Is Wet Food or Dry Food Better for My Cat?

Feeding your cat a healthy, balanced diet is important for their overall well-being. A question paw parents often ask is whether wet food or dry food is better. Is one healthier than the other? Is dry food actually bad for cats? And can your feline survive on only a wet food diet? If you have quandaries about your kitty’s eating habits, we’re here to help! Below, Cat in a Flat dives into whether wet food or dry food is better and offers recommendations on what to feed your feline. 

Is wet food or dry food better for cats?

Is wet food or dry food better for cats? Both types can be healthy for your fur friend, as long as you choose high-quality food. Wet and dry food can provide different benefits, depending on your kitty’s unique circumstances. For example, wet food can be better for hydration while dry kibble can be better for dental health. Here are some of the primary benefits of each type of food: 

Benefits of wet food

• High moisture content. Our furry friends are obligate carnivores and don’t tend to drink a lot of water. Wet food provides much-needed hydration for you cat. However, don’t forget to find other ways to make sure Mr Whiskers drinks enough water too!
• Closer to a natural diet. In the wild, your fur friend would hunt for their food and get the majority of their hydration from their prey. Wet food is the most similar in protein and moisture content to what your cat’s wilder cousins would eat!
• Often more palatable. Because it’s closer to what their natural diet would be like, wet food may also be more palatable for your kitty. It can also be easier for kittens and senior felines to chew and digest. 
• Helps with weight control. Wet food is lower calories than dry food which can help if your cat is overweight. 

Benefits of dry food

• Convenient and easy to store. Dry food has a long shelf life, which means it’s convenient to store. You also don’t have to worry about it going bad if it sits in your kitty’s dish for too long. In hot weather wet food can spoil, but dry food doesn’t!  
• Tends to be more budget friendly. Purchasing dry food in bulk is cheaper than canned. This can make it a more cost-effective option, especially if you have multiple felines. 
• Some dental benefits. Kibble has a hard, crunchy texture which helps scrape away plaque and tartar build-up while Mr Whiskers eats. However, you shouldn’t solely rely on dry food (even if it’s dental care kibble) to manage your fur friend’s dental health. If you can, try to brush your kitty’s teeth daily and book in an annual cleaning with their vet too.  

If your cat is…recommendations for feeding your cat

Every feline is unique. Whether you feed your kitty wet food, dry food, or a combination of both can depend on their personality, age, breed, and health. Here are a few recommendations to help you figure out what works best for your feline. 

If your cat is…a picky eater

It can be a struggle sometimes to find a food your feline loves—especially if they tend to grow bored easily! For picky eaters it’s recommended to try wet food. Keep a few different options on hand so you can switch it up occasionally. And try mixing wet food with dry to see if that’s a combo your fastidious feline likes. 

If your cat is…overweight

While wet food is lower in calories, the higher water content will actually make Mr Whiskers feel fuller! This means your fur friend will eat less and reduce their drive to beg for food between meals. So, if your kitty struggles with weight gain, aim for a diet primarily made up of wet food. 

If your cat has…kidney/urinary issues

Your feline’s litter box habits are often a direct indicator of their overall health. Toilet upsets can sometimes point to kidney or urinary issues (though you should always take your cat to a vet instead of diagnosing them yourself!). Wet food has higher moisture which means it’s better for hydration. It can also prevent the stones and crystals that lead to urinary issues from forming. 

If your cat is…young and healthy

If your fur friend is young, gets enough exercise and stimulation every day, and is otherwise healthy, it’s perfectly fine to feed them either wet or dry food. You can even consider a combo of the two! 

If your cat is…prone to dental issues

Looking after your feline’s dental health is hard. Cats aren’t people pleasers, so convincing Mr Whiskers to allow you to brush their teeth every day can be a challenge. Some breeds, such as the Abyssinian, may also be more prone to dental disease. And many times, as kitties get older they may experience tooth decay. Hard food often works better in these cases as the crunchy texture can help scrape tartar and plaque from your fur friend’s teeth. Make sure you’re feeding your cat high quality dental food and booking them in for an annual teeth cleaning with the vet. 

If your cat is…a grazer

There are some felines who are experts at managing their food intake. If your fur friend is a grazer who doesn’t like eating their food all at once, dry food might be a better option than wet food. It’s easy to leave dry food out all day without worrying about it spoiling. However, aim to feed your kitty some wet food at least once a day to help maintain a balanced diet.

Or…the best of both worlds!

Mixed feeding is often a better option for the majority of kitties. Try feeding your fur friend dry food in the morning and wet food in the evenings. Wet food often works better at the end of the day as it can help your feline feel calmer and sleepier—which means they’re less likely to wake you up in the middle of the night! 

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Are you worried about your kitty maintaining a steady diet while you’re away on a trip? Our trustworthy cat sitters have you covered! During the initial meet and greet make sure to walk your sitter through your fur friend’s daily feeding schedule. This includes when they should eat, how much, and whether they can have extra treats or snacks! If you want to stick as closely as possible to Mr Whiskers’ usual routine, consider hiring a cat sitter for twice-daily visits or book a house sitter to spend more time with your cat!