Bombay Cat Coat Sheen & Diet

A Bombay's coat is one of its most striking features — that patent-leather black sheen is genuinely diet-dependent, and it's one of the clearest signs of how well a cat is absorbing nutrients. Cats are obligate carnivores, and many commercial foods don't deliver the quality animal protein and fatty acids needed to keep that coat looking its best. Wet food is generally the better choice for overall health, especially kidney function, but the right dry food can also make a real difference to coat condition. Can you tell me what you're currently feeding your Bombay, whether she has any health issues, and whether the dullness is recent or something you've noticed gradually?

Felix is a filler-heavy food — lots of cereals and derivatives, not much quality animal protein. For a Bombay specifically, that shows up in the coat faster than almost any other breed because the fur is so short and dense; there's nowhere for a dull or dry hair shaft to hide. The two things that drive coat sheen most directly are high-quality protein from named meat sources, and omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids. Felix delivers neither in useful amounts. What does her current feeding routine look like — is she free-fed, or does she eat at set times?

Free-feeding on a low-quality dry food means she's getting a constant drip of poor nutrition with no wet food to support hydration — that combination will keep her coat looking flat. I'd suggest two changes: move to scheduled meals with a portion of good wet food, and switch the dry component to something genuinely high in animal protein. The product I'd recommend is Orijen Cat & Kitten. It's 85% quality animal ingredients, uses named fresh and raw meats, and includes a good omega fatty acid profile from fish. It's significantly more expensive than Felix but the serving size is smaller because the nutrient density is so much higher, so the cost difference narrows. Most Bombay owners who switch report a visible coat improvement within six to eight weeks. You'd use it as part of a mixed feeding routine rather than free-feeding it all day.

For a healthy two-year-old Bombay, the food switch alone should do most of the work. If you want to accelerate results, a small amount of fresh oily fish — sardines in spring water once or twice a week — gives a direct omega-3 boost that's immediately usable. I'd hold off on adding supplements until you've given the Orijen six to eight weeks; layering supplements onto a poor base diet is less effective than simply fixing the base. Once you see where the coat lands after the switch, you'll have a much clearer picture of whether anything additional is needed.

Good plan. Transition the Orijen gradually over about ten days — mix it with the Felix in increasing proportions — to avoid any digestive upset. For wet food, look for single-protein options with no cereals listed, ideally chicken or fish as the first ingredient. Give it a couple of months and I'd expect that coat to look noticeably different. Bombays with good nutrition really do live up to the breed standard.