Do Cats Need Wet Food

The Benefits Of Feeding Your Cat Wet Food

Even if your cat won’t eat wet food at this very moment, there are several upsides as to why you should continue to encourage your cat to do so!Firstly, hydration is one of the most important reasons. Because of the high meat content in canned wet foods, it allows for higher moisture content. Naturally, cats aren’t water drinkers. In the wild, most of their hydration comes from the prey they catch and eat. Senior cats also don’t hydrate themselves well enough, and this can make them feel poorly.

Secondly, urinary crystals and urinary tract infections are common and can easily develop in cats who aren’t properly hydrated. This is a condition you certainly don’t want to have on your paws! However, adding in wet food to your cats diet can reduce this by fighting dehydration and kidney problems. Additionally, many cats who have had teeth extracted can find dry food difficult to handle, whereas wet food will be much easier for their tummies to digest.

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Wet Food Recipes for Cats

We offer a variety of delicious pâtés, stews and shredded wet foods your cat is sure to love.

What Wet And Dry Cat Food Do Veterinarians Recommend

Regardless of whether you choose to feed a dry or canned cat food, it is important to feed a well-balanced, commercial diet to ensure that your cat gets the vitamins and minerals they need.

Reputable brands such as Science Diet and Royal Canin have been quality-controlled and specially formulated to meet a cats nutritional requirements. Your veterinarian can give you more specific recommendations based on your cats health history.

Avoid feeding a home-cooked or homemade diet unless it is specially formulated by a veterinarian who is specialized in making these diets. If you dont have help from a qualified vet, these diets can be deficient in vitamins and minerals such as taurine, which can cause heart disease in cats.

Involving your veterinarian in your decision of what to feed your cat can be very helpful in ensuring they get the most appropriate nutrition.

Here are some other things to consider.

What Are The Benefits Of Dry Cat Food

Dry complete diets have some specific plus points – they are convenient, easy to measure and use, easier to store, and have a longer shelf-life once opened than wet foods. Some may also help to remove plaque from the teeth.

Bear in mind that cats at certain life stages may prefer softer foods, for instance elderly cats or weaning kittens. Wet food will work well on these occasions and there are also some dry diets which have been specially designed to be soaked.

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Wet Vs Dry Cat Food: Which Is Best

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When you bring home a kitty it can be difficult to choose between wet vs. dry cat food. Both are ultimately excellent sources of nutrition if you serve an appropriate amount, and some pet parents decide to blend the two. Of course, each type of food presents its own advantages and disadvantages. Here’s what you need to know so you can decide what’s best for your cat.

Feline Diet And Types Of Cat Food

Since the domestication process began, a cat’s diet hasn’t changed significantly. When we compare dogs to their wild cousins, they have adapted to better tolerate grains and non-animal protein based foods. Cats have not envolved in the same way. As with their wildcat cousins, domestic cats are obligate carnivores. This means they need the proteins, vitamins, minerals and other nutrients which come from animal sources.

The different types of cat food available to domestic cats include:

• Wet cat food: usually comes canned, but is also available in pouches.
• Dry cat food: sometimes referred to as kibble, this is a compound food which usually comes in large bags.
• Homemade cooked food: some people may want to provide the same animal-based nutrition by providing cooked food at home or by supplementing it with other foodstuffs.
• BARF: an acronym for biologically appropriate raw food or bones and raw food, BARF diets feed cats raw meat which mimics the food they would otherwise eat if hunting their own prey.
• Vegetarian: some people provide vegetarian and even vegan diets to their cats. However, cats need certain nutrients which cannot be found in noon-animal based food. Even when supplemented, the cat may develop dietary disorders which can develop over a long period of time before symptoms are observed.
• Medical diet: when a cat has a certain medical issue such as kidney failure or diabetes, a veterinarian may put them on a specialized diet to best ensure their health.

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Feeding Wet Cat Food Vs Dry Cat Food

Most veterinarians recommend that cats eat primarily wet food. The higher water content in wet foods can help treat or prevent kidney and lower urinary tract disease as well as obesity and all its associated health problems. High quality wet foods like Fancy Feast Gourmet Naturals tend to contain more meat and protein and be lower in carbohydrates than dry foods and this better matches a cats nutritional needs in comparison to dry.

The chief benefits of dry foods are their lower cost and the fact that they are the best option when food needs to be left out for extended periods of time. If you choose to feed dry, opt for a quality, high protein cat food, like Solid Gold Indigo Moon with Chicken & Eggs Grain-Free High Protein Dry Cat Food, and try to maximize your cats water intake. If your cat likes to drink from running sources of water, consider purchasing a kitty water fountain like the Catit Flower Pet Fountain.

Your Cats Particular Health Needs

The best cat food for your cat will be unique to their lifestyle and nutritional needs.

For example, if your kitten or cat is of normal weight and healthy, then a kitten or adult maintenance diet should be sufficient. If your cat is overweight, it may be best to look for a low-fat diet.

If your cat has a health condition, your veterinarian may prescribe a specific diet formulated for that disease. For example, kidney diets are recommended in most cats who develop kidney disease, or a urinary diet may be more appropriate in cats who have lower urinary tract disease.

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Did You Know Cats Need To Eat Meat To Survive

Remember also that cats are confirmed meat eaters and cats will go blind, suffer other debilitating conditions, and ultimately die if fed on a vegetarian diet. Meat is the only major source of arachidonic acid, and cats lacking the ability to synthesize niacin from protein. Cats need meat to survive!

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Should You Feed Your Cat Both Wet And Dry Food

First, determine if you will be feeding your cat a 100 percent wet food diet or including some dry food. While the gold standard is to feed all wet food to cats, some cats love dry food and will undereat if they are only given wet food. In addition, dry food is more affordable, so feeding part dry will be easier on your budget.

Feeding a mix of wet and dry may require a bit of math to make sure your cat is getting the appropriate number of calories. One easy starting point is to look at the recommended daily feeding amounts on each type of food and halve them.

Once you have settled on the ratio of wet-to-dry, it’s time to determine the calorie count of the food. Make sure you are feeding a quality diet that’s listed as “complete and balanced” by AAFCO. Then, determine the number of calories per portion.

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Feeding Both Canned And Dry Cat Food

To balance the benefits and drawbacks of both options, you may choose to feed a combination of both. This may be particularly useful with cats who require a higher water intake but enjoy eating dry better than canned.

If you are looking to mix wet cat food and dry cat food, talk with your veterinarian to find the best balance. Your veterinarian can help you calculate how much your cat should be eating and how to portion out the two food options.

Every cat is different, and the amount you feed a day will depend on the age of your cat, your cats current body condition, and the presence of any underlying diseases.

Use The Right Type Of Water Bowl

Cats need to have access to fresh water at all times. To ensure your cat is drinking enough water, use a water bowl that is an appropriate size for your cat and maintain a consistent level of water in it. Dont use a huge bowl filled with water as a way of only having to fill it once a week because the water will get stale, dirty and contaminated. Use a bowl that will hold a days water. Every day, wash the bowl with soapy water, thoroughly rinse it and refill with fresh water. Dont just refill the water bowl without washing it because the water will taste bad and can become contaminated.

Gravity-feed water and food bowls are also very popular with pet parents. The one problem with the water container though is that the water can get stale. If you do decide to use a gravity-feed dispenser, you still need to regularly change the water and completely clean the dispenser and reservoir.

If you arent sure which type of bowl is best, offer a few different shapes and sizes so your cat will have the choice.

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Weruva Paw Lickin Chicken Wet Cat Food

This Weruva recipe contains only 3% carbohydrates , so if your cat likes the taste, its a healthy choice. Speaking of choice, we like the option to buy it in 3-, 5.5-, or 10-ounce cans.

Weruva Paw Lickin Chicken

Tiki Cat is renowned for recipes high in animal protein. While many of the recipes are fish-based, you will find some poultry as well, like this shredded chicken variety with 77% protein.

Tiki Cat Puka Puka Luau Succulent Chicken

Shredded chicken in chicken consommé is designed to engage even picky eaters.

How Much To Feed Your Cat

As your kitten approaches their first birthday, you can start to think about transitioning them to an adult cat food. These should be labeled as formulated for the maintenance stage. Use these quantities as a guide, but remember to adjust them depending on the activity levels and health of your cat.

We recommend the following amounts as a starting point. Always double-check the quantities advised by each individual manufacturer, and ask your vet for more advice if youre unsure.

As your cat ages, you may decide to switch them to a brand designed specifically to meet the needs of older cats. These are supplemented with ingredients like glucosamine and omega-3 oils, designed to help your cats joints. Your vet will be best placed to advise you about what will work best for your cat.

• See also:Choosing A Kitten

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Choosing The Right Wet Food

Not all wet food is created equal, however. Some canned food for cats contain ingredients such as artificial colors, additives, salt, and preservativesnone of which make for healthy cat food.

Determining which wet food to buy for your cat can be daunting. A good rule of thumb is to take a look at the ingredients, and make sure that the top ingredient is some source of animal protein. Some cat parents may be uncomfortable at the thought of their cats eating meat byproducts if thats the case, keep an eye out for ingredients such as internal organs, blood, fatty tissue, and so on. Even if you do not mind if your cat eats meat byproducts, make sure those ingredients are far down the list .

Finally, you should look for nutritional labels on wet food such as complete and balanced, USDA-certified organic, or a nutritional statement that mentions AAFCO .

Concerned about animal welfare? While cats should not be on vegan or vegetarian diets, you can shop for cat food brands that bear welfare certification labelsthese represent more humane and transparent farming practices.

Dry Cat Food Pros And Cons

Dry cat food is convenient to store, easy to serve, and nutrient-dense.

On the flip side, compared with wet cat food, dry cat food is usually higher in carbohydrates and has less protein . Although cats can digest and absorb beneficial nutrients from carbohydrates, cats have no minimum nutritional requirement for carbohydrates.

Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they require animal protein in their diet. Wild cats eat very little carbs, if any, as their diet consists mainly of eating small prey animals.

These small prey animals have high amounts of protein and moderate amounts of fat. Dry cat food is a less natural type of diet for cats, although domestic cats have evolved to live and thrive on dry cat foods.

Although you may have heard that dry food is better for your cats teeth because it scrapes the teeth clean, this is generally untrue for several reasons. For example, the kibble is so small that it crumbles easily in a cats mouth. Also, cats swallow rather than chew their food, so theyre not munching on dry food.

In general, dry cat food is no better for your cats teeth than wet food, and it no more keeps a cats teeth clean than eating crackers or cereal would keep your teeth clean.

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• Convenient
• More energy-dense than wet food
• Many cats love the crunch and taste

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Can I Mix Dry Cat Food With Water

With 1/4 C of filtered water and some dry kibble, you can successfully moisten your fur baby’s food AND enhance the flavour. As we mentioned before, cats benefit quite a lot from wet food, so adding water to dry food provides hydration by increasing their water intake.

Be certain not to use any more than one part water to three parts dry food. Ideally, you would add warm water. Whether you have a kitten or an adult cat – they can definitely use a little help with hydration!

Are you a dry food or wet food feeder? Let us know which format works best for your cat and why!

How Much Wet Food Should You Feed A Cat

Many cat owners think of wet cat food as a treat because their cats love it so much. In reality, you can feed your cat wet food regularly, not just as an occasional treat.

It can be tricky to determine how much wet food to feed a cat at a time, though. The total amount of wet food you should provide them can depend on several factors. They include how much dry kibble you feed them, their overall health and more, including:

• Age and Life Stage: Kittens have different nutritional needs than adult or senior cats and need a specially formulated kitten food. How much wet food to feed a kitten is different from how much to feed an adult cat. Cats who are pregnant or nursing also have different nutritional needs.
• Weight: If your cat is not at their ideal weight, you may need to give them smaller or larger portions to help them achieve and maintain a healthy weight.
• Energy Level: Cats who are active and playful throughout the day may require more calories than those who prefer to spend their time napping.
• Type of Food: Wet and dry cat food differ in calories, as well as portion sizes. Youll want to ensure youre feeding an appropriate amount of food, whether you feed wet, dry or a combination of the two.

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Do Cats Need Wet Food Benefits Of Including It In Their Diets

If youve only ever fed your cat dry kibble, you may wonder if cats need wet food. In nature, cats derived most of the water their bodies needed from their prey.

Because dry food has low moisture content, your cat needs to get water from a dish, fountain or wet food. Feeding a combination of wet and dry food, rather than just dry, is a great way to help your cat get more water. There are many benefits of including wet food in her diet.

What Type Of Cat Food Bowl Is Best

Stainless steel or ceramic bowls are usually preferred, as unlike plastic bowls, these are not likely to get scratched or worn. Bacteria is harboured in these scratches, and odours tend to sit in plastic bowls.

Any plastic bowl that looks visibly scratched or worn should definitely be replaced, and all bowls – of any material – should be washed daily. Ensure you provide clean, fresh water in a large bowl, this will help to keep the kidneys healthy, and reduce the risk of Urinary infections.

Cats usually favour shallow bowls so that their whiskers do not brush against the sides of the bowl, so this is definitely an important consideration to make when choosing a bowl.

It’s also crucial to bear in mind that separate bowls are usually preferable over ‘double’ bowls – cats dislike having their water next to their food bowl as it can become contaminated with bits of food.

It is worth bearing in mind there are also cat feeders available which can be ideal for multi-cat households or for encouraging your cat’s natural hunting instincts.

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Buying Guide For Best Wet Cat Foods

High in moisture and packed with protein, wet cat food mirrors a cats natural diet. Most vets recommend it, and some cats insist on it. Whether youre looking for the best cat food for a new kitten or simply want to ensure that your feline friends are getting the nourishment they need, wet cat food is an excellent choice. But with so many different recipes, textures, and flavours to choose from, where do you start?

If you need a hand finding the best wet cat food for your furbaby, youve come to the right place. At BestReviews, we aim to simplify every shopping experience. Weve put in hours of research and waded through the vast array of wet cat food options currently on the market to help you find the purrfect fit for your kitty.