Is it fine to feed a cat a mix of two dry foods for a long period of time

Question

We have two cats, and one of them is too lean.

Male cat is neutered, but female isn't (yet). Because of the male, we're using lower-calorie dry food.

We would like to start feeding the female normal rich food, but right now they're being free-fed and if possible we would like it to stay that way. With free-feeding we can only guarantee the female eats special when we're at home, but nothing would prevent her from eating low-calorie food when we're away.

Is it fine for her to eat both kinds of dry foods or would that cause digestion problems? We are positive she's good with both kinds when fed solely one or another.

Both cats are around 1 year old, Maine Coons.

Answer 1

Certainly cats in the wild aren't eating the same thing every day.

Since one of my cats has tendonitis, my vet suggested giving them kibble with extra glycosamine. This is alternated/mixed with another kibble that helps reduce plaque buildup on the teeth, and they also get wet foods since the vet feels that cats do better when they get more of their water from food rather than drinking it from a bowl (and watching how inefficient it is for cats to lap up water, I think she's got a point).

So it really shouldn't be a problem. But if you're really nervous, the simple answer is "ask your vet."

The main risk is that your girl may decide she likes one of the foods more than the other, and you may have trouble getting her to actually eat the mix you'd prefer she got.