Wet food for Exotic Shorthair cats

An Exotic Shorthair with a flat face who's already drinking less than she should — that's a combination worth taking seriously. Brachycephalic cats physically struggle to lap water efficiently, so their baseline hydration is often lower than it looks, and chronic low water intake in cats can quietly cause kidney and urinary problems over time. Wet food is genuinely the right answer here — not as a treat on top of dry, but as the main event. It delivers 70–80% moisture directly, which means she doesn't have to rely on drinking at all. Cost and convenience are real, but for a cat like yours, wet food isn't optional — it's protective. Before I point you to a specific product: is she on any food right now, and does she have any known sensitivities or digestive issues?

Good to know — Royal Canin Exigent is a decent dry food but it's doing nothing for her hydration, which is the main risk factor here. Given she has no sensitivities and eats enthusiastically, transitioning her to a high-quality wet food as her primary diet should be straightforward. For an Exotic Shorthair specifically, I'd also flag that the flat face means some cats do better with a pâté-style food over chunks in jelly or gravy — easier to eat from a flat or shallow dish without getting it in their face folds. What does she eat from currently — a regular bowl?

It genuinely does for flat-faced cats — a deep narrow bowl means they're pressing their face in to reach the food, which is uncomfortable and can put some cats off eating or drinking altogether. A wide, shallow dish makes a real difference. But the bigger fix right now is the food itself. My recommendation is Natures Menu 100% Natural Wet Cat Food in the multipack pouches — specifically the pâté varieties. It's a high-meat, grain-free wet food with no fillers, and the texture is smooth enough that she won't struggle with it. It's widely available on Amazon UK and reasonably priced for what you're getting. I'd switch her over gradually over 7–10 days, mixing increasing amounts of wet in with her current dry, to avoid any stomach upset. Would it help to know roughly what quantity she'd need per day at her age and size?

For a 2-year-old Exotic Shorthair, you're typically looking at around 150–200g of wet food per day split across two meals — adjust slightly based on her weight. On dropping the dry: ideally yes, or at least make wet food 80–90% of her diet. The only reason to keep a small amount of dry is if she genuinely refuses wet altogether, but most cats convert well when the transition is gradual. The hydration benefit of going mostly wet is significant enough that it's worth the effort. One extra thing worth considering alongside the food switch — a pet water fountain with a wide, shallow bowl design can help too, since moving water is more appealing to cats and a flat-based fountain is easier for her face shape. But the food change is the priority. Any other questions about the switch?

That's exactly the right move. Go slow on the transition, watch that she's eating well and you start to see slightly more moisture in her litter tray — that's your sign the hydration is improving. Exotic Shorthairs are prone to kidney issues as they age, and getting her well-hydrated now at two is genuinely good long-term care. Hope she takes to it easily.