I switched my cat to Royal Canin dry food to make it more convenient and cheaper, but she refuses to eat it. She eats the canned food from the same brand with no problem. Could it be bad for her teeth if I only give her soft food?
Wet food doesn't destroy your cat's teeth and isn't bad for her health. Domestic cats naturally eat soft food anyway - mice, birds, fish - and their teeth don't get damaged from it. Dry food does help reduce plaque buildup a bit through mechanical friction, but it's not critical if you regularly brush her teeth or just keep an eye on their condition.
The real issue is something else: she's gotten used to wet food - that's it. Cats are picky eaters, and retraining an adult cat to a new texture is tough, sometimes impossible. You can try soaking dry food in water or broth to soften it and gradually get her used to it again, but if your cat absolutely refuses and the wet food of the same brand works for her - just stick with wet food. It's the same formula anyway.
The only thing you should pay attention to: watch her weight (wet food is more calorie-dense per gram) and clean her bowls after eating so odors don't build up. If she starts having dental problems (bad breath, plaque buildup, refusing to eat) - take her to the vet right away, but overall she'll be fine on wet food.
Did your cat eat dry food normally before, or has she always avoided it? The thing is, wet food really doesn't harm teeth - in nature, cats eat soft prey, and nobody expects them to crunch on hard food. Dry food does help a bit with dental hygiene, sure, but it's not critical if your cat is healthy and her teeth are fine. Just feed her what she actually eats, get her teeth checked by a vet occasionally, and everything will be okay.
But here's the thing - if a cat gets used to soft food, tartar can start building up over time because saliva works more naturally when she's chewing. Try soaking the dry food in water or broth, maybe she'll eat it that way, or alternate the wet food with fresh meat chunks if she eats that.
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