Wet vs dry food for a rescue cat: age unknown

Honest answer first: wet food is generally better for cats. It keeps them hydrated, is more filling, and is much closer to what cats actually evolved to eat. Dry food is cheaper and convenient, and a mixed approach works well for a lot of owners — but if you can lean toward wet, do. Now, you've got a rescue with an estimated age, which is actually pretty common and doesn't need to stress you out. To point you in the right direction: how old do the vets think your cat is, any health issues flagged at adoption, and are you currently feeding wet, dry, or a mix?

Good news: at around 2, even if she's a few months younger, she's almost certainly done growing. Kitten formulas are higher in calories and certain nutrients to support rapid development — past about 12 months, a healthy cat doesn't need that, and feeding kitten food to an adult can lead to weight gain over time. So adult formula is the right call here. The 'estimated age' uncertainty genuinely doesn't matter much in your case — whether she's 18 months or 2.5 years, adult food is appropriate. What matters more is getting some quality wet food into her diet. Can I ask — is she indoor only, or does she go outside?

Perfect — that actually helps narrow things down. Indoor cats burn fewer calories than outdoor cats, so you don't want a calorie-dense food, and hydration matters even more because they tend to move less and drink less. My recommendation is Applaws Natural Wet Cat Food in tins — the adult chicken in broth variety. It's a genuinely high-quality product: around 75% named meat, very low carbs, high moisture content, and no fillers or artificial additives. The broth format is great for getting more fluid into an indoor cat. It's also a fairly gentle, mild flavour which suits cats that are still settling in and can be a bit fussy. You can keep a small amount of her current dry food alongside it while she adjusts — just reduce the dry portion as she takes to the wet.

It's widely available on Amazon UK — the 24-tin multipack works out to roughly £18–£22 depending on when you buy, which is under a pound per tin. For an adult indoor cat eating a mix of wet and dry, one tin per day is typically enough on the wet side, so that pack lasts you three-plus weeks. It's one of the better value options at this quality level. I'd start with the multipack rather than a smaller trial pack — it's significantly cheaper per tin and the chicken flavour is well-accepted by most cats. If she turns her nose up at it in the first couple of days, don't panic — rescue cats sometimes take a week or so to settle into new food, especially if they're still anxious.

You're doing the right thing. Transitioning a rescue to better food gradually is exactly the right approach — don't rush it. If her coat improves and she's drinking less water from her bowl, that's actually a good sign: she's getting hydration from the food. Good luck with her.