Cat food for British Shorthairs: prevent weight gain

British Shorthairs are a naturally stocky breed, but that build makes it easy for real fat to creep on unnoticed — and at five years old, your cat is heading into the life stage where metabolism starts to slow. Getting ahead of this now is exactly the right instinct. Cats are obligate carnivores with fairly specific nutritional needs, and a lot of commercial foods don't help matters — they're carbohydrate-heavy in ways that promote fat storage and don't suit feline physiology. Wet food is generally the better base: higher protein, lower carbs, and it keeps kidneys working well long-term. To point you toward the right thing: is your cat male or female, neutered, and what are you currently feeding — wet, dry, or a mix?

That free-choice dry kibble is almost certainly the culprit. Cats tend to graze on dry food past the point of hunger, especially when they're a bit bored or under-stimulated — and neutered females are particularly prone to weight gain because their energy requirements drop after spaying. The calorie density of most kibble is also much higher than it looks. Any health issues I should know about, or is this purely a prevention situation?

Good — that gives you real flexibility to act now rather than fix a problem later. My recommendation is to move her to Royal Canin Satiety Balance wet food pouches as her main diet, fed in measured portions twice a day, and drop the free-choice dry entirely. Royal Canin's Satiety formula is specifically designed to help cats feel full on fewer calories — it has a higher fibre and protein content than standard adult recipes, which supports lean muscle while reducing fat accumulation. It's also structured around feline nutritional requirements rather than cheap fillers. For a British Shorthair her age, two pouches a day split into two meals is a reasonable starting point, but check the pack guidance against her current weight and adjust from there. The key change is the routine: fixed meals, no grazing, no top-ups. Within a few weeks you should notice she's maintaining rather than gaining.

You can, but treat it as a training tool rather than a food source — a few pieces for enrichment puzzles or scatter feeding is fine. What you want to avoid is a bowl of dry food she can return to freely. If you do use dry as a treat, factor it into her daily calorie allowance rather than adding it on top. Royal Canin also does a Satiety dry formula if you want the same calorie-controlled approach on both sides, but honestly, for weight prevention the wet-only route is simpler and better for her kidneys too.

Do it gradually over about seven to ten days — mix increasing amounts of the new food with what she's used to. Cats can be resistant to sudden food changes, and British Shorthairs in particular can dig their heels in. Start with roughly 25% new food, 75% old, and shift the ratio every two to three days. If she goes off food entirely for more than 48 hours, slow down the transition — cats shouldn't fast, it can cause liver stress. But most cats adapt without drama if you take it steady.