Mary Allen
Should cats be fed dry food? Or is it better to give them wet food? A hot topic on which every cat owner has an opinion. Read here about the advantages and disadvantages of dry and wet food.
In the past, cats hunted their own food and provided themselves with lots of high-quality protein, fat, and few carbohydrates by hunting mice. They have also invested a large part of the liquid they need every day through their prey. Today, most cats are dependent on human feed. This consists to a far greater extent of carbohydrates and less protein than the usual prey animals.
Obesity From Dry Food
Since cats are now usually served the ready-made food conveniently in a bowl, this often results in obesity and, as a consequence, diabetes mellitus. It doesn’t matter whether the excess weight is due to a high fat or carbohydrate content. Dry food is not suitable for cats suffering from diabetes.
The reason for obesity in cats is often the dry food: the risk of a cat developing obesity is significantly increased with energy-dense dry food that is freely available. A cat that eats an average of 10 more kibbles a day than it needs will gain 12 percent in weight in a year. In contrast, wet food has a lower carbohydrate content.
Liquid Over The Cat Food
The liquid content of wet food corresponds to that of cats’ natural prey. In this respect, wet food meets the basic needs of cats. The situation is different with dry food: when fed with dry food, cats have to drink more to completely compensate for the difference in the liquid content of dry food compared to the water requirement.
This also increases the risk of crystals and stones forming in the urinary tract for some cats because the urine becomes more concentrated. However, the risk of this can be reduced with an attractive and diverse range of water, for example, drinking fountains.
Shelf Life Of Dry And Wet Food
In addition to the ingredients of the different types of feed, there are other important aspects to consider. Unlike dogs, cats are not equipped for a few large meals a day, but rather several small portions. However, offering wet food fresh every two hours in 25-gram meals is only realistic in a few households.
If you leave it, it will deteriorate in a short time and is no longer appealing to the cat. Dry food, on the other hand, remains attractive even after hours and offers the cat the opportunity to eat many small meals.
Attention: Feed dry food correctly
Just because dry food keeps well doesn’t mean it should always be available to the cat! Because the dry food bowl is full all day long and the cat can help itself when it wants, it quickly becomes dangerously overweight. It is therefore important that no more dry food is fed than the cat’s daily calorie requirement allows.
If wet food or treats are also fed, the amount of dry food must be reduced accordingly! This also means: If the cat has eaten up its daily dry food ration after a short time, the bowl will remain empty!
It is best, however, if the cat only gets dry food as a “working meal” and it is not available in the bowl. This means that while she always has the opportunity to eat, she has to put in the time and effort to get the food, for example, if it is hidden in a sniffer pillow, food balls, or intelligence toys. Dry and wet food can be easily combined with each other.
Wet And Dry Food: Pros And Cons
In summary, the following advantages and disadvantages result from the different types of feed:
- Dry cat food:
+ does not spoil
+ can easily be offered as a working lunch in fummel boards and food puzzles
+ minimizes plaque
– Energy density increases the risk of obesity
– higher carbohydrate content
– lower water absorption by the feed - Wet food for cats:
+ corresponds to the liquid content of natural prey
+ Carbohydrate content lower than in dry food, but still higher than in natural prey
– Spoilage starts from the moment a pack is opened
– more plaque formation on the teeth
Conclusion: Wet and dry food both have advantages and disadvantages. It is therefore advisable to combine the types of feed in such a way that the advantages of both types can be used. This works because dry food is not used in the bowl, but primarily as “working food” and the daily calorie requirement is not exceeded.