Hey everyone,

Quick question this time, I swear!

My breeder previously had Miko on the following diet:
-wet food OR boiled unseasoned chicken in the morning and night
-dampened dry food (raw instinct grain free chicken kibble) left out for duration of the day (as much as the kittens wanted)

I have read previously that it isn't good to mix wet with dry food because of the possibility of bacterial blooms which could cause problems for Miko. I looked that up because I wanted to find a way to get Miko eating the dry food, and I had mixed the wet with dry once (before doing research and finding out its no good).

I talked to my breeder about this too and they said that Miko really prefers the dry food completely dampened, and I was given instructions to add some water to the dry food in the dish, wait 5-7 minutes, then mix it around to make sure its all mixed well and all dampened evenly. The kibble is normally hard, but in its dampened state, its still a little hard but mostly soft and soggy on the outside. This is the only way Miko will touch the dry food right now.

My question is: Is it okay to leave the dampened dry kibble out in a dish for Miko to eat? Will it develop a lot of bacteria and make Miko sick? I will have to leave kibble out for him when Im at work, and I would put it down at 8 AM before I leave, and there would not be a refill until 2-4pm when my mom gets home.

Thanks!

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Matt

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The little monsters 3

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Matt

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The little monsters 3

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Matt

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The little monsters 3

If you read the feeding directions on dry food, many will have instructions for kittens with wetting the dry food. I can remember commercials for a dog food where they added water and it made gravy! Naturally, you want the cat to eat the food immediately and not let it sit as it will just get extremely soggy and yucky! Make sure you're feeding a high quality cat food that is for kittens since they require special nutrients as they are growling at an alarming rate.

It may take some time for you to hit on the foods your kitty will enjoy eating! So, you may be throwing some stuff away. This is why I purchase only two cans of any new food. If mine doesn't like it within 2 cans, it goes off my "to buy later" list.

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The little monsters 3

Brian, I believe the wetting instructions are basically for kittens who still have baby teeth -- I'm guessing, actually -- what do I really know? There are a multitude of wet foods out there, so the choices are great! I definitely don't wet down Raiden's dry food as he gets a few cans of wet a day. However, I do know that feeding dry is much less expensive for some people and adding a little water makes it a moist food for their kitty.

Thanks for the info you two!

And yes, I am mainly feeding dry only as a way to leave food out when I am at work. As soon as Miko is old enough (not a kitten) to be fed only 2-3 times a day, I will likely be making the transition to raw (or only wet).

And thanks for the suggestions for treats. Miko goes crazy for the Pure Bits freeze dried salmon- almost TOO crazy. After giving him one piece, he spends the next 5 minutes searching the area and me for more lol.

Also, thanks for the tip about Orijen carrying small bags. I bought one today, but Miko didn't take to it at all. Turned his nose up to it just like with his current dry food (I mixed the orijen in at a 25% ratio). I decided to wet it a bit just so I could get him eating, but I had to take it away after an hour because I was worried about bacteria. Not sure what he'll do tomorrow, but hopefully he gets hungry enough and eats the dry while Im at work.

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Matt

Matt, you will drive yourself crazy with Miko!!! All that we go through for our kitties!!! You will probably go through several kinds of food before you find something Miko loves. And then, after your purchase a full case of it, Miko will decide he doesn't like it anymore!!! Ugh!!! My Raiden requires a variety of types. He will clean a bowl completely and when I give him the same food two days later will try to cover it up and walk away. So I try to have enough variety that he only gets that type once a week. Nothing is worse than when a cat refuses to eat what you put in front of him. But, bengals seem to be like humans. There are days I'm not in the mood for a certain food and if I had to eat it, would not enjoy it as much. With Raiden, tuna is on his "I'll eat it occasionally" list. He much prefers chicken, turkey and beef.

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Matt

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The little monsters 3

What kind of can food do you guys use? Right now Xerxes is on Royal Canine Recovery. I am going to keep him on it for a couple more months as long as he still accepts it every day! I have been told it his high in calorie so I don't think it would be beneficial for long term and it is almost $3 a can.

Canned Food: Earthborn Holistic, Weruva, Tiki Cat, sometime Wellness packets, and lately I've discovered a new brand called Lotus which they like pretty well.

Raw food: http://www.radfood.com/

For dry food, they mostly eat Blue Wilderness, but sometimes Orijen, and sometimes Arcana.

They've rejected lots and lots of other brands, and sometimes at one point they've loved a food, and then later decided that it is inedible (after you buy a case of it of course).

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The little monsters 3