How to soften up dry food?

IMPORTANT: If your cat is in any distress or discomfort, please consult your own vet as your first priority.
Post Reply
User avatar
Gabbys_Mum
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:38 pm
No. of cats in household: 1

How to soften up dry food?

Post by Gabbys_Mum »

Hi everyone,

Hoping you and your adorable balls of fluff are all fine.
I was looking for some help for softening up dry renal food.
Amazingly Gabby is eating the Hill's Prescription Diet k/d dry food. It's just the right size for her but, it seems to be too hard for her to break up. She had a dental last week and at 17 years old, only has a few teeth left (bless her fluffy socks!). I recall the vet saying it can be softened up but she didn't say how.
I've tried soaking them with a little water but that just softens the outside and not the inside and she just ends up licking it.
Does anyone have any ideas? Your help would be greatly appreciated. Thank you :)
OHWS
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 115
Joined: Sun Jan 10, 2016 8:22 pm

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by OHWS »

.
Last edited by OHWS on Sun Nov 27, 2016 12:12 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Ruth B
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1998
Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2016 11:31 am
No. of cats in household: 3
Location: Wolverhampton

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Ruth B »

Blue, our old Ragdoll had virtually all his back teeth out when he was about 13 years old, and lived for another 3 years until old age finally caught up with him. Like you we were told to soften the dried food up with water and even to mix water into the wet food for the first few days. Unfortunately as is often the case, no one told Blue. We got him home and let him out of the basket before we took the dried food up to soften it (we had a second cat so it had been left down while he was at the vets). Blue was straight over to the bowl and gulping it down before we could get to it. We never did end up adding water to it.

He had always loved his dried food (we use the Purina One) and even with no teeth he never lost his love of it, he would eat it in preference to the wet stuff. We often joked that he must have been swallowing the pieces whole, but it was what he wanted and never had a problem.

Try soaking it for longer and if she will eat it like that then fine, but if she won't and can manage the pieces whole then I wouldn't worry too much. If it hurts her she won't carry on eating it if a wet food she likes is available. Alternatively it might be worth seeing if any she likes have smaller pieces that she could manage whole.

As I have been told, and as it seemed with Blue, a cat with no teeth can manage a lot better than a cat with one bad tooth. Apparently their gums harden off well so they can still eat normally.
User avatar
MarkB
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 4
Location: Whitstable, Kent

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by MarkB »

Some cats just won't eat soaked food. After all, dry cat food is sprayed with a meat 'gravy' to make it palatable. The kibble itself is usually a mix of meat, cereal and other stuff. We had a cat with CRD who would just hover up his dry renal food. Obviously wet food is better, but I appreciate that it is expensive. Clapton also had dental problems and needed most of his teeth removed over time. I remember once that when he cam home after a major dental(about 6 teeth removed) I put dry out for him, but he opted for hoovering up his K/D dry. It is some time since I needed to buy any renal food (although over the years, we had 4 cats with CRD) but I can't remember if K/D had the smallest kibble size. I think it did. There is another one called Happy Cat kidney diet (Available from Zooplus) that from memory, is also a small kibble and very palatable.

Obviously it is imprtant for cats on a dry diet to get plenty of water - even moreso for cats with kidney problems. If you haven't got one already, I recommend the Catmate water fountain - they really do seem to encourage cats to drink more. Of all the fountains I have tried, the Catmate is the easiest to clean and maintain.
User avatar
Gabbys_Mum
Frequent Cat Chatter
Posts: 37
Joined: Wed Aug 24, 2016 10:38 pm
No. of cats in household: 1

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Gabbys_Mum »

Thank you for your replies, I really appreciate your help. I shall try soaking the dry food for a bit longer.

Although starting well on wet renal food, Gabby isn't as keen now, so eating the dry is a relief, I was just worried it may be hurting her gums as watching her, she sometimes puts the pellet in her mouth, tries to crunch it, but then it just ends up falling out of her mouth. Sometimes she swallows.
User avatar
Crewella
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3605
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:59 pm
No. of cats in household: 6
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Crewella »

Several of my oldies have few remaining teeth, and Grumpy Nellie has none at all. I have tried softening dry food for them, but none seem bothered and all have happily eaten their dry food just as it comes. The only thing Grumpy Nellie struggles with is chicken breast - I have to chop it up small for her, and even then she finds it hard work.
User avatar
MarySkater
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 564
Joined: Sat Nov 14, 2015 8:47 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: Dumfries, SW Scotland

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by MarySkater »

Crewella wrote: The only thing Grumpy Nellie struggles with is chicken breast - I have to chop it up small for her, and even then she finds it hard work.
Some years ago, a cat I had was reluctant to eat (old and ill). I tried chopping chicken for him with a mini chopper. I have this one:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Magimix-Micro- ... ro+magimix
but there are cheaper ones on the market now.
User avatar
Crewella
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3605
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 9:59 pm
No. of cats in household: 6
Location: Hertfordshire

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Crewella »

That's a good idea - thanks. :)
Lallum
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 71
Joined: Sun Jul 06, 2014 10:41 pm
No. of cats in household: 3
Location: Alnwick

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Lallum »

Midnight eats CD food for his bladder problems. He lost most of his teeth before he got sick. He eats the dry CD food whole. He swallows it/ gulps it down. Occasionally he is sick afterwards. I tried softening them in water with a few drops of cranberry juice. Eventually they soften up but it was longer than I thought it would take. He's a furry piglet. The thought of crunching them never entered his mind!

I think the prescription food for some reason is harder than normal dried food. When I've dropped the odd ordinary pellet into the water dish it seems to soften immediately which doesn't seem to make sense.
User avatar
Kay
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1961
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:50 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Wales

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Kay »

would it be acceptable to give her this occasionally? http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/dry_ ... ion/232562

my two really like it
User avatar
Lilith
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3600
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:00 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Yorks

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Lilith »

I like the look of that, Kay - and it's cheaper than my lot's current Purina sensitive if I get the economy package, free delivery too :)

Hey Gabby's Mum, another way could be to stew up a chicken carcase (no seasonings of course) for stock, or even just poach a chicken breast or joint (take off any skin but chickens nowadays don't seem to be as greasy as they used to be) and use the resulting broth to pour over the kibble when still hot; add plenty of course, until the top layer's floating a bit, and when it's cooled it will have extra chicken flavour, good luck :)

It IS true though, no matter how toothless they are, they still hoover dried food down; I think they develop a gizzard or something in there...
User avatar
Alice
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 270
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: NW England

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Alice »

Hi Lil
I don't know where you buy your Purina Sensitive, but economy packs from Zooplus are much cheaper than the product Kay linked to, from £3-16 per kilo. I get it regularly for my two, and the box it comes in provides lots of fun as a 'playpen'.......

http://www.zooplus.co.uk/shop/cats/dry_ ... eds/195934
User avatar
Lilith
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3600
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:00 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Yorks

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Lilith »

WOW! Alice, thanks for that! I've been buying from Sainsbury's...yessss I know, unenterprising of me. I started buying it because it was on offer and just never realised what good prices there are if I shopped about a bit. Shall in future! :D
User avatar
Alice
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 270
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: NW England

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Alice »

I'd have expected better from a Yorkshire lass :lol: :lol:
User avatar
MarkB
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 4
Location: Whitstable, Kent

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by MarkB »

I usually get my Purina One sensitive from Zooplus - 2 x 3kg for£18.99 (less 5% discount, so even better) :) - although even better, for as long as I can remember, they have supplied it as 4 x 1.5kg bags, which are easier to handle and I guess, also keeps it fresh for longer.

I slipped up this month and didn't order in times, so had to get some in Tesco. The 3kg bags are on offer for £10, although the offer ends today. I'm sure it is still on offer for£10 in Sainsbury's though :)
User avatar
Lilith
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 3600
Joined: Sat Dec 20, 2014 8:00 pm
No. of cats in household: 1
Location: West Yorks

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Lilith »

Alice wrote:I'd have expected better from a Yorkshire lass :lol: :lol:
Lol Alice though I've lived here all my life I'm not, but I'm learning :D

Mark that sounds good, but I buy online for delivery; I think it differs between in store and online, worse luck...that small surcharge of Zooplus for 5% off each order is good, a lot of those things are ripoffs but if you buy in bulk and avoid delivery charges (you even get a decent carrier who gives you a time slot) there ought to be a good saving :)
User avatar
MarkB
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 4
Location: Whitstable, Kent

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by MarkB »

Yes, I always spend £39+ so I can opt for DPD, so I know exactly when the delivery is coming - they have never failed :D

Since we lost Kylie, the other 3 are hardly using the trays at all (I dread to think where they are going, as I have only seen Kaspser use our own garden) It is harder to make up an order, as I have almost given up trying fancy unknown foods.
User avatar
Alice
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 270
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: NW England

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Alice »

At Bitiba (part of Zooplus) Purina Sensitive is only £17.99 for 6kg, but you need to spend £39 to get free carriage - not really a problem when you've more than one cat, as it comes in 1.5kg bags with a good 'use by' date. I sometimes make up the order with Felix AGAIL sachets, which are usually cheaper than local supermarkets and don't need carrying home.

http://www.bitiba.co.uk/shop/cats/dry_c ... purina_one
User avatar
MarkB
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 4
Location: Whitstable, Kent

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by MarkB »

I keep meaning to check Bitiba out. I know you don't get the extra discount, or points and the range is smaller than Zooplus, but probably works out a tad cheaper in the long run. I also want to give Zoofast (based in Poland) a try at some point. The food prices are excellent, but litter is expensive for some reason.

Is the delivery by DPD for a £39 spend with Bitba? - with Zooplus, itis free Parcelforce delivery over £29 and free DPD delivery over £39. I wouldn't use Parcelforce as it is too far to collect if I miss a delivery, since they closed our local PO down.
User avatar
Alice
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 270
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 6:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 2
Location: NW England

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by Alice »

My orders from Bitiba have come with Yodel. I know some people aren't happy with Yodel, but in my area I find them OK - no hourly slot, but a tracking number is given, and I'm home most of the time so it's not been a problem.
User avatar
MarkB
VIP Cat Chatter!
Posts: 1348
Joined: Thu Mar 13, 2014 2:40 pm
No. of cats in household: 4
Location: Whitstable, Kent

Re: How to soften up dry food?

Post by MarkB »

That rules Bitba out for me :lol: - I would rather pay an extra £1 and be able to work around the delivery
Post Reply