Wet food for picky cats who only eat dry

So you've got a Chartreux who's decided dry food is the only food — and you've already been through the wet food wars and lost. That's genuinely one of the trickier situations, especially at seven years old when their preferences are pretty locked in. Before I suggest anything, tell me: what wet foods did you actually try? Pâtés, chunks, gravy-based? And is there a particular dry brand they're currently loyal to? That'll help me figure out whether there's a realistic route in.

That's actually really useful — she already likes Royal Canin, which narrows this down significantly. The mistake most people make with picky dry-food cats is going in with a completely unfamiliar brand or texture. Since she trusts Royal Canin, the path of least resistance is staying in that family. Have you tried the Royal Canin wet range at all, or did the wet food attempts predate the Royal Canin loyalty?

That's your opening. My recommendation is Royal Canin Instinctive in Gravy — the pouches, not the pâté. It's formulated for adult cats, the gravy format tends to be more accepted by cats who've only known dry because it doesn't have the dense, uniform texture that puts them off, and the flavour profile is close enough to what she already associates with Royal Canin dry that the scent isn't completely alien. The gravy also does the hydration job your vet flagged without you having to force a full dietary switch. Start by offering a very small amount alongside her dry food rather than replacing it — don't make it a confrontation, just let her investigate on her own terms.

Separate, at least at first. Mixing can actually backfire — some cats will reject the dry food too once it's been contaminated by wet food smell or moisture. Put a small amount of the wet in a different bowl next to her usual dry, let her eat the dry as normal, and don't remove the wet immediately if she ignores it. Give her a few days of just seeing it there. Some cats need the exposure before the curiosity kicks in. If she's still ignoring it after a week, try warming it very slightly — just a few seconds in the microwave to release the aroma. That alone converts a lot of holdouts.

Good luck — and genuinely, don't take it personally if it takes a few weeks. Chartreux can be stubborn in the best possible way. The fact that she's healthy and has no current issues means you've got time to do this gradually. If the gravy pouches don't land, come back and we'll try a different angle — but Royal Canin Instinctive in Gravy is the best first move given everything you've told me.