"Phil P." wrote in
ink.net:

Its often difficult to change textures because a cat's texture
preference is very strongly influenced by the type of food that the cat
was feed when she was a kitten. Unfortunately, most shelters don't have
the funds or help to feed canned food so most cats develop a strong -
and sometimes immovable preference for dry food.

When I adopted Simon from the Humane Society two years ago they sent him home
with a sample of IAMS, which was what he was being fed there, and coupons
for more.
Once I got him home, he refused to eat the IAMS but dug right into the Fancy
Feast and some Purina One Kitten chow I bought him.
Last year, I tried some of the pouch food when it was on sale and now he just
wants that, as long as it's the chunky kind. He won't eat the ground up kind
at all, although he used to. And it has to come from a pouch, with exceptions
made for Duck with Wild Rice and Chicken Cacciatore which only come canned
and are two of his favorites.
Fortunately my other cat, Peaches, was always in multi-cat situations and
learned early to eat whatever shows up in her bowl as soon as it shows up.