Dry food or wet food for cats?

Hi. i have a diabetic cat too, and it was his diagnosis that got me finally (belatedly) learning about feline nutrition.

The two main reasons that it is best to feed at least half wet are 1. the nutrient balance (mostly the problem that there's too much carbs in almost all dry foods) and 2. the moisture content (cats need moisture IN their food for optimal health).

1.NUTRIENT AMTS PROTEIN FAT CARBS

Most wet foods ARE higher in protein than dry food. But it's easy to misunderstand that if we just look at the "guaranteed analysis" on the label and directly compare those numbers without any adjustment. The percents given on in the GA are including the water, and obviously water contains no calories, protein etc. so it can look like a food that has a lot of water is less nutritious than one with hardly any water. But in a food with, for example, 78% water, the nutrient percentages need to be calculated just based on the 22% that is NOT water. -- calculated on a "dry matter basis".

When you do it that way you can see your wet food probably has more protein.

Another way to look at it, which nutritionists often prefer, is to calculate nutrients as a percentage of calories. When you look at it that way and with carbs included, most dry foods have 20-60% calories from carbohydrate! Consider that a cat's natural diet is like 3%.

Here is a site from a woman who's a nutrition statistician from UC Davis and put together charts with nutrition data for many cat foods based on "as fed" values obtained from the companies. (this is more accurate than the Guaranteed Analysis listed on the labels since that just tells mimimums) And these charts also include the carbs. http://binkyspage.tripod.com/foodfaq.html

2. MOISTURE

It's a GOOD thing that the wet food has more water in it -- that's the other main reason why it's healthy to feed at least half wet. Our domesticated cats are originally descended from small desert wildcats who evolved in a dry environment (initially in North Africa). Because of this environment cats evolved in specific ways that still apply to our cats today. For one thing , they had to get the moisture they need primarily from the bodies of prey animals - small rodents etc.- which just like our bodies, are mostly water. So they developed an ability to strongly concentrate their urine so they would not need to drink a LOT of water, and they did not develop a strong thirst drive. A cat eating canned will usually drink very very little extra water. A cat eating dry will of course have to drink water, but their thirst drive is not usually so strong that they will drink enough to keep themselves adequately hydrated -- and going around chronically mildly dehydrated is not good for kidneys and urinary tract.

And just adding water to dry food may not be such a great idea since the bags can have bacteria in them and adding water and letting it sit there makes them multiply.

(NOTE: the thing about not having a strong thirst drive applies to healthy cats. Cats with illnesses like kidney disease or diabetes that is not well regulated, do need to drink a lot. )

THE DENTAL THING. This is a reason you hear sometimes for why you should feed dry -- that it supposedly cleans your cat's teeth. The truth is there is NO scientific evidence for this. In fact it does not even make sense, because cats either tend to gulp their kibble down without chewing it, or if they do chew, it crumbles. It does not provide abrasive action to clean teeth any more than eating crackers would clean your teeth.

But pet food companies make a bigger profit from dry food, so they have pushed this myth to consumers and vets alike.

The only study I have seen that would in any way support this was one finding that plaque forms slightly more quickly on a wet food diet than a dry food diet. But the difference was small and certainly not enough to make up for the other problems with dry. I neither wet nor dry food will clean teeth. and it does not mean cats eating dry don't need dental cleanings .

BEHAVIOUR

Re your cats freaking out over their love of the wet food:

It sure sounds like a mess with your cats fighting and getting all territorial and food obsessed.

Hopefully they will calm down if it gradually dawns on them that this new food they LOVE is going to be a regular thing at regular times, and everybody's going to get some. I would feed them separately for now if you can manage that to cut down direct competition for the new food and won't feel like they have to go nuts and wolf it down fast so the guy at the next bowl doesn't try to steal it. and keep to a strict feeding schedule so they won't get trained to think if they stay in the kitchen and keep yowling they will get more.

You can make sure by weighing your cats regularly that they are getting the right amount.

There's no right or wrong answer here - it depends on what your cat needs.

The benefit of wet food is that it can help a cat get moisture if isn't drinking enough water. Some cats just don't like drinking water and don't get enough of it, so they can get dehydrated. Also, some cats are finicky eaters and will only pick at dry food, so they need to supplement with wet food.

Our vet told us that, since our cat drinks a whole bowl of water every day, he probably doesn't need wet food on a regular basis. We just give it to him occasionally as a treat. We use a high-quality dry food - look at the ingredients on the side. If the first two ingredients listed are meat-based, then that's a good healthy food for cats.

Well i feed my cat Dry food and sometimes wet food of the SAME brand. Wet food my cat thinks of it as a treat for some reason. Which is why she always begs for more and more and more. But you have to be stern. Your other cats arent used to having wet food which is why they need to adapt to the new adjustment. They can gain weight easily off of it too.

They can gain weight easy off of anything they have too much of. And as for dry food being unhealthy that isnt true. Its all about the ingredients and brand you feed your cat. Wellness and blue buffalo are what you should go with for your animals. Supermarket pet food is crap and can cause harm to your Cat.

It isnt necessarily BAD that you've switched them. Try separating them and limiting them with the food so they dont gain weight or fight with one another. I do believe blue buffalo and Wellness has soft food for your cats if you want to try the separation and keep them on wet food.

God bless your older cat. Good luck and may you have many more years with them all!

EDIT EDIT EDIT: oh and Dont wet your pets dry food. That can cause germs already on it to multiply and get them sick.

"Although the cooking process kills bacteria in the ingredients, the final product can pick up more bacteria during the subsequent drying, coating, and packaging process. Some experts warn that getting dry food wet can allow the bacteria on the surface to multiply and make pets sick. Do not mix dry food with water, milk, canned food, or other liquids." Try researching it more

Dry food is generally better, since cats seem to behave better (don't beg as much, etc) and if you get the right brand, it should have the correct nutrition for your cats. Do some research to figure out what is best for them. :) If they don't like the dry food that much, try adding something to the food to appeal more to them, like maybe little bits of meat or whatnot.

Wet food can cause obesity and diarrhea. Cats do like it better, it seems, but they beg more and want it constantly. If your older cat needs the wet food so it's easier to eat, give that to her. If it causes further behavioral problems, I would switch her back to dry food and soften it up for her.

Good luck. <3

it really depends on what your cat feels like, or how your cat adapts to change. the cats stomach could not be used to wet food, and maybe throw up or get more fur balls than usual. Dry food with no water is bad for your cat so you have to be home all the time to give your cat water, which is a definite minus.

It is up to your discretion.

I feed high quality dry food (Blue buffalo and kirkland's signature premium) and offer can food once a day.

One of my cats has irritable bowel syndrome and can NOT have wet food unless it is high quality (No friskies, no 9 lives) and has no gravy and is patte.

My other cats devour anything.

I always mix dry food with wet food.

good question you will get lots of question i can't answer the entire thing but it can help any way yes wet can over wieght your cats if you feed them to much. but dry cat food is not they got to eat right? my suggestion is that some people chose to feed there cat every other day or some every day if your worried but want to give them wet food give them it every other day at night. If you are still not sure with any of these question ask your local Vet they know better then us unless we are vets

You should feed both.