Feeding my 5 year old cat wet food?

I recently adopted a Maine Coon/Domestic Long Haired 5 year old cat. His previous owner told us that we should only feed him dry food and not wet "anymore". We didn't ask why (being new cat owners) and just assumed he out grew it. Then we started doing some research and found that wet food should actually be included in the diet. So we fed him wet food and he LOVEDDDDDDDD it!!!! However, we had him for a good 3 weeks before he had a hair ball and probably 5 days after he ate wet food he got his first (and second) hair ball. Now, it could just be coincidence but it worried us a little. But on the only hand he normally will barely finish his dry food (although he will eat it--he usually never finishes a full 1/4 cup). But once i mixed 1/2 a can of wet with 1/4 of the dry he basically licked the bowl clean!!!! My questions are:

1. Is it okay to feed older cats wet food? If so, how much a day?
2. Has anyone ever found that giving wet food causes more hairballs?
3. How much should I mix of dry with wet (since he seemed to like that) each time I feed him (which is twice a day)?

Please help!!!! New cat owner and I want him to be happy.

M

1. Is it okay to feed older cats wet food? If so, how much a day?

It's great to feed cats wet food! It's really good for them. You should feed 1/2 oz- 1 oz of food per pound of body weight.

2. Has anyone ever found that giving wet food causes more hairballs?

I've never noticed a correlation between the two. Do you brush him daily since he's got long hair? That will help with the hairballs. It could also be that maybe the particular type of canned food you're feeding doesn't completely agree with his tummy and that's the connection. What are you feeding?

3. How much should I mix of dry with wet (since he seemed to like that) each time I feed him (which is twice a day)?

We feed wet food twice daily and supplement with dry. I wouldn't mix them and leave them out because the wet food will spoil. If it's on the dry then that might create a problem.

Thats great to know! Its just so amazing how he INHALES wet food--and he ate all of the dry food when it was mixed!!!


I try to bush him as often as I can but he gets very cranky when I try to brush his tail and underbelly so those areas usually end up not getting brushed as often. We have this tuna gel that we can put on his paw with hairball medicine in it if he continues. It hasn't happened since Tuesday morning and before that it was Saturday very late at night.

I believe we fed him the Friskies or Fancy Feast Salmon can (I am at work and cannot check)--he REALLY enjoyed the Salmon dinner.

How much would you suggest I mix of the dry with the wet? I used about 1/2 of the can with 1/4 cup of dry and he finished so quick!

I wouldn't give more than 1/2 cup daily. If they start eating primarily wet, you may notice some slight weight loss. Watch them for weight gain and cut back on the dry food if you see they're gaining.

I wouldn't consider 5 to be 'old', but that's another story.

If he eats it straight away, it's fine to mix the wet and dry, but definitely don't leave it out.
1/2 can + 1/4th may be too much, but you will have to see. The easiest way to tell is with a baby scale; it measures accurately and you can always find a mother in need of one at a later time.