind of dry food, one which supposedly helps prevent his vomitting according to the label.
He still pukes now and then, but that's usually because he drinks too fast just after eating: in the past, he'd puke up nearly every meal then go eat more.
He eats a belly-full of food twice a day now (like a fistful or about a cup, I eyeball it next to him), and he uses his litter box once a day. Seems regular.
I put the food in the bowl but he chooses when to eat it; if he leaves food for later, it's the only thing he gets until dinner and he knows it. He usually makes his meal last at least a few hours, he learned he needs to eat slower and not like a dying stray.
I'm poor and constant vet trips are out of the question. My cat was a hobo that followed me home and adopted me to pay rent on his new house. I didn't really have the choice in taking care of him, and I can't send him anywhere else when he's tied to my side now.
When I got him, his paws were so bloody from walking on hot pavement, his scabs had scabs on them. Now, he comes like a dog and refuses to leave my side unless physically removed.
I'm doing my heckin best okay.
I agree with you, and thank you for being such a kind human and taking in that special kitty. Rescuing a pet is an amazing thing to do. 💜
You're doing your best and at least you're doing something to help him out. Any cat food is healthier than no food or literal garbage, and it's not like you're choosing his food anyways😂
@@traci222 well said!! 🥰💖
💞
How beautiful. Vet bills are difficult to afford.
You make the assumption that *I* have a regular schedule.
Said it before I could lol 😆
My cat will make sure we have a regular schedule. Food O Clock is 10 & 6. If you are late there meow to pay!
Also, avoid chicken based foods
@@kimmorton-diehl3179 why?
Exactlyyy😭
That's a bold statement to make about dry food. Back it up. My cats tend to live to an average of 20 years old and free feed on dry food all day. Not all cats overeat.
What dry food brand do you feed them? One of my cats isn't a big fan of wet food and I want him to live a long, healthy life.
You may want to watch Jackson's video trilogy "The Food the Bad and the Ugly". It's all explained there. Having said that, I feed my cats good quality both dry and wet and they do well on that.
@@333whiteraven Orijen is high quality but very expensive, That's what I free feed my cats. They love it. I leave only one bowl of dry food out and the cats take turns on eating. They never fight for food because they know it is available when they need it.
For decades I have free fed cats Purina and _every single cat_ lived happy and healthy to around 24 years old. And because I had a girlfriend who adopted every cat in sight (she left, the cats stayed, and I loved and cared for each one) that turned out to be many dozens of felines. There’s nothing wrong with free feeding a quality dry food as far as I can tell. I suspect that some of the “research” may have been paid for by companies that want the extra revenue from canned cat food, but that is just speculation on my part.
@@Private-GtngxNMBKvYzXyPq I'd say that's pretty good speculation since it IS a thing that happens often. You can tell when you get studies that have opposite outcomes/conclusions - "dry food bad" vs "dry food good" and same with wet food. Always check the sponsors of the studies in question, and take everything with a grain of salt.
Y'all, feed your cat what you can afford, feed your cat what he does well on. Don't be afraid to try new things, don't be afraid to mix it up. Free-feeding dry kibble works great for some cats, and not at all for others. You are not a bad owner for doing this, you also not 'perfect' owner when you spend tons of money on specialty kibble, cook your own cat food, give a raw-meat diet, or wet-food only. It doesn't matter. Jackson knows a lot, but his view on how you should feed a cat is just that, his view.
Keep your cat at a healthy weight, make sure you combat parasites with proven methods, take them to the vet when needed and just do what you can to keep your cat happy.
Feed what works for YOU and YOUR cat.
Okay, you must be kidding or you're delusional. You know that's not HIS OPINION but a consensus of a scientific community of zoologists and behavioural specialists? By giving people a free pass, you're just patting them on the back and saying anything goes. Nobody's BAD for feeding cats what they can afford! But if you can, and a lot of owners can, you should feed your cat an appropriate diet, which is muscle meat and offal, or just simply wet food which has those in the right proportions (quality wet food).
Thank you, I agree 100% I free feed my cat a dry prescription diet, treats & the first few bites of any meat I am eating. She & I get along perfectly fine & we have our own verbal language & gestures. She is also an appropriate weight.
@@Kitty76037 There isn't such a thing as "dry prescription diet". It's literally a marketing gimmick.
@@leotheabys I purchase it thru my vet, and it is a Prescription Overweight Management Diet. She does very well on it, likes it & lost weight on it.
@@Kitty76037 Can you post the ingredient list here? Let's see it. :)
I'm studying veterinary nursing and have read a few studies (that seem legit) done on how the diet affects the health of the cat. Feeding only wet food contributes to dental disease, feeding only dry food contributes to diabetes and kidney issues (cats don't properly compensate for the lack of water in dry food). These are common issues in cats. Raw food is good for the cat but bad for humans (if handled poorly), it contributes to bacterial resistance to antibiotics :/
TL;DR a mix of wet and dry food seems to be the best for cat health, but cats are individuals so do what works for you and your cat :)
Thank you. My vet always told me that the quality of the food is more important than if it's dry or wet food but best to mix. She tends to talk a lot about how cheap low quality brands are basically junk food for cats that will cause a lot of problems long term.
Also idk if there's any studies on this but I noticed with my cat that when I give her lower quality dry food she drinks less water compared to her regular grain free premium brands my vet recommended.
Idk if the ingredients contribute to this but it's something I definitely noticed with my cat.
@@mordecaiissad8529 very interesting! And your vet is definitely right, quality is essential. I probably should have mentioned that in my comment 😅
Cat food should for example always have a high protein content because they can't deregulate their protein metabolism, but dry food tends to contain a lot of carbs, especially the cheaper brands. It's very important to know what your cat's dietary needs are and always read the fine print to make sure the food you're giving your cat is meeting their requirements :)
Thank you! For my entire life I've fed my cats premium dry food freely and wet food twice a day. It's nice to see I've done right by them! I believe that food is medicine and a well balanced diet is the key to a healthy life! I do a ton of research on cat food brands before buying anything. There are cat food review websites that break down the ingredients and rate them by their nutritional level.
Another study showed that cats fed cooked meat got progressively sicker and this peaked at the 3rd generation. My cat is addicted to her Iams biscuits and Gourmet (😐) wet food (it’s nasty, I saw a documentary on how they make that shit) cause I only found out that raw is best in more recent times. I really really want her to eat raw but she has absolutely no interest. I think she ate roast beef sometimes, maybe I will try that.
@@333whiteravenNo, even the so called best (and most expensive dry and wet foods are poor nutrition, cats need to eat raw. A study showed the degeneration that happens when fed cooked meat as opposed to raw, it was the worst at the 3rd generation. They did ok on a 50% raw 50% cooked meat diet too (including raw organs and bone)
I can’t afford to feed only wet food. Prices have gone up SO much!
I feed mine aldi wet. It's .35c/can on Long Island. I think it's cheaper than the dollar general and it's got less water in it. The dollar store one has so much water in it.
i had a problem just like yours that led to my cat having kidney stones because she doesn't drink enough water.
what i did was buy both wet and dry food. buy the tall cans cause those are cheaper. every feeding time, i mixed a lump (not all) of the wet food (about half a portion) with a few tablespoon of mineral/tap water to maximize water content. but keep it balanced so it's not too watered down that would make it unappetizing to the cat. give it to the cat, and then give half portion of dry food afterwards. this saves me some money, not much, but still better than receiving vet bills. keep the wet food can in the fridge to maintain its freshness for longer. the mixing with water that i mentioned also helps with bringing the temperature up after taken out from storage.
economically, in my case, one 400gr can of wet food would last up to 2 weeks and 1kg of dry food would last for a month, give or take 1-3 days. i maintained a tight schedule of giving two meals a day. if my cat is really hungry at noon, then i'll give her a quarter portion (at most) of dry food, not everyday though. and i would always give oral injection of water afterwards since she doesn't drink often enough. your case may vary. i recommend buying two 400gr cans of wet food and one 1kg pack of dry food each month. it's not the best solution for you or your cat, but it could be the best compromise.
Feed then raw chicken beef... Livers and its cheaper than cat food
If you put the kibble into water, it will help with the hydration problem. There are also supplements (usually intended for raw diets) that can help make certain your cats nutritional requirements are met. There also are brands that don't add wheat to their dry food. They are more expensive, but still cheaper than canned food
@Shawn Baird the canned food has vitamins & minerals that they must have.youre slowly killing your cat
We followed your advice and stopped giving our kitty dry food until our vet prescribed a very expensive dry food because our kitty was suffering from a skin condition. The dry food has been instrumental in healing this condition. We have two kitty water fountains to help keep him hydrated. We had to switch from wet to dry to support our little buddy’s health and wellbeing.
I also give my cats vetenary dry food that improves their digestive system and other health things. I don't understand why the dry food given by vets would be bad for them.
@@TheChocoDoll I agree. I think Jackson should include a sentence in this video that says no dry unless prescribed by a vet for special dietary needs and conditions. My vet also prescribed expensive dry food for kitty kidney care when we had kitties who needed it. We love our feline family and just want to do what’s best for them so that they can experience a life of love and fulfillment while we do the best to support their health and well being.
@@stargatergirl No, he shouldn't include that because there is no dry food for any condition. None. You feed your cat wet food with meat they are not allergic to, with the right balance of calcium and phosphorus, and... GET THIS, GROUNDBREAKING NEWS... you give them actual medicine/supplements for their diseases. Crazy, huh? Oh sure, but your purina pro plan which consists of gluten and pea protein (or RC that consists of soy) will definitely help an OBLIGATE CARNIVORE recover.
@@leotheabys Are you a veterinarian? What is your field of expertise? What are your qualifications for giving out advice like this? ONCE YOU PROVIDE THAT INFORMATION perhaps I will consider your RUDE response 😂
@@stargatergirl I have worked as an infographics copywriter for cat behavioural specialists (zoopsychologists with an actual degree in cat dietetics and behaviour), I have also worked with other 3 separately for issues with my cat and all of them (so like 6 people in total who did actual modern degrees in zoopsychology at various universities, again, I need to underscore that) had the exact same scientific knowledge, they learned from the same research papers etc. Every single one of them said that they were informed during their courses that veterinarians are not taught about cats' dietary needs. I have asked multiple times about the right diet, and the answer never changed, they all give the same answer, and it's never A BRAND of food, it's a type of food. And it never ever includes gluten/soy/wheat/corn/potato-based anything and they always say cats shouldn't eat carbohydrates almost at all, they need muscle meat and offal in the right ratio, and you can do that with quality wet food (you just check the ingredients and percentages and it must state every offal type separately and give clear percentages for every meat type) or through BARF, but then you have to learn a lot about supplements and use recipes (you cannot just feed pieces of raw meat without supplements, there's not enough taurine and important vitamins etc.).
Also, separate your water dish from the food bowl. Change it every day and keep the bowl clean.
Absolutely correct! Food bowl & water bowl should be separated, and litter box should not be anywhere close to either
Yes it’s really important to refill the water daily + clean the bowl bc the film at the bottom of the water bowl can make cats sick
Very true! I wash and refill my cat's water bowls 3 times daily each. (I use fresh, cool, filtered water) I also wash his food bowl after each meal so that it's clean for his next meal. I keep them all separated obviously. His food bowl is made out of porcelain, it is whisker-fatigue free and raised so he doesn't need to strain his little neck. 😺💙
@@Emanuela-ph2bpaww this is so fkn cute
@@cocainedoves Thank you? 🤔
I free feed because I work 10-14 hours a day and I’m worried that he might be hungry. I leave both dry and wet food.
Does your cat have a companion? They get lonely just like we do. Looking out the window talking to birds and catching flies or the occasional spider (come on, my house can’t be the *only* one! 😅) is one thing. Having a kitten or another cat to play with would be good for both of them, and when you get home from your long hours you’ll have double the cuddles to help relieve any anxiety or stress! 😊
How do you leave wet food out for that long? After an hour or two it will start to accumulate bacteria
@@itsmesteve1081 If she she works 10-14 hrs per day, I’m guessing the wet food stays out all day!
That sucks! I recently got a food dispenser for my cat and it's the best thing I've ever bought, so if you can afford it I really recommend it.
@@itsmesteve1081 No it doesn't. I used a timed feeder and my cat eats 4x/day and I put wet food in it once a day (at night. In the summer I do put ice packs under it but in the winter I don't and it's 64-68 in the house. I've been using the timed feeder for about 4 yrs now.
I need to mention some caveats to this:
1. Quality wet food (tinned) is massively expensive where I am. I can't afford to feed my cats and our feral colonies solely on this.
2. There are cats who won't touch wet food. Of course they would if nothing else was fed to them, so therein could lie the solution, IF one can afford to feed 6 cats only wet food.
3. Even the tinned food (in my country) has grain in it. All the brands.
4. As far as free-feeding goes, there are circumstances where regulated feeding times are impossible, for example irregular or long working hours. Leaving at 5.30 am, I put portions of wet and dry food down to last them until I get home in the evening.
5. Some cats will not eat immediately the bowls are down. They eat when they're ready, and I cannot stand watching them until they all decide to eat. If I pick up the bowls before I leave for the day, some have not eaten at all and will go hungry until the evening.
6. So I am guilty of free-feeding because I'm not always present to monitor who eats what, when. However, I pick up the bowls before turning in at night.
7. Thankfully my cats are all healthy.
8. I can't help wondering about small carnivores like cats in the wild. They may catch 5 small meals a day, or they may catch one or nothing. There are no "regular" mealtimes. That's something to consider, please Jackson.
A can of fancy feast is almost a $1 where I am, and a can of friskies is like 80 cents. I have 3 cats, and so it'd literally be $90-$100 per month to feed my cats a wet food diet.
I'm lucky, I have only two cats and they are feral rescues who aren't fussy. I feed them whatever wet food is on best offer when I reload. They are also subsidised by dry foods which against Jacksons advice is available at all times. I encourage them to drink plenty of water and give them wet treats. But if I had fussy cats, I doubt in the UK I'd be able to afford a completely wet food, no grain diet. I don't even know if there's any 100% meat food on the market here. My cats are safe, healthy and happy. That's all that matters 🤷♀️
I'm lucky, I have only two cats and they are feral rescues who aren't fussy. I feed them whatever wet food is on best offer when I reload. They are also subsidised by dry foods which against Jacksons advice is available at all times. I encourage them to drink plenty of water and give them wet treats. But if I had fussy cats, I doubt in the UK I'd be able to afford a completely wet food, no grain diet. I don't even know if there's any 100% meat food on the market here. My cats are safe, healthy and happy. That's all that matters 🤷♀️
Still pick up the food. You want them to be hungry all day. That way eventually they learn they need to eat right then and there. That's how you schedule feed with picky eaters. They won't starve themselves.
Except thats exactly why you shouldnt free feed for most cats. Because you can't overeat in the wild-you don't know when you'll eat next, so it isn't overeating, it's preparing. For a domestic cat, they get fed daily. So if they're still operating on the basis of "I don't know when I'll eat next"...they'll overeat.
I learned that cats are "trickle feeders" and will take a little food then come back later for more. Sounds just put the food out and let them eat it in their own time
my girl does the same hahaha. i don’t want to cause her food insecurity by having food out only at specific times. so when i give her her wet food i leave it out for an hour before putting it back in the fridge for later or washing the dish if she ate the whole thing :) she only nibbles at the kibble when she wants to snack🫶🏼🫶🏼
Your girl? Wuuuut
yesh, but it will still be a measured portion for them to go through; one for morning and other one for evening time (snacks in between are allowed ;)
My cat is prescribed a certain dry food to combat bladder crystals. He won't eat wet the food, he licks the juice and leaves the rest.
I've even tried to only put wet food down for days, he will not eat it
Nippy: I found my cats did the same thing if you buy the flakes, shreds or filet canned food. The better one is paté. This is fully ground up and they will eat all of it. 🐱🐱🐈🥰
The gravy only packs might be a good treat then.
@@laurelh1799 I had cats that refused pate at all costs. They would only eat the shredded or pieces kinds
@@Waterpassion That's surprising. I've found the opposite to be true. I guess as they say each one is an individual.
My cat will stop peeing much and eventually start peeing blood if I don't have her on a certain prescription dry food. I can add some wet food to her diet but not enough to stop her from eating her dry. I even tried adding a bit of canned chicken juice to her dry food but she wouldn't eat it.
Dry food can have different macros. It doesn't have to be high carb. Also, it cleans the teeth much better and there's less mess. We tried going wet for our cat but she's not a big eater and the wet food would get dried out and gross. It t didn't work for us. Another cat we had that had passed away was on dental food after she had to go for some expensive dental cleaning. She never needed another cleaning for the rest of her life. She lived for 10 years after the switch to dental food.
Btw I'm a veterinary technician and I took classes on animal nutrition.
We had a cat who could not eat dry food - multiple varieties, brands, etc. They all made her vomit and gave her diarrhea, so she absolutely only ate wet food. I think what's most important is realizing cats are individuals and what is best for one is not necessarily gonna work for another.
@@Ikwigsjoyful obviously
Yes, I think Jackson is amazing at cat behavior, but cat medical health is at a whole other level. Quality of food and the cat's health needs are more important than wet vs. dry or feeding schedules.
I thought wet food would rot the teeth out
@@coolinwithlaura4114 Not necessarily. But it doesn’t offer any mechanical cleaning of the teeth like with dry food. If you choose to give wet food, you must add some cleaning for the teeth. This can be by brushing the teeth, applying dental gel to the teeth, using dental sprays on the teeth, adding a dental cleaning water additive to the drinking water, supplementing with a dental diet given as treats or giving specific dental treats.
Tbh unless your pet is on a specific dental diet, they will likely require additional things to keep the teeth clean because periodontal disease is so common.
Edit: some pets are not good chewers and will scarf down the food and in this case, a specific dental diet alone is not adequate to prevent periodontal disease because they are not reaping the full benefits of that kibble.
Yep. Agreed. I’m guessing the reason someone kicked my now cat onto th3 street is that they did just that and she was a discipline problem. I feed her raw at 6am and 6pm daily with play times morning, noon(if I’m home) and night with a small treat at the end after play. Then lights out. Now she tells me to turn out the lights around 8:40 cuz she knows what happens right before lights out. Couldn’t be a sweeter baby in the world. She’s six yrs old, had her since November 2020 and she is my angel. Occasionally I see the sass come out but it’s just her reminding me she needs to play.
My cat has food out all day long. She's not greedy and only eats when she's hungry. She has a mixture of dry and wet. She has a shiny coat and is healthy.
Same. I've raised 6 cats on dry food and wet food and free feeding and they've all lived over 15 years old. Very healthy
Same here
SAME !! :)
Maybe our cats would live to be 40 if we did it his way ~ LOL!!
Dry food is OK
.... My cats will free feed because I work for them they don't have to do shit for me. I'm just glad they're in my life❤️
My senior cat was just diagnosed with IBD and she is severely underweight. The only rules in my house are feeding her very limited ingredient meals, lots of water and she has a (sensitive stomach) dry food bowl if she wants to crunch. All bowls stay out all the time. I stopped with the prescription diet food, most of it is unfit. Do what’s good for your cat’s particular situation. ❤
My previous girl had IBD, she was about 7 when it was diagnosed but possibly had it long before diagnosis. The only food I found that helped was Royal Canin 33 sensitive, (it’s dry) expensive food but worth it to keep her healthy. Also if there’s a Reiki practitioner near you, that may help too as it helped my Kendra
What is IBD?
@@jsavannah inflammatory bowel disease
Have a 20 yr old kitty here and works better to put out a teaspoonful of wet food whenever she wants. Her appetite is variable, so if I put out a serving twice a day, either she will eat it all and toss it up or eat a little and come back later and decide its old and won't eat it. I put a little out overnight to hold her over till one of us gets up.
To be on the safe ask your vet to x-ray the intestines most vets won't want to do it . Sometimes it's cancer . We lost three cats to intestinal cancer , the vet kept saying it was IBD but I didn't believe that ..we fed them a cheap canned food . Now we give dry and wet but a better brand
Well, my cats have been eating dry food for 7 years. Their coats are beautifully shiny with oil from their bodies. They run around like kittens. They play and chase each other. They play with toys. Their teeth and gums are healthy. Vet exam diagnosed them as healthy. I can’t afford wet food. There are nutritious dry foods without grains that are not carb-heavy. I’m sticking with Nutro.
Yaa I dont understand why dry food is supposed to be so bad. Is this an Amrican thing? I feed mine both dry and wet.
Nutro is the best brand.
@@kristinekronhjort4210 Because dry food is highly processed, dehydrated, and has grains in it which are not natural or healthy for obligate carnivores. Jackson made a video trilogy exposing / explaining about this. The videos are called "The Food, the Bad and the Ugly".
Also, one category of pet grade/quality meat ingredients in pet foods is known as 4D meats; from Dead, Diseased, Dying, and Disabled animals. Dry pet food is highly irradiated to combat this contamination.
@@jeandixon586 I'll watch it later and see what it's about, ofc, as I value Jackson's opinion quite a lot. I do find it strange though, as the veterinary clinic has so much of it. My cats struggle with hard tummy, which is probably caused by the dry food, which is why I put wet food into half their diet, and I am in close conversation with the clinic about it : ) I do NOT buy any food from the grocery shops, as I know that kind of food is like fast food for animals.
IMHO I think if we're in tune with our fur babes and are doing the best we can that's what is most important! I think we're perfectly capable of figuring out what works best for our situations! Because each one is going to be unique and different.
My 20 yr old cat prefers the dry food over his wet food. And he likes to nibble at various times, so if I picked it up- he’d lose weight. He is small already. I can’t help but pass on these 2 hard rules for this cat. He also has CKD3 so I have to give him SubQ fluids twice a week.
What brand do you feed him?
They're 20 already so you must have found what's right for them!
@@danitae9704 , he gets 2 dry foods. Royal Canin Gastrointestinal Fiber and Royan Canin Renal Support. Both are prescribed by his vet doctor. I try to give him wet food, but he eats it and vomits it up, usually. So he really doesn’t get much. That brand is Whole Paws Grain Free that I buy at Whole Foods.
You are doing the right thing. I recently learned that Jackson Galaxy is not right all the time: -these 'hard rules' are not hard rules at all, just ignore them and follow the recommendation of your vet. I very recently adopted a cat: she is 17 and is used to mostly dry food and I just found out she has CKD. The vet recommends a mix of dry and wet because otherwise she would not eat enough and she has to gain weight.
I got an auto feeder to feed my kitties every three hours. It finally stopped the puking.
I feel bad they only get dry food, but that’s all they will eat, except when they try to steal my yogurt
Same.
Y'all should go watch his 3 part series on how to gently & affectively switch. It's super easy & guess what else?? It's also cheaper!!😺 Feeding them nothing but dry food, is like us eating nothing but sweet junk food, all the time. Trust me, after you watch the first video in the series, you will change your mind quick, I know I did lol. Started the transition, tbe VET next day! Good luck y'all! Oh & plz feel free to ask me any questions, I'd love to help any way I can! 😻
@@taramarienixon9915 the problem we have with wet food is that it's always too dry to where it's sticky or too wet where they will just pick off the sauce and then be done
So what do you recommend ?
@@charlesking5539 my cat is the same way and I found she love the Delectables Bisque. I’ve tried hundreds of different brands in the bisque consistency and this is what she likes. Bonus is no more hairball along with Blue Buffalo indoor hairball formula
@@charlesking5539 keep trying different ones! There are sooooo many different types of food out there from pates to having the chunky kinds chopped many different ways & in gravy or in broth to mousses, purees, soups and bisques. I've never had a cat (or friends or relatives cats) that I couldn't eventually find a kind that suited them. It's just a trial and error sort of thing that may take awhile. Just get a can or 2 of all different kinds to try. I've recently tried at least 5 different kinds of limited ingredient diet pates and all but 2 were that awful thick sticky consistency, yuck, my cat thought so too. Then I tried Instinct and it wasn't nearly as bad but the Merrick Turkey one has the perfect pate consistency we like, moist with juices at the bottom and not pasty but can be nicely chopped up with a spoon into small soft pate chunks and stay that way without breaking down to mush even when I mix in his probiotic… but the salmon one is disgusting
Seems a bit extreme, Jackson, and disconnected from most people’s reality to insist that dry food not be fed to cats. Disappointed that you take this stance and use this tone, essentially shaming the majority of those out in the real world caring for cats.
I’m able to buy my two cats grain free wet food now, but I always felt as I was actively harming them by giving them dry food when money gets tight. I also have a fountain so they always get fresh running water. They don’t seem to mind though. They seem to be very happy cats, I just feel immense guilt when I cut down their wet food.
I personally disagree with him saying the cheapest wet food is better than the highest quality dry food, because I wanted them to get wet food and the cheap stuff (9 lives) had abysmal ingredients so I just kept giving them Purina One and adding cat-friendly broth over the kibble which they love. I do change their food every few months just to keep it interesting, and outside of two instances as kittens they never food strike me.
I agree with both of you, my senior cat has Irritable bowel disease and I am stressed and anxious. I have scoured the UA-cam gurus, holistic vet channels and the internet looking for ways help heal her from this, and I am exhausted. Right now she is eating the same poultry and fish that I eat, keeping it simple. I’ll also add the feline nutrients she needs into her food soon. 🐈
@@auntielu4394 prescription diet. hydrolysed protein
@@zoeyelh my vet prescribed a prescription diet, I bought both the wet and dry (to replace her treats), she will not touch the wet, which is the priority. I also read the ingredients and they were the same as the other food out there so I got a refund. Total scam.
@@auntielu4394 maybe you're in s different country. my cat recovered after he'd switched to hills z/d
I work long hours so dry Tki brand cat food and give wet food when I get home. Been doing this for nine years. My cat is very happy.
My cat kept waking me at all hours of the night to be fed. Sounds innocuous, but he’d wail and knock down/tear up anything he could until I got up to feed him. It took some discipline on my part, but finally established a feeding schedule following Jackson’s advice (play session, then feed & ignore tantrums) and the difference (plus uninterrupted sleep) is heavenly!
If it wasn't for the fact my cat must have a specific dry food, I'd feed him differently, but vet bills are not good. But I never free feed because he'd never stop eating. Otherwise, he loves his food and cat milk (his occasional treat), so if he is happy and healthy, that's what matters
This is impractical advice for most people, and honestly it's not even good advice for every situation. Every pet is different
I'm sure this is good info but I have always left out dry food at all times then usually wet food for dinner. Most of them have lived to be 20 or close to it
Cats are grazers, so leaving out small bowls of dry food is essential. My cat eats high protein & low carb dry food. I give him wet food, twice a day, one cup each time.
Lol why are people so resistant to the simplest advice in the world. If you disagree fine, but he's the cat behaviorist ,not you.
We took our cats to the vet literally yesterday and she told us our 12 year old kitty is in great health and has perfect teeth and asks how we feed him and told us to keep doing that.
We leave dry food out
He is offering optimal advice for cat care. Thankfully cats are quite flexible and so long as you offer them the best nutrition you can do, keep them healthy(basic vaccinations), neuter spay and love and play with them, keep them safe, that is the best. I've used low cost vaccinations or even vaccinated myself (except rabies, must be vet or low cost service). Used low cost neuter spay and and fed the best food I could afford, but sometimes, all it could be was that darn purina cat chow with partially cooked chicken livers tossed on at times, or eggs. You do the best in the times you are in. Despite all that the ups and downs my cats have lived to 16,20 and 22 years.
We fed free choice dry food to my purebred Siamese cats their entire lives. One lived to 19, the other to 18. Doing the same with our now 15 year old cat.
My cat cries if she doesn't get her "crunchies" at least once a day. It makes her so happy. She's an inside cat in a very small space so she needs her happy time.
Same here. 6 indoor cats. I dont give them much hard food but a lil.
I tried a wet food only diet, and my cats kept on having diarrhea. On the 7 or 8th trip to the vet, the vet told me to try to give them dry food. Finally, we got rid of diarrhea by feeding them both wet and dry. (They have Royal canin)
I feed Royal Canin CD. Two of my four fur babies got UTC and almost died. Sooo…purr vet recommendation this is what three of the babes now are eating. The last but not least babe is just that. A youngster. Will be switching her also to the same food. All are happy healthy kiddos
mine too, the vet said a bit of wet food in the morning and the rest kibble
I'd recommend a different brand since royal canin is so full of corn. It's just carbs and sugars going into your cat. And the actual meet that goes in it is of such low quality
@@lightmetro7508 my cat wouldn't touch the royal canin that was prescribed & when I read the ingredients I promptly returned it for a full refund
They recommended royal canin my for boy that has become prone to bladder crystals. He's had 4 instances where he got them. I asked for the Purina pro plan instead as it's more affordable and is the same thing. I feed him one bowl of the dry food a day, and twice a day I have these cat treats that have Cranberry, parsley, and other things that keep his bladder and urinary tract in shape. It's been almost a year since he had a flare up, fingers crossed 🤞
I buy high-quality dry food to supplement my cat’s mostly wet food diet. But the high protein expensive stuff like Dr. Elsey’s. For the neighborhood cats, it’s dry and wet food also.
My floofs' diets consist of 95% quality dry food and they're perfectly happy and healthy.
This feeding schedule has been god send for me and my cat VRE. I got 8 hours of sleep and he genuinely seems happier.
My cat would starve to death before she eats wet food. She refuses to eat it. I have to give her dry food!
No healthy cat will let themselves starve. It just takes a while to get a stubborn cat adjusted but it's perfectly possible.
@@Rikku147oh they definitely will. They are dumb little fur balls lol
No worry stay with dry food. My last two cats only ate that and became 20 and 21 years old. Thats just bs what he is teaching here.
@@vAbAfilMi âgée my cats refuse to eat wet food the only one who will eat wet food is pheonix but the other one refuses to eat it, maybe licks it but never eats it, they are on a diet of 98% meow mix dry and are perfectly healthy
@@Rikku147
So how many days do I let her go without food? I've tried it many times and she will not eat a y wet food no matter the kind of preparation.
hmm I have had numerous cats and they have lived minimum of 18 years. totally disagree with that. only feed dry. no issues and they regulate their body weight. I only use good dry not cheap, but zero issues. they don't even like wet food
I would love to know the brand of food you have fed your cats! It's always nice to read genuine stories because it's hard to figure out if a brand is actually great for cats or just has a lot of money to spend on marketing.
@@333whiteraven agree. I have a foodie Pixe Bob at present and use multiple brands. Solid Gold and Fancy Fest dry food. I don't use cheap food from large box stores
@@Truth-Be-Told-USA Thank you so much! I appreciate your reply and will look into those brands. :)
Totally agree with you! In France there is a lot of brands that doesnt contain grains.
A feed my cats with nulo dry food and also Fancy fest wet food I mix it together and they love both of my cats are healthy.
Hahahaha. “I’m done!” 😂❤
Thanks Jackson! Your advice is ALWAYS helpful
We do what we can. Food, shelter & love. My cats have free rein in the house. They're really good animals. They din take to raw or wet food, they prefer dry food so how to force feed wet food.all my wet food goes to the stray cats.
Cats have preferences for what tastes good and what doesn't. Just like humans. They can take a while to learn to like foods. Also cheap canned wet is about as appetizing a raw can of spam
i do purchase good quality for them, their grocery bill is higher then mine...lol@@cursedGalataea
Please people, don’t stop adopting shelter cats because you are not able to exclusively feed wet food to them!! Good grief.
Yeah, Jackson is usually spot on, but this was bad advice.
@@333whiteraven No, it's not bad just because you don't like the news. It's the scientific consensus, not HIS opinion.
@@leotheabys I love science and know well enough to understand that a "consensus" in science almost never happens. But I am always open to new ideas. Please provide me with the scientific studies that have proven without a reasonable doubt that dry cat food (even the top human grade brands) is bad for cats.
@@leotheabys It's not scientific consensus. It's a bunch of youtube influencers. Check out Dr. Sarah Wooten's video. She recommends feeding half wet and half dry. Of course, if you can't do the half wet part, then do your best with the dry food. For every anecdote about cats who developed kidney/urinary issues from dry food, there are anecdotes about cats who lived past 20, also on dry food.
@@daphnewalkingbird2749 I can literally provide a link to a study, I do not listen to influencers in that regard.
These were the magic fixes for my cat's behavior problems. I started watching your videos during COVID and switched from dry & canned food to raw (Darwin's). At first I did 3 meals a day, then switched to 2 meals to prepare for returning to the office as COVID died down a bit. Haven't been woken up in the middle of the night since!!! Play time before meal time is another big one!! The hardest part is building & sticking to my own routine 😅
Counter point to folks saying dry food is all their cats do well on: homemade/raw has been the best thing for my cats and their health issues. My 14 year old has early stages kidney disease and we reversed so much of it with just TC Feline Special formula (supplement powder mixed into meat). Skin issues are gone, allergies are gone. There are options out there, it doesn’t have to be expensive or a cheap, poor quality wet food. I stock up on beef when it’s $3.50/lb and spend maybe $50 on homemade cat food a month for my 2 cats.
For treats we do give TD Dental rx dry food, a few kibble a day is all my cat needs to help his genetic dental issues.
My 7 Kitties know exactly when I should be dishing them up their favorite canned fish or chicken. Twice a day, like clockwork, there is a chorus in my kitchen. lol However, I do keep dry food available for nibbling, and they let me know when the bowl is low in no uncertain terms, so, I suppose, I am doing that wrong. They have me trained. Thanks, cat daddy.
My cat eats prescription diet,or he will throw up. Science diet dry food,and wet food.
This video ALSO ROCKS!. TY!
Thank you for this video God Bless you.
All mine does is lick the gravy/liquid/whatever off the wet food and leave the rest in his bowl. Refuses to eat what's left, no matter what I do. I've tried a bunch of brands, but I'm poor and can't afford any of the more expensive ones. So dry food it is. 😅😬
Try blending or getting the gravy only/cat soup packets
I found that the canned food labeled PATE (where the gravy is blended in with the food) works much better. Also, only give 1 or 2 Tablespoons of the wet food as a meal or treat and then also feed the dry. That works for my kitties.🐈🐈⬛🐱😊 (For the flaked food, if you mash what the kitty won't eat with a fork it resembles the pate and my cat would then eat it - might work for you as well)
Thanks to you both! Worth a shot 😁🤞🏼
My cat will not eat wet food. I feed him a very good dry food that he loves and his vet says that I am doing everything right. My guy is perfectly healthy and I do leave out a wee bowl of dry food for snacking.
I do half and half, she has set breakfast/dinner times with her wet food and gets high-protein, dry food out whenever she's hungry in between. Plus 2 water fountains on the first and second floors. She's a very happy, healthy kitty and doesn't bother us for breakfast if we wanna sleep in a little on the weekends because the dry food is out.
Some days I have to add a couple of kibbels onto the wet food because someone is feeling in the mood for some crunch 🤣 happens like once every 2 weeks and fair enough girl, I get it
I really wish I could feed my cat wet food but despite my best efforts she just will not do it. I got her to eat it for about two weeks, couldn't buy more for two days and we were back to square one. It was clear that she hated it, and she wasn't interested in any of the flavours. She's simply a dry food gal.
My girl seems to be growing into one. When she was a kitten she was still picky about wet food but I kept getting her all kinds of flavours and some she really liked as a kitten. Shes two now and I can barely get her to eat 2 of types of wet food sometimes. It was 3 until 2 weeks ago when she suddenly decided her favourite (until then) chicken wet food is disgusting actually and refused to eat it.
And the happy dance she did when I brought in her dry food. This same girl is obsessed with bread and if she's begging you for food she is begging for bread not the meat.
Some cats are weirdos about food. She's healthy, drinks a lot of water and goes through a nice amount of litter do her kidneys and bladder are doing work and she loves her premium no grain dry food.
my kitty loves her crunches. she literally shakes of excitement when i am putting kibble out :D
cats are averse to rapid change- you need to mix the old food into the new food and slowly add more wet and less dry until she is only eating the wet.
When I work 12 hours a day, I can't leave my cat with anything that is not dry food.
She's 8, scottish fold, has normal weight and good health.
And anyway she eats very little when I'm at work - she eats much better in the evening and at night when I go to sleep.
She actually has a ritual - when I turn off the light she meows so I should go with her to the kitchen so she would eat and purr near to me and it's such a special moment❤
2 of my cats get diarrhea when they eat wet exclusively. Even on dry food their poops are soft and watery. One of them had giardia but even after the vet cleared my cat of giardia she still has wet poops. (I did also pay for the more expensive coccidia test but that came back negative also) so for now wet food is an occasional treat twice a week
My cat also had giardia (this was horrible for me and my best furry friend) but after my cat was cleared from giardia I gave him Royal Canin - Feline Gastrointestinal. This was amazing and my cat never been so healthy
love this guy
Mine get dry food in the morning, maybe a little bit at noon, wet food around human dinner and just a little bit of dry food before human sleep time. They still wake up the can openers tho because they get bored or want cuddles.
Kitty heads will roll, if woken up at night. They know.
Best short for cats ever! 🐈 Thanks JacksonGalaxy
We all have different relationships with the animals in our homes.
My Gingy gets 1/2 can wet food in the morning with added hot water and a full cup of dry split into am and pm portions. And lots of treats of course 😄
I do it this way because a vet once told me to feed both wet and dry foods for two good reasons:
A wet food your cat enjoys increases their water intake
Dry food promotes healthy teeth (grain-less!)
my cat is on prescription food and will only eat the dry version. he has plenty of water in various points around the house.
Thank you for mentioning this.
Cat's digestive system was made to eat meat not dried food.
I have known this for 40 + year's.
If your veteran doesn't explain this to you he or she is a bad vet.
Also do not give them tunafish and feed them can fish food not at all or sparingly. It causes urinary blockage more so in males but females too.
Any suggestions for those cats that absolutely refuse any wet food no matter the kind. I need solutions.
We free feed dry food to our 2 house cats - they know when they're hungry! They don't beg for food, they don't bother anyone while they're eating, they're not greedy so they eat steadily, they are both in good health, good weight, and they turn their noses up at wet food and raw. Sometimes one of them likes ham but even then, not that often. They both like cream which they only have occasionally - I'm not gonna force them to eat something they dislike - they are both pretty fussy!!! Royal Canin works for us and they always have food in their bowls and slow feeder which they both like to use.
my cat only eats the sauce from the wet food and leaves the rest 😂
My vet told me to feed wet food only once or twice a week. My cat doesnt’t even wants to touch it. He is a healthy kitty so far. I use to feed him a diferent flavour every day for 4 days in a row. So Its not too boring for the animal . 😅
You’ve got a good point, how you feed a cat is very situational. The wet cat food in my country is bad, like junk food. So I give them high quality dry that’s good for their teeth. They have real meat, but it’s not complete nutrition so they have the dry as well.
I think this video is a good starting point but if you have a routine that works you probably don’t need to change it.
Thanks!
I fed my last cat a mixture, sometimes wet, sometimes dry. Cats are nocturnal, forget getting them to sleep through the night. She lived to be 19 years 7 months old, succumbing to kidney disease only the last 4 months of her life.
Thank you for your help
These are two things I do. Gonna be hard to stop both I tell ya!
Used to free feed but our cats got obese so the vet said to feed them 2-4 times a day and told us the amounts to feed. We clicker trained them for their own bowls and twice daily. We add in wet food with their dinner.
How did you clicker train? like what program?
I have a mama cat and two juvenile cats-they eat wet food in am and am trying to get them off free feeding. For the last 3 weeks, no free feeding and I tried to get them to go into their carriers to eat dry or wet in evening and they do not want to go into them. I know they are still hungry, but what can I do?
@@jolie1327 we have 2 that were litter mates. I bought clickers on amazon. I first taught them their names by clucking while saying their name and giving them a treat. One is more food motivated than the other. Then when we started feeding we get their food bowls out (they always have fresh water out) and we fill each of their bowls with the appropriate amount. Then i would (going in the same order each time) call one to their bowl while clicking. I also used 1 click for one and 2 quick clicks for the other. The other tries to go and we tell them know and block the 1 from eating then we’d grab the others food to her place across the dining room and clicking while calling her name and sat her food down. They are fed roughly 12 hrs apart. Now they know the pattern. We were told to put up their bowls after a certain time and we do. We also make sure the food motivated one doesn’t get into the others food if he doesn’t finish. We still put up his food if he doesn’t finish …
@@jolie1327 maybe just start with getting them to eat on a schedule THEN start to train them to eat in the carriers with the schedule- they just may not like feeling closed in whilst eating
@@IndigobluBeauty Thanks Indigo, the reason they eat in their carriers, so each has their own food. But it's the evening when I want them to eat in their carrier again they resist. I did an experiment I left some food out and they started to eat the food, so they are hungry.
I have 8 cats, all rescues, all very healthy, but I could not afford to feed them on just wet food, they do get wet food, of course, but I always have some dry out, I try to limit it to perfect weight food, which seems to help keep their weight down. I can’t afford to just feed them wet. all my cats have lived long lives and I have never lost a young one.
Thank you for having adopted 8 rescues and for taking such good care of them!😺😺😺😺😺😺😺😺
*Guiltily looks at the dry food bag.* Sorry cat Daddy.
I am so appreciative of what you have to say. I am always saying to the cat and my hubby, " Jackson Galaxy says..." you are awesome!
My cat gets dry food.
Veterinarians say wet food gives cats dental issues. I trust veterinarians over random people on the internet.
💯
LoL Don't be surprised when your cat gets kidney disease.
yes, jackson galaxy, the famous cat behaviorist, who had a tv show and has worked with cats for decades, is just some random guy on the internet.... also if your cat has chronic health issues from a poor diet the vets make more money lmao
@@trippykay "Cat behaviorist" aka a random dude without a degree.
Doctors know best. Random people like you and him don't.
Dry food is best for housecats and I feel for poor cats in the US being Iocked up by their owners inside small rooms and being overfed food that gives them diarrhea to the point they can barely walk because they're so obese.
@@cilanatroisbetterthanparsley .... dry food makes cats obese. what are you on about
Open farm is a great choice! My cats absolutely love their grass fed beef wet recipe
Thanks for this info🤗
I free feed my cats because my health is such that I may be stuck in bed for the day. Or three. I'd like to feed properly, but I prefer they not starve. Or trample me when I'm already in great pain.
Edit: spelling
I do this as well, if I can’t feed them they feed themselves. This way they stick to the same feeding schedule/routine we got going.
I fed my cat raw for about a year twice a day. She started to turn her nose up when I fed her so I tried different flavours- that didn’t work- so I withheld- she started to pee one the corners of our home! I started giving her kibble and a “ gravy like” food and she’s been great. Still within her weight. She’s much happier!
One of my cats, Sumara, refuses to eat wet food. She literally starves herself if I give her wet food. I've tried the slow transition. It's so frustrating because she's getting on in years and I want her to be as healthy as possible but she just will not eat it
I’m suspecting that not all dry food is ‘bad’. I have a cat who prefers his dry food too, so we buy Iams which seems to be much more nutritious than the cheaper ones (but not super-expensive like vet stuff!) 🤷🏻♀️
You're awesome! 😄
For most people, wet food is really expensive. Especially if you ended up having more than one cat... Like myself. I try to find the best dry food that I can, but sometimes the cheap dry is all I can afford. They seem to be happy with it. Especially the temptations brand that recently came out. If I have the money, I'll buy whole hearted from Petco or Nutro
QUESTION: I know raw is best, but what is your opinion on freeze-dried raw. Specifically, reconstituted with warm water? Dunno if you'll see this, but hoping so.
All of that info love is on his 3 part series of feeding. It's so informative! Good luck!
@@taramarienixon9915 I watched it, but I don't recall him talking about freeze-dried raw...I might have just forgotten. I'll go check it out again 😊
My cats wouldn't touch that stuff & super expensive!
@@dinak.2552 Feeding your cat proper food isn't going to be cheap - you get what you pay for. Jackson has gone over this in depth. Your cat's food preferences though, that's another issue. My cat loves the freeze-dried raw when it's soaked in warm water, drained just a little, and mashed up. Proper nutrients (from the research I've done) plus hydration. Best of both worlds. If I could afford to feed her a straight raw diet, I would, but at least for now, this is better than dry food or most wet food options.
High-quality dry food is not unhealthy as a supplement to wet food, especially if there is a clean water fountain accessible 24/7. I'm going to trust my vet when it comes to his digestion and health. You have good advice for behavior for sure. But I trust my vet more. He literally went to school for this.
Fun fact, vets are taught almost nothing about nutrition, just like human doctors, and the classes they do get on the subject 99% are taught by a rep for whatever pet food company that wants to send someone down. Pet food companies are full of it
@Backinblack Bunny Fun fact, my veterinarian specializes in gut and digestive health of several species, and he knows more about nutrition than you do.
Good info. Thanks!
I would feed my cat wet food at regular intervals, but trained her to use a candy dispenser that held dry food. She would eat small quantities of dry food whenever she wanted by putting her paw over the candy dispenser IR sensor, but didn't overeat because there wasn't a big pile of food in front of her (which she would definitely do before using the candy dispenser).
She was always a good weight and had a long life.
Sorry I free feed and I don’t plan to stop. I feel free feeding let’s them eat when they want and they are not bugging me for food. My cats are not overweight at all. I buy a better quality dry food and I feel the wet stuff is awful, the only part of the wet food they like is the gravy. They like all the liquid from the wet food and leave the chunks
Thank you, Jackson. I had a neighbour who basically accused me of poisoning my own cat and a feral street cat that was looking after at the time because I wasn't giving them dry food. He said" I told you to give them dry food. You are poisoning Lucy(my cat) and now you are trying to poison Felix(the street cat)"
This happened about 4 years ago. I haven't spoken to him since. He thought he could talk to me like he owned me and knew everything. The good news is that my Lucy is alive and well. Felix had an owner and just loved calling to me for some reason. Most of the animals my neighbour ever had either died or ran away. So people don't let anyone push you around. Thanks again, Jackson.
This is the opposite of what I’ve heard, every vet I’ve been to says wet food has little nutritional value and is mainly to hydrate them
NO DRY FOOD? SHE LOVES HER BICCITS -.-
After spending thousands of $ on vet bills we found allergies. She can ONLY eat prescription dry ... What we do about that Jackson?
Obviously different
Monoprotein wet food.
@@leotheabys we tried novel single protein wet food..
If I don't free feed they literally freak out. Try and trip us, bite my nose if there's only half in the bowls.
I've tried, not worth getting hurt lol.
Same. If they can see the bottom, there isn't any food.
That Carlos man 🎉❤
My cats vet recommended a combination of dry and wet . Hills is what she has been raised on since we adopted her.
Isn't it good for their teeth to have hard, dry food?
I've heard this also?
i do a balance of both🫶🏼
hydration from the wet and dry food for the teeth
Yes it's good for their teeth , people's teeth also , I've known people that only ate soft foods and their teeth became loose .
I feed my cat expensive dry food that was recommended by my vet, but she also eats wet food. I always feed little bits at a time or she might eat too fast and vomit.
I usually do a mix of dry and wet food (financial reasons) twice a day and it usually works out quite well
We stopped free feeding a while back when our babies were basically bowling balls when we took em for a check up. We scaled back and did meals gently. I was so prepared for a full scale Jan 6th situation but they adjusted reasonably well. Bones was famous for plopping on our chest in the middle of the night demanding food, but not anymore. Our babies are smart and eventually figure out when food time is and can wait. (I still have to resist them if it's a couple hours til food time and they're being so cute in Their begging positions.)
I'm poor, sorry champ.
i recently adopted my baby girl marble, she’s around 2 months old. i chose to free feed her dry kibble and feed her blue buffalo wet kitten food three times per day :))
she is a growing lil bean, so she’s eating it all up. her fur is gorgeous, and she has all the energy in the world. i always think having a mix of both is key for our babies and when i’m sleeping i want her to have something to nibble on if she gets hungry🫶🏼
this is what works best for me :)
I agree with the "stop free feeding", cats LOVE routine. I give mine breakfast, lunch, dinner and a snack before i go to bed.
Meals are wet food with some kibble (1/8 cup) in their bowls. This seems to be working as their health seems good and their weight is right where it should be (play time helps with this of course).
Every cat is different, find what suits your kitty and as long as it's not hurting them, give it to them.
Don't forget non-processed "people food", like chicken and turkey! No seasoning!
Love your kitties!
With 2 kittens growing up strong and healthy we feed them twice a day wet food (as much as they can eat) and free feed them dry food. Seems working very well! 😊
I have dry food out for my cat for when I get an 12 hour shift at work. That said, he gets a can of wet food every night, and now that I watched your videos, I'm going to spend more on his food to get better stuff at the cost of cutting out simple pleasures I enjoyed because my cat is worth it.
There are some dry foods that are very good for cats. My boy was a 2 year old rescue with FIV. His teeth were in bad shape with 2 needing to be removed. Vet thought he would probably lose most of them in the next few years, if he lived she wasn't sure he would for more than maybe 6 months or so. Also his ability to digest some foods was poor.
Vet put him on a couple of special biscuits.
1 to help him digest food, he still has this but now mixed with other biscuits.
2. a large biscuit to help build up and keep his teeth clean.
He has now shared my home for 3.5 years and his last check up he got a great report. His teeth are stronger his gums are good and he is not expected to lose any more teeth any time soon. His life expectancy is also good, we are on track for him to live a long life.
He loves his biscuits and his wet food.
He is a little overweight but Vet said its in an ok range but we are working on that.
He also loves rolling round in the dirt and grass or sleeping under the Camilia bush in his catio.
All in all I think the best thing is to take advice from Vets and you, put it together talk to your cat and negotiate an agreed outcome with the cat.
We/I use to alternate, between wet and dry, between rotating daily or weekly, never free-fed them. If they didn't eat all their 'breakfast', it was labelled and put into the fridge til night feed, we also occasionally feed both, mixed together, they knew when feed time was also, all had their own, designated areas, and they would each go to their area, and wait for their bowl, once a month we would rotate them so over a 6 mnth period they had been in each designated area, we also did this because on cat in particular was feed in the upstairs guest toilet and like to unravel the toilet paper even when we removed it to the basin or squeezed it so it would roll as easily.
Mines on a raw diet! She looks, and obviously feels amazing! Best decision I ever made!