Hi everyone!

We have a 6 year old male Bengal, neutered/outdoor. We rescued him a year ago, and he has historical problems with spraying and anxiety around food i.e. he will eat until he is sick then beg for more.

Our vet suggested about three months ago to try Royal Canin Calm, a veterinary dry food which is meant to chill them out. It worked brilliantly, he enjoys it and he's much better at spraying (not perfect, but he's a Bengal lol) and doesn't eat until he's sick anymore.

However, we don't want this to become the permanent solution especially as the pack suggests only a 2-3 month stint. So, has anyone had to wean their cat off it and what did you use to replace it with? We've used Applaws dry food before which he enjoyed but did lead to vomiting every 10 days or so. He's also on a wet food with one pouch a day of James Wellbeloved Senior wet food which helps with his fur loss and fur balls.

Thanks for any help

First of all, welcome to the forum! I do hope the vet has ruled out anything such as a tapeworm or other parasite interfering with proper digestion of the food. Bengals are notorious as getting what they want as they cry and cry and cry and cry until you get tired (or they get tired). I would try blending cat foods and putting less and less of the Royal Canin Calm until your kitty is weaned completely off it. Did your vet advise you to give him smaller portions but more often? My Raiden is a grazer. It can take him a couple of hours to finish off a can of food because he nibbles, leaves, comes back in 15 minutes and nibbles again.

I do have one question. Your cat is not a senior -- yet, so why are you feeding him senior cat food? Raiden is 8 years old and I don't even feed him senior food -- and he's considered a senior.

Thanks for replying :) Yes I know that I'll need to introduce a new kibble gradually, I guess I was more looking for others who had similar experiences with RC Calm and what food they'd used.

Yes we feed him small regular meals to avoid the gorging that he used to do (definitely not a grazer!). We're used to the crying, we try to play with him when he cries for food when it's not food time. Sometimes we make a game out of dehydrated duck pieces, and break them up so he'll only get 2/3 but it mentally entertains him for a bit. The vet has not really advised anything, except to try a trial and error regime of just seeing what works.

We feed him the senior range because it's more effective in breaking down his fur balls and the added glucosamine is great for his joints. He's a very active outdoor cat so the more we can strengthen those joints now, the fewer problems we'll have when he's an older cat. I would have started him on it once he hit 7 anyway so not much difference in age.

Guess I need to shop for some senior food for Raiden! He's constantly jumping up and down on things. I just don't think of him as a senior cat, but he is! Thanks for the great reminder ..... hope your kitty is doing better.

I would check out another Royal Canin food with a similar ingredient profile if you are liking the brand. If not, buy a small package or two of something similar flavor-wise and mix it in with the calm and see how he likes it.

Moving Bengal from RC Calm to different soft dry cat food. Bengals are notorious as getting what they want as they cry and cry and cry and cry until you get tired