Wet vs. Dry Cat Food: Which One is Better for your Cat?
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ringing a kitty home can be quite a challenge for a new pet parent at first. You can be overwhelmed with a lot of questions. Choosing between wet vs dry food can be complicated, as both cat foods are standing their ground by being vastly acceptable by pet owners around the world.
What matters the most is how you and your kitty feels about it, dry or wet, or a blend of both. While both foods have their pros and cons, you must give your kitty a nutritious well-balanced food to fuel her for everyday activities.
Here’s what you should know before choosing the right cat food.
Wet vs. Dry Cat Food
Some key differences between the two:
Wet Cat Food:
- It’s more expensive
- It’s prone to spoiling quickly, must be refrigerated once opened
- Has up to 70% moisture content (brands may vary)
- Typically has higher fat, protein; mostly animal protein and less carbohydrates
- It’s less energy dense (has less calories)
- It’s easier to chew
Dry Cat Food:
- It’s economical
- Convenient; because it doesn’t spoil easily, can be left out for longer periods
- Has around 10% moisture content (brands may vary)
- Generally has more carbohydrates and less protein
- Advertised to provide better teeth protection
- It’s energy dense (has more calories)
- It’s harder to chew
Benefits of Wet Cat Food:
Wet food is generally recommended by vets, and for good reasons. First thing first, wet cat food comes canned, in favor of pet owners who prefer appropriately pre-measured meals for their cat.
Wet cat food has >78% moisture content than dry food’s >10%. This can help reduce dehydration in cats as the high moisture content in wet food compensates for the low thirst drive in many cats. Cats have evolved from desert animals, in wild, a typical prey of cats usually provides >60% moisture, this makes perfect sense why most cats don’t feel like drinking water as often.
Cats with certain medical conditions can be benefited from having a high moisture content in their diets. Such as cats with urinary tract problems, diabetes, or kidney problems. According to PetMD, this will help in flushing urinary crystals and also reduce the risk of crystal formation.
Furthermore, reduced water intake can cause dehydration that can also trigger constipation, to fix this issue, having a high moisture diet will be beneficial in this regard.
Wet cat food tends to have higher protein and fat, generally in form of animal protein, and has fewer carbohydrates than dry food. This is in favor of cats who are obligated carnivores and require three times more protein in their diet than an omnivore.
Wet cat food is less energy-dense, meaning it contains fewer calories than dry cat food. This could provide adequate amounts of calories consumed in one sitting, as some cats are devourers and this can quickly become a problem.
A survey conducted on Cats’ Health in 2018 in the United States, found out that over 33 percent of cats were reported to be obese while 26 percent were overweight.
Taking this research in mind, wet cat food would be appropriate for cat owners who are looking to keep their chubby kitty to stay in healthy shape.
Wet cat food is easier to chew for older cats and cats with dental problems. When it comes to chewing, wet cat food is beneficial for young and old cats who may find it difficult to chew their meal due to tooth loss or old age. So, if your feline pal falls under these categories, then wet cat food is your best bet.
Downsides of Wet Cat Food
However, despite all the positive points that wet cat food has, here are some notable factors that you should keep in mind.
Wet food is generally more expensive than dry food because it contains more meat, which drives the price further.
Wet cat food is less convenient, it comes in small canned portions and has a considerably low shelf life than dry cat food. Once opened, it should not be left for more than 4 hours, keeping it out longer will render bacteria accumulation, because of its high moisture content. Refrigerating the covered portions will help, but no more than 7 days should it linger in your fridge.
Benefits of Dry Cat Food
Dry cat food is typically more popular among cat owners around the world. To start it off, it is more economical than wet food, making it a global choice by cat lovers.
Keeping track of whether your kitty has finished her meal can be quite a demanding task, especially if you are on a tight schedule. However, dry food got you covered! Ranked at number one for being more convenient than wet food, it can be left all day for your cat to graze on, unlike wet food which would have required your constant attention.
Dry food is energy-dense, meaning it contains more calories (in form of carbohydrates) than wet food. This could be favorable for skinny cats or cats coming off of a certain medical condition or surgery. Pregnant or lactating female cats will also be benefited from having a high energy meal that can help replenish energy stores in relatively smaller food portions than compared to wet food.
The crunchy food texture of dry food can arguably reduce plaque and tartar build-up. However, most vet experts don’t agree that a diet alone should be held in exchange for a proven solution such as brushing teeth.
Studies show that felines don’t chew their food unlike humans, almost all cats swallow their food after minimal munching, they also can’t clean or dislodge food stuck in the crevices of their teeth.
Therefore, the only realistic approach to this problem would be to introduce some sort of teeth brushing, and annual tartar and plague clean-up at the vet would ensure that your kitty lives a healthy life.
Downsides of Dry Cat Food
However, there are some notable factors about dry food that you should keep in mind.
Dry food provides around <10% moisture content, which could have adverse effects on a cat’s health if dry food is exclusively fed for prolonged periods. As mentioned before, cats have a low thirst drive, paired with low moisture content in their food could result in urinary tract problems, kidney problems, and dehydration that can render constipation.
However, the dearth of research behind these claims are conflicting. As the majority of experts believe that most cats will do just fine with dry food, given that plenty of water is available for your cat to drink on. Some experts suggest that placing two water bowls at different locations, away from food and litter box, preferably a quiet place, can encourage water intake for your kitty!
It should be noted that some cats don’t like their whiskers to be touched by the bowl’s walls, therefore, using a flat bowl for serving food and a large bowl for water will certainly be a plus. Preferably, materials like ceramic and steel are appreciated by cats. Plastic bowls can give water an aftertaste, which is something your cat wouldn’t like.
Dry food is a great source of energy, however, if uncontrolled, free-feeding is readily available at all times in your home, then it may increase the risk of obesity, hence why you should measure the food portions before serving and monitor the eating frequency of your cat.
Conclusion
So, the big question; which cat food is best for my cat? Well, vet experts argue that pet owners should incorporate both diets on and off to keep their cats interested.
Also, it can be less daunting on your work schedule where you can serve dry food in the morning and wet food in the evening. Both wet and dry cat food are a great source of nutrition given that you can monitor your cat’s water intake.
If your cat is transitioning to either of these cat food, she may hesitate at it first, the simple fix is to gradually introduce wet or dry food in her current meals. This way she will get used to its taste, odor, texture, and hence fixing the problem.
If your vet only feels strongly about either cat food, then feel free to discuss why, as most vets have different evaluations about choosing the right cat food for your kitty.
Step back, assess, and examine which food suits your lifestyle. The best cat food doesn’t have to be expensive to be the most beneficial for your cat, but the right one instead.