Switching a senior cat to wet food

Switching a nine-year-old who's eaten dry food their entire life is absolutely doable — it just takes patience. Wet food is genuinely better for most cats: it adds hydration, supports kidney health (especially important as cats age), and is more satisfying per calorie. The honest caveat is that some cats raised on kibble treat wet food with complete suspicion at first. Before I point you toward something specific — does your Russian Blue have any health conditions, and do you know if their kidneys have ever been checked? Senior cats are prone to early kidney issues, and that would shape my recommendation.

That's a really good reason to switch, and a year-old clean bill of health is reassuring. At nine, she's entering senior territory, so supporting kidney function proactively makes a lot of sense. What's she currently eating — any particular brand of dry food? And is she a grazer who leaves food out all day, or does she eat set meals?

The grazing habit is the main thing you'll need to change, yes — wet food can't sit out all day, so you'll be moving to two or three set meals, which is actually healthier for her anyway. The good news is she already knows the Royal Canin brand, which makes this much easier. I'd go with Royal Canin Ageing 12+ wet food in gravy. I know she's nine and not twelve yet, but this formula is specifically built for kidney support and gentle digestion in older cats, and starting it now is a smart move rather than waiting until there's a problem. It comes in small 85g pouches, which is the right portion size and means nothing goes to waste. Start by mixing a small amount into her dry food — like a quarter pouch — once a day for a week or two, then gradually increase the wet and reduce the dry over three to four weeks. Russian Blues can be opinionated, so go slowly and don't panic if she sniffs it and walks away the first few times.

Ideally, yes — fully wet is better for her hydration and kidneys long-term. But if she's really resistant and you find she's not eating enough, a small amount of dry as a topper or a separate small meal is fine. Don't let the perfect be the enemy of the good. A cat eating mostly wet food is far ahead of one eating only dry. Give the transition a full month before you judge how it's going — older cats are slower to adapt but they do get there.

Perfect plan. One last tip: serve it at room temperature rather than straight from the fridge — it smells stronger that way, which helps persuade suspicious cats. Good luck with her, she sounds like she's landed with someone who genuinely cares.