This is a specific conversation about Wet vs dry cat food — the honest answer — ask about yours and get one honest answer for your exact situation.
inparticular.ai
Your vet flagging weight at the annual check is really common with Norwegian Forest Cats at 10 — they're a big, dense breed and it's easy for extra weight to creep on quietly. The good news is switching to a proper wet food is one of the most effective moves you can make: higher protein, lower carbs, and the moisture content helps cats feel fuller without the calories. Before I point you to something specific — how much does your cat weigh roughly, and what have you been feeding up to now? Wet, dry, or a mix?
He's about 7.5kg and the vet said he should be closer to 6. He's been on dry kibble his whole life, just left out for him to graze on. I think that's probably been the problem.
inparticular.ai
Yes, free-fed kibble is almost always the culprit — cats are grazers by instinct but dry food is calorie-dense, and it's very easy for them to overeat. 7.5kg for a Norsk is on the heavier side even accounting for their size. Moving to wet food with set mealtimes will help a lot: you control portions, the food is more satiating, and the hydration is genuinely good for a 10-year-old's kidneys. Has the vet mentioned any other conditions, or is it purely the weight?
Just the weight. Kidneys and everything else were fine. He's otherwise healthy and pretty active for his age.
inparticular.ai
That's a solid position to be in — you're catching it before it causes problems, not after. For a cat like yours I'd go with Royal Canin Veterinary Diet Satiety Weight Management wet food in pouches. It's specifically formulated for weight loss in cats, high in protein to preserve muscle while he loses fat, and the satiety fibre genuinely works — most cats don't protest the portions the way they would on a lower-quality diet food. It's vet-grade, widely available on Amazon UK, and the pouch format makes portion control straightforward. Feed to the guide on the pack based on his target weight of 6kg, not his current weight.
Will he actually eat it if he's only ever had dry food? I'm a bit worried about the transition.
inparticular.ai
Completely valid concern — lifelong kibble cats can be suspicious of wet food at first. Do a gradual swap over 10 to 14 days: start with a small amount of wet food alongside his reduced kibble portion, and slowly shift the ratio. You can also try warming the wet food slightly to bring out the smell, which helps a lot with reluctant cats. Norwegian Forest Cats are food-motivated as a rule, so once he gets the taste he'll usually come round. The main thing is not to leave the wet food out for more than 30 minutes — pick it up and try again at the next meal. Structured mealtimes will actually help the weight loss too.
That's really helpful. How long should it take to see the weight come down?
inparticular.ai
Expect slow and steady — 0.5 to 1% of body weight per week is the safe target, so roughly 50 to 75g a week for him. That means getting from 7.5kg to 6kg could take four to six months, which sounds long but is genuinely the right pace. Too fast and you risk hepatic lipidosis, which is a serious liver condition in cats that lose weight quickly. Weigh him every two weeks if you can — a kitchen scale works fine. If after six weeks there's been no movement at all, go back to the vet to check the portions are right. But with a structured wet food diet and no free grazing, most cats do respond well.
