Dry Vs Wet Food For Cats

Myth : Dry Food Improves Your Cats Dental Health

Some kitty owners think they are doing the best for their cats dental health by feeding them dry cat food. I know Fluffy has great dental health because I feed her only dry food! is a common sentiment expressed daily at veterinary hospitals around the country.

In fact, there are only a few foods on the market that are proven in independent laboratory studies to reduce the amount of plaque and tartar on your cats teeth. Whats the secret? Kibble that retains most of its shape even when the sharp teeth of your favorite feline bite off a piece. While they chew, the larger remaining pieces of kibble act as a kind of toothbrush, rubbing against the surfaces of your cats teeth.

These dental diets are not sold over-the-counter and are only available with a veterinarians prescription. If you are not feeding your cat one of these special kibbles, then rest assured there is no dental benefit to feeding dry foodthe kibble disintegrates into pieces too tiny to have that toothbrush effect once your kitty takes a nibble.

Why Feed Wet Cat Food

Felines require up to three times more protein in their diets than dogs do. Wet cat food often has high protein content, which benefits obligate carnivores like cats who depend on animal proteins to meet their nutritional needs.

With an average of 75% water, wet cat food can also help your cat meet daily hydration needs, especially since felines tend to not drink enough water. The high moisture content in wet food may be beneficial for cats with urinary tract problems, diabetes or kidney disease stay hydrated.

Also, wet cat food is often more appealing than dry food and is offered in a wide variety of flavors and textures to please all types of felines.

ProTip: Dont let wet cat food sit out in your cats bowl more than 20-30 minutes. Canned cat food doesnt stay fresh as long as dry food, so be sure to refrigerate any leftover food and serve it within 72 hours. On the plus side, wet food has a long shelf before its opened and, with smaller, stackable containers, is easier to stock up on than larger cat food bags.

How To Choose The Right Canned Food For Your Cat

Highest quality is not always related to price or how pretty the label looks. In that respect, it’s like wine. I mean HELLO, have you met my very good friends Charles Shaw and Jim Beam?

The goal is to find what your cat thrives on. What diet gives them energy, makes their coat shine, gives them healthy poops, and doesn’t make them vomit? All of this is very important, and just like humans, every cat is different and has their own preferences.

When your cat has their lab work done every year, or every other year, check out the results! How do their kidneys look? What are their liver values? All of these things come into play.

Unfortunately when it comes to comparing wet food and dry food nutritional makeup, it’s like comparing apples to oranges. What you have to do is convert the percentages in the canned food, , to dry matter.

And then you can compare the macronutrients to find out if you’re getting the correct 50-60% protein, 30-40% fat, under 10% carb ratios.

Did your brain just explode, because mine certainly did. Math is hard.

Need help figuring out how to transition your cat from dry food to wet food? Check out this cool video from Jackson Galaxy .

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What Are The Pros And Cons Of Wet Food

Cats have strong hunting instincts, and their natural prey is not only meaty but also has a high water content. For this reason, many cats prefer a wet food diet. Many cats also prefer the textures and tastes of wet food, especially with the variety of gravies, jellies, and soups that are available. Wet food tends to come in pre-measured portions such as small tins or sachets. This makes things easier when it comes to knowing how much to give your pet. One of the greatest advantages of wet food is the high water content, with roughly 65% more water than dried foods. So it not only fills your cats belly but also keeps them well hydrated. All cats, regardless of diet, need access to clean, fresh water at all times. But your cat will visit their water bowl less if they are on a wet diet. For cats with urinary or kidney issues, this can be particularly advantageous as its important to maintain hydration with these conditions. Cats with dental issues, missing teeth, or older cats often prefer wet food as its easier for them to eat due to its soft texture. Although wet food has a long shelf life, once opened it spoils quickly, so if your cat doesnt finish his meal in 30-60 minutes the food will need to go in the trash to avoid bacterial contamination. Wet cat foods also tend to be slightly more expensive than dry.

Regardless of whether you feed your cat dry or wet food, you need a bowl that is sure to keep the mess containedyou can do just that with the Hepper Nom Nom Bowl.

Mixing Wet And Dry Cat Food

The issue of how much wet and dry food to feed a cat can be solved through mixing or blending both dry and wet foods schedules this can offer your kitty the best of both worlds. If you are going by the blended feeding routine, your cat can get the dry kibble for the mornings, and a wet one for the evenings. By so doing, the cat is at liberty to spend the whole day grazing on the dry kibble if it likes.

Do cats need wet food every day? This is one question that cat adopters keep asking. However, theres no harm in mixing both wet food and dry food in the same bowl this aids your kitty in getting extra moisture with the meal. But remember to maintain the standard portion control, ensuring that your feline friend is getting the ideal amount of nutrients for a healthy weight. No matter the choice you decide to make with your cats food, the debate on dry vs. wet cat food is never one that can be easily answered. Every cat comes with its own uniqueness thus, their preferences and tastes must differ.

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Wet Food Vs Dry Food For Cats: Whats The Difference

Dry food refers to pet foods that come in kibble form, usually in a bag. Wet food may refer to pâté-style, chunks of meat in gravy, or any other moist form of pet food, typically packaged in a can or a pouch.

Both dry and wet food, if they are good quality and nutritionally complete and balanced, can provide everything a cat needs for optimal health.

The main difference between them is the moisture content, or the proportional amount of water in the food. Dry cat food contains an average of 6-10% water, while wet cat food may contain 70-85% water.

On average, wet cat food also contains a higher percentage of protein and fatand a lower percentage of carbohydratesthan dry food. However, this can vary greatly depending on the brand and formulation.

The Bottom Line On The Wet Cat Food Vs Dry Cat Food Debate Choose A Premium Cat Food

Ultimately, whether choosing wet cat food vs. dry cat food, it should be a premium cat food with quality ingredients. The higher initial cost will be offset long-term by reduced veterinary costs.

Tell us: Whats your opinion on wet cat food vs. dry cat food? What do you feed your cat?

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How Much To Feed A Healthy Kitten Or Cat

Good quality cat foods have a recommended feeding amount listed on the packaging or obtained by calling the manufacturers helpline. This amount represents your cats total daily caloric and nutritional needs, based on their age and weight.

Here are some tips for using this feeding recommendation:

• Each food brand and formulation has unique calorie and nutrient densities, so its important to check the feeding guide for the specific cat food you are using. Otherwise, under or overfeeding could occur.

• For most cats, its best to divide this total volume into at least two meals per day , rather than feeding it all at once.

• Consider when to feed your kitty. The measured amount of dry food may be left out for grazing, or divided into meals as part of the daily routine. Wet food must be offered at meal times, to prevent spoilage that could occur if the food is left out all day.

• Cats who are over or underweight may need a different amount. Ask your vet team for advice.

• The recommended feeding amount is just a starting point. Your cats individual metabolism, lifestyle, health conditions, or other factors could mean you need to increase or decrease their feeding amount.

Any time you change your cats food, monitor them for weight gain or loss. Adjust their food intake if needed.

Also, asking your vet team for advice with the food change or feeding amount is never a bad idea.

Fewer Calories & Weight Loss

Wet cat food can typically be more expensive than dry cat food. But this is usually because wet food is healthier for cats. Wet food usually contains more protein and fewer carbohydrates. So if your cat needs to go on a weight loss diet then the veterinarian will usually suggest a wet food diet.

Wet food can be helpful for weight loss because it can help the cat feel full for longer. Dry food is super dense and doesnt include any water so your cat can be hungry again in just a couple of hours. Being hungry most of the day can cause unhappiness and could also be the reason they are meowing at you all day long.

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Wet Vs Dry Cat Food: Faqs Chart

Offer varying tastes and textures to your cat to let them discover their opinion on wet or dry cat food.To demonstrate, the following factors predetermine a cats interest in wet or dry cat food:

What Are The Benefits Of Dry Cat Food

Dry complete diets have some specific plus points – they are convenient, easy to measure and use, easier to store, and have a longer shelf-life once opened than wet foods. Some may also help to remove plaque from the teeth.

Bear in mind that cats at certain life stages may prefer softer foods, for instance elderly cats or weaning kittens. Wet food will work well on these occasions and there are also some dry diets which have been specially designed to be soaked.

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Pros Of Wet Cat Food:

• Urinary health: The high moisture content of wet foods makes them excellent for promoting good urinary health. Most cats prefer to get the majority of their water from their food, rather than using a bowl or a fountain, this means wet cat food can help with hydration.
• Weight management: Because wet foods are less energy dense than dry foods, they can be excellent for weight management and control. These foods have fewer carbohydrates than dry meals, and higher amounts of protein, for good feline health.
• Appeal to a wide range of cats: Wet foods come in a range of flavors to suit different cat preferences. Whats more, their strong smell means theyre more likely to attract your kitties than dry food. This could be ideal if youre struggling to feed a cat with a poor appetite.
• Dental support: Wet cat foods are much easier to consume than dry alternatives for kitties who have dental issues or missing teeth. Its even possible to get mousse or pate style cat foods which are great for simple consumption.
• Nutrition: Wet cat foods tend to contain fewer grains and fillers, and more beneficial compounds than dry foods. However, it depends heavily on the type of food you choose, so make sure you read the ingredient on each package.

Dry Food May Contain Too High A Percentage Of Carbohydrates

Cats natural carnivorous diet includes only a small percentage of carbohydrates , mostly in the form of digested plant matter in the stomachs of prey. However, most dry foods contain several times that amount. Cats use dietary protein and fats as their primary energy source. They are poor at metabolizing carbohydrates. Excess carbs get converted into body fat and promote a sugar/insulin imbalance. This, in turn, sets the stage for obesity and raises the risk for diabetes.

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Myth : It Doesnt Matter What I Feed My Cat

If its difficult to transition a cat from dry food to wet canned food, then why should you consider changing that habit? Does it really matter?

The answer to this particular question is that YES, it definitely mattersto your cat! When we think about how cats evolved to eat, they are normally supposed to hunt, catch, kill and eat small animals for food. Cats are obligate carnivorestheir bodies are designed to run on the ultimate high-protein, low-carb diet: birds, mice, lizards, and other small animals. They need essential amino acids that are ONLY found in animal protein in order to survive.

How does this relate to the canned vs. dry food debate? Well, when we consider their protein and carbohydrate needs, the health of your cat is optimal when fed a high-protein dietideally, about 50-60% protein. Carbohydrates are NOT valuable fuel for your cat, and carbohydrate levels lower than 10% are ideal to prevent medical conditions such as obesity and diabetes. When cat food is manufactured into kibble, this process involves dehydrating the ingredients and binding them together to make them keep their form as small piecesand the ingredients that create these magic shapes areyou guessed itcarbohydrates. Therefore, dry food always has higher than optimal carbohydrate content for our domestic cats.

As always, no matter what type of food you choose, portion control is essential to maintaining your kittys physique and preventing other health problems later in life.

Good For Sensitive Tummies

For kittens, milk to wet food is an easier transition on their stomachs than milk straight to kibbles. Wet food is also better for cats with missing teeth or those with sensitive stomachs. Cats recovering from diarrhea or constipation will benefit from wet food high in moisture. The moisture in wet food can also help reduce hairballs in cats.

If you switch from dry to wet food your cats stomach might get upset. So just take it slow and mix some of the cats old food with the new food.

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Canned Cat Food Drawbacks

Canned food is often more expensive than dry food, so this may play a role in your decision.

Once opened, canned food has a shelf-life of 24 hours and must be stored in the refrigerator. If your cat does not finish their wet food, it should be properly stored in the refrigerator or discarded. Leaving canned food out for longer than a few hours can run the risk of contamination and cause gastrointestinal upset.

Why Do Cats Need Wet Food

Many veterinarians recommend that cats eat a diet of exclusively or mostly wet food. There are a couple of reasons for this. First, cats are obligate carnivores and are not designed to ingest many carbohydrates . Dry food will automatically contain many more carbohydrates than wet food. For many cats, dry food consumption leads to obesity.

Secondly, most cats are not big water drinkers and tend to keep themselves on the edge of dehydration. Wet food naturally provides more water in the diet, which supports the kidneys, urinary tract, and overall health.

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Wet Food Vs Dry Food How To Choose The Right Food For Your Cat

When choosing what to feed your cat, one of the biggest decisions you will make is whether to feed them wet or dry cat food. Both of them have their benefits and no matter which you choose, overall the most important thing is that you feed your cat a complete and balanced diet. Use our Greencross Vet approved Cat Food Finder Tool to discover the best wet and dry diet for your cat based on their age, size, lifestyle and more thats recommended by our network of Vets.

Wet Food: The Downside

There are disadvantages to the canned variety, though. Wet food generally costs more for its volume, so pet parents on a strict budget may prefer dry food to canned for monetary reasons. Open cans need appropriately sized lids when storing them to keep them fresh and prevent odor from permeating the rest of the refrigerator . Some cats dislike cold food, though, so you may need to put her canned food on a microwave-safe plate and warm it 3-5 seconds before serving. If your cat isn’t particularly hungry, she may leave wet food scraps in her bowl or on her plate, which should be tossed after being out more than four hours.

Also, if you have a long-haired or light-colored cat, you might be averse to feeding wet cat food because it can get on her whiskers and nose. But cats are meticulous groomers and will typically clean their own faces, and over time your cat should learn to be less messy of an eater. If you happen to have a cat that is a little lazier and doesn’t clean themselves as regularly, you might look into serving them food on a flat plate and purchasing some cat-safe wet wipes to help clean your cat after eating.

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