British Shorthair won't finish dry food? Try this

Three dry foods and still leaving half the bowl — that's not a fussy cat, that's a cat telling you something. British Shorthairs are prone to low thirst drive, and dry food just doesn't satisfy them the way wet food does. Honestly, wet food is usually the better fit for cats generally: it's closer to their natural diet, more hydrating, and more filling per calorie. Cost and convenience are real trade-offs, but for a cat that keeps walking away from dry food, switching to wet — or at least going mixed — often solves it immediately. Before I point you toward something specific: does your cat have any health conditions like kidney issues or urinary problems, and are you currently feeding on a schedule or leaving food down all day?

That pattern makes a lot of sense. Dry food left out goes stale quickly — the smell fades and British Shorthairs in particular are very scent-led. But even with fresh dry food, the low moisture content means she hits a satiety ceiling before she's actually well-hydrated. Is she drinking much from a bowl or fountain? And roughly what's your monthly budget — are you open to a full wet food switch, or would a mixed approach work better practically?

Good — that makes this straightforward. My recommendation is Applaws Natural Wet Cat Food in the variety multipack pouches. It's high meat content (around 70–75%), no fillers, low carbohydrate, and the texture and smell are genuinely appealing to cats that have been indifferent to dry food. British Shorthairs do well on it specifically because the high protein suits their stocky build and the moisture content keeps them fuller for longer. The fact that she drinks from a fountain already suggests she's not dehydrated, but wet food will still take pressure off her kidneys over time — worth thinking about at five years old before any issues develop. Switch her to two or three pouches a day on a schedule rather than free-feeding, and you'll almost certainly see her finishing meals cleanly within a week.

Gradual is safer for her digestion, but British Shorthairs aren't usually as sensitive as some breeds, and honestly if she's already been reluctant to eat the dry food, she may just switch without issue. Start by offering the wet food at one meal a day alongside a smaller portion of dry, then move to fully wet within five to seven days. If she gets loose stools, slow it down slightly. One practical tip: serve the pouches at room temperature rather than fridge-cold — the smell is stronger and she'll be more interested. Applaws does a good mixed case on Amazon UK so you can test a few flavours before committing to a single variety in bulk.

That's the right call. Give it two weeks before judging — the first few days she might eat cautiously just because it's new. If she's still leaving food after a fortnight, come back and tell me which flavours she's leaving and we can narrow it down further. But I'd be surprised. Most cats that have been half-eating dry food turn into very enthusiastic eaters once wet food is on the menu.