Here's a question we hear in our stores almost daily, in one form or another: "I want to feed better, but I can't afford to switch entirely to premium food. What can I do?"
The answer is toppers, and it's a genuinely good answer, not a consolation prize. A topper is anything you add on top of your pet's regular food: a spoonful of wet food, a splash of something moisture-rich, a scatter of freeze-dried meat. Small additions, and they solve real problems, hydration, fussy eating, nutritional gaps, without asking you to overhaul the whole bowl or the whole budget.
Overseas this has become a full trend with a name, "build-your-bowl" feeding. We're less interested in the trend than in the practical bit: it works, and it's the cheapest way into better nutrition.
For cats, it's mostly about water
Let's start with cats, because this is where toppers stop being a nice-to-have and start being genuinely important.
Cats are famously bad drinkers. They descended from desert animals designed to get moisture from prey, not from a bowl, so their thirst drive is weak. A cat living entirely on dry food often runs mildly dehydrated for years without anyone noticing, and that chronic low-grade dehydration is linked to the urinary and kidney problems that plague so many older cats. Crystals, cystitis, kidney strain: water is the cheapest prevention for all of them.
You can't make a cat drink more. You can absolutely make a cat eat more water, and that's what a wet topper does. Wet food runs around 75 to 80% moisture versus roughly 10% in kibble, so even a few spoonfuls over dry food shifts a cat's daily water intake meaningfully. No fountain gadgets, no coaxing, just food the cat wanted to eat anyway.
What we recommend: Weruva. Their cat recipes are made with human-grade ingredients, come in gravies and broths that are essentially drinkable, and the range is enormous, so even the most committed fusspot finds a flavour. Recipes like Paw Lickin' Chicken have a devoted following for a reason. Start with a spoonful or two over the usual kibble at each meal. Most cats treat it as a personal gift.
The other one to know: Acana Premium Pâté. Where Weruva leans into gravies and shredded textures, Acana's pâté is smooth and dense, and some cats simply prefer it that way. Texture preference in cats is real and strangely non-negotiable, so if the saucy route gets a disdainful sniff, the pâté route often wins. It carries the same meat-first philosophy as Acana's dry food, and it mashes easily into kibble with a fork, which also makes it useful for older cats with tender mouths. Between Weruva and Acana pâté, one of the two will get eaten. We'd bet on it.
If your cat is already showing urinary symptoms, straining, frequent trips to the box, going outside the box, that's a vet visit, not a topper. Toppers are prevention and support, not treatment.
For dogs, it's about upgrading without switching
Dogs drink better than cats, so the case for toppers is different: it's about improving a decent-but-basic diet, rescuing picky eaters, and helping specific life stages.
The budget upgrade. If your dog is on a mid-range kibble and a full switch to a premium food isn't in the cards right now, a quality topper narrows the gap. A spoon of Weruva's dog range adds real meat and moisture to every meal for far less than replacing the bag. It's not the same as feeding premium outright, and we won't pretend it is, but it's a real improvement rather than a token one.
The picky eater. Some dogs are just bored. A topper changes the smell and texture of the same old kibble, which is usually all a "fussy" dog actually wanted. This trick alone has saved a lot of standoffs at dinner time.
Seniors. Older dogs eat less, drink less, smell less and chew worse. A wet topper addresses all four at once, which is why we recommend it in our senior dog food guide.
Dogs recovering from stomach trouble. A bland, moisture-rich topper like plain cooked pumpkin helps ease a gut back to normal. More on that in our sensitive stomach guide.
A word on freeze-dried
Freeze-dried raw is the premium end of the topper world: raw meat with the moisture removed, so the nutrients stay largely intact and the smell (to a dog) is irresistible. A few pieces crumbled over kibble is the closest thing to a guaranteed clean bowl we know of. Orijen's freeze-dried treats work brilliantly used this way, broken up over food rather than fed from the hand. Just remember freeze-dried adds nutrition and enthusiasm, not moisture, so for cats it partners with a wet topper rather than replacing it.
The rules that keep toppers helpful
Toppers go wrong in two predictable ways, and both are easy to avoid.
First, calories count. A topper is part of the meal, not a bonus on top of it, so reduce the kibble slightly to make room. The rough guide is that toppers and treats together shouldn't exceed about 10% of daily calories. Ignore this and the topper habit quietly becomes a weight problem, especially in small dogs and indoor cats.
Second, consistency beats novelty. Introduce one topper at a time and give it a week before judging, the same slow-change logic as any diet adjustment. If your pet has a known sensitive stomach, be extra gradual, and stick to single-ingredient or limited-ingredient toppers so you can tell what's working.
And one honest caveat: a topper can't fix a bad base food. If the kibble underneath is poor quality, the best spoonful in the world is lipstick on it. Sort the base first, our 2026 brand guide covers that, then use toppers to make a good diet better.
Browse our Weruva range and wet food collections to get started, or ask us on WhatsApp for a topper suggestion that suits your pet's quirks. Every pet has quirks. That's half the fun.
FAQs
What is the best cat food topper for hydration?
A high-moisture wet food spooned over dry food. Weruva's cat range is our top recommendation for its moisture content, human-grade ingredients and flavour variety, with Acana Premium Pâté as the go-to for cats that prefer a smooth texture over gravies.
How much topper should I add?
A spoonful or two per meal is plenty. Keep toppers and treats under roughly 10% of daily calories, and reduce the kibble portion slightly to compensate.
Are food toppers worth it?
Yes, especially for cats on dry food, picky eaters and senior pets. They're the most affordable way to add moisture and real meat to meals without switching the entire diet.
Can toppers upset my pet's stomach?
Any new food can. Introduce one topper at a time over about a week, and choose simple, limited-ingredient options for pets with sensitive digestion.
