offering wet food with dry...striking a balance

Hi I've been here before with Matt, he's the domestic shorthair former stray who can't handle most kibble. We finally got him settled onto Wholesome Blend Easy To Digest for his base nutrition, and now I'm working on his wet food. I found he loved friskies, but the vet warned me off it based on salt content and calories(also he gained weight in the week he was eating it) so I went to the local pet health food store and got something simpler. California Natural is what was suggested so I bought 3 cans and he loves it. I gave him the same amount as friskies, and he's asking for more already, it's only 11:30am. 

Now if the can says give half the can twice daily, and the kibble says give 3/4 cup daily.....what's a good balance? so far I've been 1/2cup kibble/day with about a tbsp twice daily of wet. this worked with friskies, but he's asking for more with the California Natural, and both of his bowls have been emptied as well, which he didn't do while on the Wholesome Blend kibble/friskies wet combination. 

Any suggestions?

Any reason you don't just put him on all canned food? Seems easier and healthier than trying to find a dry food that doesn't make him sick.

Most adult cats eating all canned food do well with one 5.5-ounce can a day (this depends on calorie content, though). A more active cat may need a bit more, a smaller, older cat may need a bit less, but that's the usual amount. So if you wanted to do 50/50, you'd give him half a can and half of the daily kibble amount (usually what the bag recommends is too much, so you might have to experiment to find the right amount for him).

Try to find out how many calories are in a can (might be on their website, or call them) and how many calories in the kibble (usually on the bag). Most adult indoor cats would do well on 20 calories per pound per day.

This is an easy one: ONLY feed him California Natural. Your vet was correct that Friskies is bad - and not just because of the salt. Kibbles are even worse: they cause obesity and dehydration, which lead to a variety of fatal diseases. No matter what you heard, there is nothing good in dry food. Willowy's first statement is correct.

Willowy said:

Any reason you don't just put him on all canned food? Seems easier and healthier than trying to find a dry food that doesn't make him sick.
Most adult cats eating all canned food do well with one 5.5-ounce can a day (this depends on calorie content, though). A more active cat may need a bit more, a smaller, older cat may need a bit less, but that's the usual amount. So if you wanted to do 50/50, you'd give him half a can and half of the daily kibble amount (usually what the bag recommends is too much, so you might have to experiment to find the right amount for him).
Try to find out how many calories are in a can (might be on their website, or call them) and how many calories in the kibble (usually on the bag). Most adult indoor cats would do well on 20 calories per pound per day.

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I agree.

I also agree, there's no need to feed kibble at all. I know it may seem weird, but unfortunately as already mentioned their are NO health benefits to it, instead your risking your cat developing illnesses associated to the lack of moisture such as urinary infections/crystals, kidney issues, etc. and due to the high carbohydrate content your cat may become more prone to diabetes, IBS, megacolon, etc.

Its just not worth it.

Willowy said:

Any reason you don't just put him on all canned food? Seems easier and healthier than trying to find a dry food that doesn't make him sick.
Most adult cats eating all canned food do well with one 5.5-ounce can a day (this depends on calorie content, though). A more active cat may need a bit more, a smaller, older cat may need a bit less, but that's the usual amount. So if you wanted to do 50/50, you'd give him half a can and half of the daily kibble amount (usually what the bag recommends is too much, so you might have to experiment to find the right amount for him).
Try to find out how many calories are in a can (might be on their website, or call them) and how many calories in the kibble (usually on the bag). Most adult indoor cats would do well on 20 calories per pound per day.

Click to expand...

No, there really isn't any reason at all. Matt is only my second cat, and  my last cat was on dry her whole life with whiskas pouches for treats a couple of times a week. When we adopted Matt he had such digestive issues from the science diet they had him on at the shelter that it took 2 months to get him settled down to healthy litterbox habits, and I only just got brave enough to introduce the wet food to his system after the trouble we had with his kibble. What I found was  an immediate improvement in his litterbox and mood, and that was with the friskies Matt himself seems to be weaning off the dry food, filling up on wet and leaving the dry in his bowl when he's not hungry any more, so as long as the food agrees with him I am more than willing to only have dry food down for when we're not around to give him wet. He likes to eat every four hours or so....if I feed him 3x daily wet and put a little dry down overnight that should do it. Plus the fat content is lower and he's getting a little pudgy......

Actually, canned food is best for weight loss. It's the kibble that makes them pudgy (lots of carbs!). I have my cats on all canned (Friskies, because I have a lot of cats), and they've all lost weight since I switched, even though they're allowed to eat as much as they want. Even a cheap canned food is better than kibble, IMO.

But, yeah, if you fed 1/3 of a can 3 times a day, with a small amount of kibble left out overnight, that probably would work for him.

yes, I had figured it was the kibble that was making him pudgy, since he's on the same kibble that his predecesser was, and is getting the same tummy she had. though she was allowed to graze, and I've regulated his feeding since I got him, so the food seems to be the most likely culprit for that stomache. But he's only 2, and there's plenty of time to remedy the weight gain. I think I'll put him onto timed feedings, so he knows when his next meal is coming.....he's getting upset at having empty bowls after eating all the wet