“Dry food” and “wet food” are common foods available for your cat.
“Dry food” refers to small, dry, and crunchy food sold in large bags. Dry food is sold in several flavors, including turkey, salmon, chicken, and beef. Most dry food is made by mixing chicken meal and corn or wheat. Dry food is marketed under names that include “Purina,” “Friskies,” “Hills” and “Iams.”
“Wet food” refers to canned food. It is called “wet food” because it is made with water and often sold in a wet gravy. It is sold in small cans containing between three and six ounces of food. Wet food is sold in different flavors and textures. Common flavors include chicken, turkey, fish and tuna. Typical textures of wet canned food include “pate,” “shreds,” “filets,” and “flaked.” Regardless of texture or flavor, wet food is typically made of meat by-products, including chicken, fish, or turkey. Wet food is marketed under names that include “Cesar,” “9-Lives” and “Friskies.”
Advantages of Dry Cat Food
Dry food is popular for several reasons. Dry cat food is cheap. It is also very convenient. As much or as little can be poured out and fed to your cat. Many people will fill up a bowl and leave it out for their cat to eat throughout the day. That way, your cat can eat when it wants to. Dry food also has a long shelf life. If properly stored, a large bag of dry food can last months. Most cats like dry food and will eat it as their daily meal.
Advantages of Dry Cat Food (Summary)
- Cheap
- Long shelf life
- Convenient to feed
- Cats like it
- Pour as little or as much as you want
- Good for weekend getaways
Disadvantages of Dry Cat Food
Although cheap and convenient, there are some disadvantages to dry food. When people feed their cats dry food, they tend to pour out a large amount, rather than keep strict meal times. As a result, your cat may eat continuously throughout the day. This may lead to obesity in cats. Dry cat food also commonly contains corn or wheat. Corn and wheat are not natural food sources for cats, who are meat eaters. As a result, dry food may not be the most natural or healthiest food option for cats. Dry food also increases the water needs of your cat. Dry food contains very little moisture content. If your cat eats dry food, it must drink enough water separately to digest the food and stay healthy.
Disadvantages of Dry Cat Food (Summary)
- May lead to obesity
- May not be the most natural or healthiest option
- Requires lots of separate water
Advantages of Wet Cat Food
Wet food is a very common cat food. There are several advantages to wet food. As its name indicates, wet, or canned food, has significantly more water content than dry food. This water content helps ensure the health of your cat. Many of your cat’s basic functions, including digestion, movement, and thinking requires water. Wet food helps ensure that your cat is taking in enough water. Wet food is also a more natural food for your cat. It usually does not contain corn or wheat like dry food. Lastly, wet food may offer more variety for your cat. A large bag of dry cat food, with a single flavor, may become boring for your cat. With wet food, you can choose different daily flavors for your cat.
Advantages of Wet Cat Food (Summary)
- Lots of water content
- More natural
- More daily flavor options
Disadvantages of Wet Cat Food
Most of the disadvantages of wet food are from cost and convenience. Wet food is more expense than dry food. Wet food is also not as convenient to feed as dry food. Once opened, wet food will go bad and dry out. As a result, wet food requires specific feeding times. Also, it may be harder to take a weekend getaway. A caretaker will need to visit at feeding times to open cans and feed your cat.
Disadvantages of Wet Cat Food (Summary)
- more expensive
- requires specific meal times
- once opened, short shelf life
Recommendations
In my personal experience, I always have dry and canned food on hand. I will normally feed my cats wet food. It is more natural and has a higher water content.
However, I always keep a bag of dry cat food on hand. The dry cat food is convenient when I need to be away for the day, or even a weekend. I can pour out plenty of dry food for the day or the weekend.
Water is very important. Cats can survive without food for a week more. However, cats can only survive without water for a few days. Make sure your cat has plenty of fresh water at all times. I will normally leave a few bowls of fresh water out if I am away for the weekend.
See our article, “Getting your cat to drink more water” for more helpful tips.
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