Wet Food Vs. Dry Food For Cats and Kittens

Is it better to feed my cat on wet food as compared to dry foods? This is a question on the lips of almost every cat owner to their vets. Whatever your budget is, there’s no doubt that you want to feed your cat the best food with high nutrition. Doing right by your cat is one of the best feelings in the world. However, most pet owners wonder what to feed their cat between wet and dry foods, especially the new pet owners.

First of its good to note that every cat is different and every cat parent on earth has their own opinion on the wet food vs. dry cat food debate. There are a few things you need to understand about nutrition before you get to decide.

What should cats eat and why?

Dogs are omnivorous and are able to break down and digest animal protein as well as vegetables. Cats, on the other hand, are carnivores, and this means they need muscle-based meats in their diet. Cats might get enough proteins from plants, but they still need amino acids taurine, which is found in the muscle meat of animals.

Carnivores such as cats have a short digestive system. They aren’t required to break down the cellulose found in plants which is tougher to break and introducing it into a carnivore’s diet is inviting digestive problems.

On whole wet cat food, the primary ingredient is meat or fish. Therefore, the food provides a meal better suited to the cat’s dietary needs. However, that doesn’t mean that the canned wet food is the best choice as compared to dry food. Take note of this; the best dry cat food is always better as compared to the worst canned food.

Dry Cat Food

Free feeding is where a cat owner leaves dry food out for their cats all the time. If a cat eats only dry food, the cat is most likely not getting enough nutrition than the cat eating wet food. There are numerous low-quality dry foods that contain fillers. In wild eating for cats, carbohydrates are about five percent of the cat’s diet. This is what the cat gets from the stomach contents of the prey.

Dry Cat Foods and Dehydration

Dry cat food is about 10% water while prey ingested by cats in the wild is about 70% water while canned wet food is about 78% water. Cats who feed daily on dry foods done usually get enough water. These cats become dehydrated, which can lead to problems such as urinary crystals and renal failure.

For the cat owners who prefer feeding their cats on dry food, it’s advisable that you make sure the cat has sufficient supply of fresh water. The cat should drink one cup of water for every ten pounds of weight within 24 hours. In hot weather, the cat requires more. For the cats feeding on canned foods, they are supposed to consume only one half the amount of water the dry food cat consumes.

If you prefer feeding your cat dry food, make sure the cat consumes sufficient amounts of water as well. A bowl of water alongside the dry food is fantastic but if you can get a fountain, it’s even better in enticing the cat to drink more water. Animals love flowing water.

Dry Cat Food and Obesity

Dry cat food contains a lot of carbohydrates. This means cats feeding on dry cat foods are more prone to diabetes and obesity that cats on wet foods. This is because of the high carbohydrate content on dry foods as well as the free-choice feeding of dry cat foods. The cat has all-time access to food which can result in obesity.

With wet foods, the cat can eat and leave some of the food on the bowl, but the food is likely to go bad after a maximum of four hours. The food also contains higher levels of protein and fewer carbohydrates. Ration the dry food of you suspect your cat is getting pudgy instead of serving it in the all you can eat style. Stick to premium dry foods or transition to canned or wet food to avoid feline diabetes in cats.

Wet Cat Food

Does that mean wet cat food is the best? Not necessarily! Wet cat food is better than dry cat food but cheaply produces wet food is not better as compared to premium quality dry food. The aim here is to feed the cat with food that satisfies the dietary requirements of the cat.

With wet foods, check the ingredients before feeding your cat on the food. It should contain an animal protein and should be the number one ingredient, and wet food should not have meat by-products.

Most people assume that wet food only comes in cans, but there are portions in pouches as well. One of the advantages of wet foods is they act as natural water supplies in the body. The food has high moisture content, and they are recommended for cats with kidney and urinary issues. The wet food helps the cat flush urinary crystals easily reducing crystal formation as well.

If your cat has any health problems, wet foods help the cat stay hydrated naturally.

Bottom line

The aim here is to feed a cat with the best and high nutrition food. If you prefer wet cat food, make sure the ingredients contain proteins and no meat by-products. Animal meat should be the number one ingredient on wet foods. On the other hand, if you prefer feeding your cat dry food, make sure it is premium quality food. Avoid dehydration, constipation, and urinary as well as anal tract problems. Also make sure the cat consumes enough water after feeding. Entice the cat to drink water by using a fountain but make sure there is ample supply of water. With dry food, develop a feeding pattern and avoid leaving the food for the cat to eat all the time.