Is it better to feed your cat wet or dry food? Both are excellent choices but you may find one is more suited to your cat’s lifestyle and age. We look at both options to help you decide the best diet for your cat.
Wet Vs Dry Cat Food
Wet food provides vital moisture to a cats diet, a good quality wet food contains around 75 per cent water. This is particularly important for cats prone to constipation or the formation of urinary crystals/stones, or if they have diabetes or kidney disease.
Cats at a certain life stage may prefer softer food, for example senior cats often find dry food hard to chew and therefore enjoy the soft texture of wet food more.
Wet food can also be a convenient option as it often comes in single serve pouches, so it’s ideal for cats that prefer to eat in one sitting. However it has a shorter shelf life and once opened, it should be refrigerated and used quickly to avoid spoiling. Never leave wet food opened for longer than 24 hours as it will go off and could cause an upset stomach.
Key Benefits:
- Easy to chew
- Strong aroma
- Helps increase water intake
- Different textures
Dry Food
One of the biggest plus points for dry food is its convenience. It has a longer shelf-life and comes in big bags. This gives owners the option of leaving the food out during day or over night. It’s also great for cats that like to graze and prefer to eat little and often.
The crunchy kibble can also help to prevent dental issues by reducing the build-up of tartar on the teeth.
Despite its convenience, a predominantly dry diet can increase the risk of dehydration because its moisture content is less than 20 per cent. If your cat will only eat eat dry food, it’s important to make sure they have access to water everyday to avoid kidney and bladder problems as they get older. Cats can be reluctant to drink, so a good tip is to try a bigger bowl (dog bowls work well) as some cats don’t like it when their whiskers touch the sides.
Key benefits:
- Convenient
- Helps to reduce the build-up of tartar on teeth
- Easy to store
- Longer shelf-life
The Best of Both Worlds
Many cats prefer to have a mix of wet and dry food, the wet food gives them variety of texture and the dry food appeals to their natural desire to eat small meals throughout the day. If you decide to feed a mix of wet and dry, be careful to feed only the total amount of food that your pet needs to minimise any weight gain.
Ultimately, the choice of serving wet or dry, or a mixture of the two, is a personal preference between you and your cat. The most important thing to remember is your cats lifestyle and if the food is going to provide them with all the nutrients they need for their life stage.
Is your cat on a wet or dry diet, or a combination of the two? We’d love to get your thoughts on which option you prefer. Get involved via the comments section below!