Mixing wet and dry together-why is this bad?

Status
Not open for further replies.
Traci and Boomer

Traci and Boomer

Very Active Member
I think part of Merlin's poop problem is that his belly isn't used to so much wet food even though he LOVES it. I went overboard feeding him wet food when he got here. I'm trying to correct my ways. He's only used to having 2 tablespoon fulls a day.

Sooooo....my thought is that he needs to eat more dry until he's "regular". He was fed Evo and a few others like California Natural. HOWEVER-He will not touch Evo or Cal Natural dry food unless it's mixed with wet.
Questions:
-How long can the food remain mixed together before the bacteria issue starts?
-If I keep the food mixture on ice (picture a double boiler-the food bowl sits on top of another bowl with ice) will that keep the bacteria from forming?

How much time does he have to eat the food before it's bad?

Or-I could try another tactic: try different dry foods to see if he will eat any kind without being mixed with wet. Since he's barely eating any dry food I'm gonna make the assumption that it's the wet food that's making him sick.

Now I realize I'm on a diabetes message board and that you are probably all against dry food, (with good reason) but who else can help me with this but you guys? If he'll eat dry, then it may help the poop! Oh, and he hasn't pooped yet today so I've not been able to see what's going on yet. I've got him on metamucil now too.

So - Which is a better idea? Keep mixing wet and dry together or try a new dry? Please be kind. I'm going nuts trying to help him. :oops:
 
Traci, personally I would continue the dry (whatever he will eat) an d mix the wet into it and ever so gradually remove some dry and add more wet. this way he can adjust easier. take as long as he needs.
providing your house is cool, you can leave wet out all day. and certainly no problem if you have it iced. may look funky to us but will be alright. remember their gut and system does not keep food in it long enough for bacteria to take hold but you really should not have a problem
 
Thanks Dian. But I thought it was bad to combine dry and wet together moreso than leaving wet food out. Maybe I misinterpreted what I heard. I thought I remember people here telling me to not mix them and the woman from the rescue said this too- but it's the only way I can get him to eat dry!!! Does anyone know about this? Maybe I'm wrong? I hope so!
 
I am gonna guess WRONG cause when transitioning a cat from dry to wet, that is the way you do it and eventually he will be on all wet. check out dr. lisa's site. I believe she tells you how to do it also
 
i think the problem with dry food getting wet is that it breeds bacteria but i may be having a senior moment there :-)

if he eats it all up fairly quickly, i.e. within a couple hours maybe, then i wouldn't think you'd have anything to worry about with regards to the bacteria formation

figure it can't be too too bad because like dian says, there's all that info out there on how to switch a cat over from dry to wet, involving the mixing of the two, soooooooo
 
Traci, wasn't he also used to different wet food then you are giving him? that could also be factored in to his problem. maybe compare the ingredients from his old wet food to what you are giving him and see if something jumps out as a possible culprit . ( you can always post here for input ;-) )

do you have the link to dr. lisa's site on transitioning food?

http://www.catinfo.org/

best w/ your new friend
 
bacteria maybe but I think the primary reason not to mix them is mold. When grains get wet they get moldy pretty fast. Now, maybe since you are feeding the grain free dry it wouldnt happen? i dunno.
 
Hi -
Yup, at first I was feeding him pouch food because he wouldn't eat the holistic stuff readily. I admit that I couldn't stand putting his food down and not having him eat it. It drove me nuts so I started giving him the pouch kind for a over a week I think. Then I stopped and have been giving him the "good" wet stuff that he doesn't like as much but will eat over time. I am mixing "good" wet with "good" dry and hoping that bring "good" poop! :lol:
I'm definitely crazy.

Cheryl and Winnie said:
Traci, wasn't he also used to different wet food then you are giving him? that could also be factored in to his problem. maybe compare the ingredients from his old wet food to what you are giving him and see if something jumps out as a possible culprit . ( you can always post here for input ;-) )

do you have the link to dr. lisa's site on transitioning food?

http://www.catinfo.org/

best w/ your new friend
Click to expand...
 
Think about mixing the pouch food with the Wellness or whatever. Yyou might also try some of the cheaper brands of wet food with good numbers. You may want to review Dr. Lisa's tips on transitioning at http://www.catinfo.org for the straight skinny on dry & wet.
 
Thank you for that. He will eat a lot in 20-30 minutes. But the rescue says NOT to do it so I won't. I'm following directions! :lol:

This morning the little stinker didn't eat ANY dry food from overnight. She says I should see what he does tonight and if he still doesn't touch it, then give him a little more wet in the morning. Interesting. I'm so glad she instructing me. I'm so much less wishy-washy when I can just do as I'm told instead of trying to figure out what's best.

I should have been more careful in the beginning but the "Italian mother" in me HAD to see her kid eat!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top