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One of the most frequently discussed topics in the cat community is diet. More specifically, many owners ask if wet or dry food is better for their feline friends. As much as I wish there was a cut-and-dry answer, the truth is that it depends. The best food type for your cat depends on a variety of factors such as age, weight, health history, and so on. But after learning the pros and cons of each food type, you’ll have a better idea of which type is ideal for your cat.
As a disclaimer, this blog post is not medical advice. Your veterinarian should always be your primary source for diet recommendations because they know your cat’s health history best. This information is simply meant to help you get a jump-start on your “cat food knowledge” before that vet appointment. Now let’s review the pros and cons of wet and dry cat food.
What Are The Pros of Wet Cat Food?
The most notable advantage of wet cat food is its high moisture content. According to PetMD, most canned cat food contains between 68-78 percent water. For comparison, dry cat food only contains about 10 percent water. Now you may be wondering, why does moisture content matter? The answer is hydration, which is key for optimal health in a cat. Dehydration is incredibly dangerous and can lead to death.
Yet many cats don’t drink enough water, which is possibly due to their primal instincts. Back in the day, ancient cats would get most, if not all, of their water from eating rodents. Cats also learned to favor running water over still water, which can cause sickness from bacteria buildup. So if your cat is a fussy drinker, wet food might be the ideal choice.
Preventative Vet explains that drinking water is essential to:
- aid digestion
- aid the transport and absorption of nutrients
- maintain body temperature
- help essential organs function properly
- help circulation
- flush out toxins
- decrease the chances of kidney and bladder stones
Another pro of wet cat food is the fact that it has fewer calories than dry food. Since wet cat food contains a significantly high percentage of water, it should be no surprise that it’s less calorically dense. Not only does wet food contain fewer calories, but its high moisture content leaves cats feeling more full. That makes wet food a great choice for cats that need to lose weight.
Finally, wet food is easier for cats to chew. By default, this means that wet food might be necessary for some senior cats or cats with certain dental diseases.
What Are The Cons of Wet Cat Food?
As beneficial as wet cat food can be, it’s not without disadvantages. A frequent con that is mentioned among the cat community is that wet cat food is generally more expensive than dry. Needless to say, this can make buying wet food difficult for cat parents on a tight budget. For someone with several cats, buying wet food can be a small fortune.
Another con is the short shelf-life. After a can of wet food is opened, it only has a shelf life of 24 hours; and that’s if it’s stored in a refrigerator. Wet food should not be left out for more than a few hours to prevent bacterial buildup. If the food is left out longer than that, it can cause gastrointestinal upset. This short “best by date” can be problematic if your cat prefers to graze their food throughout the day.
Finally, despite your best efforts to establish a wet food diet, there’s no guarantee that your cat will approve. Like humans, cats have their own individual likes and dislikes. This means that some cats can be very picky. Other cats don’t like the taste of leftovers, which is a problem if the can contains multiple servings. This can result in wasted food which only adds to the cost disadvantage.
What Are The Pros of Dry Cat Food?
Some people think that all dry pet food is unhealthy, but that’s simply not true. Some of the top-rated cat foods on the market are dry food. As long as it’s of good quality, dry food has its own unique benefits. First, dry food can help reduce plaque and tartar build-up on your cat’s teeth. VCA Hospitals explains that plaque and tartar build-up can lead to the following problems:
- bacteria buildup
- gingivitis (inflammation of the gums which often results in painful bleeding)
- periodontal disease (which causes even more inflammation and pain, plus tooth loss)
- receded gums (which cause pain from exposing the sensitive area of teeth)
- infection
- decreased organ function (due to the bacteria being absorbed into the bloodstream)
Just to be clear, dry food alone is not a substitute for everyday cat dental care such as teeth brushing and water additives. But dry food can be an additional tool to help prevent plaque and tartar build-up. Plus, if brushing your cat’s teeth is impossible, dry food is certainly better than no prevention at all.
A second pro to dry food is its cost, because it’s usually less expensive than wet food. For cat parents on a tight budget, dry food may be the only option to properly care for their furry friends. Cost-wise, dry food may also be the only realistic option for someone with several cats or someone who feeds an outdoor colony.
Another advantage is that dry food has a longer shelf life. Since it can be stored longer than wet food, it keeps costs down. After it’s opened, dry food can be left out for the day. This is because it has a much lower moisture content than wet food, minimizing the risk of bacterial growth. So, if you free-feed your cat, dry food makes it so that you don’t have to rush home to open a can.
What Are The Cons of Dry Cat Food?
One of the biggest cons to dry food is that it could lead to a higher chance of cat obesity. There are several possible reasons for this link. First, dry food typically has more calories than wet food. Second, because dry food has significantly less moisture than wet food, it may leave some cats not feeling totally full. A third possibility is that many cats that eat dry food are also free-fed. Although some free-fed cats only eat as they’re hungry, others overeat all day, which can result in obesity.
Just to be clear, this correlation does not mean that dry food will always make a cat become overweight. Nonetheless, this risk should always be taken into consideration.
Another con is that dry food doesn’t help finicky drinkers. According to Preventative Vet, dry food only contains about 6–10 percent moisture, which is a small fraction of the daily water they need. Cats generally need about half a cup (3.5–4.5 ounces) of water per 5 pounds of body weight each day. For example, if you have a 10-pound cat, they need about one cup (7–9 ounces) each day. So, how does this help the fussy drinkers? Believe it or not, a single can of wet food could potentially give your cat half the water they need for the day. With a mere 10% moisture, dry food can’t compete with that.
What About a Combination Diet?
As you’ve probably gathered by now, the pros and cons of each food type can make it seem like there’s “no-win.” But feeding your cat a combination diet can balance the pros and cons of both food types. Since the general recommendation for adult cats is two meals per day, you could make one meal wet food and the other meal dry food. If you plan on free-feeding with the dry food, it might be easiest to make dry the morning meal that way it can sit out during the day.
Another way to go about a combination diet is to mix half dry food and half wet food for each meal. For a cat that sticks up their nose at one food type, this might be the only way to compromise with them.
A combination diet might also prevent meals from being boring. I’m sure you would get bored pretty fast if you had to eat the same meal twice a day. At least switching between two different meals gives your cat some sense of variety.
However, a disadvantage of combination diets can be portion control. Some cat parents get so caught up in variety that they neglect to measure out portions. It can be especially hard, or near impossible, to monitor portions if you have several cats. Even if your cat is reaping the nutritional benefits of both food types, too much food can still lead to obesity.
Wet vs. Dry Cat Food: Which is Best?
The bottom line is that there are several advantages and disadvantages to each food type. Since there is no one-size-fits-all answer, it’s important to ask your veterinarian which food they recommend for your cat. If your vet has several suggestions, then the decision comes down to two factors: quality and your cat’s preference.
To determine if a cat food is of good quality, here’s a pro tip. Look for a nutritional adequacy label from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), which is a nonprofit organization that assesses what’s in pet food. If you see the AAFCO label, you can be confident that the food is nutritionally balanced for your furry friend.
Needless to say, even the most top-tier cat food won’t do any good if your cat refuses to eat it. That’s why for some cats, finding the ideal food might be a case of trial and error. You also need to keep in mind that any food can make a cat overweight if they overeat. So whether you choose wet food, dry food, or both, remember to always follow the portion recommendations.
Resources
https://www.preventivevet.com/
https://www.hillspet.com/cat-care/
https://talkspetfood.aafco.org/
Disclaimer: The Purring Journal is not in the medical field. This post is made for entertainment purposes only. Use the information presented in this article at your own risk. Always seek medical advice from licensed veterinarians.
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