Wet food versus Dry food... I'm astonished!!!

danimarie · Apr 24, 2007

I've read quite a few threads here that mentions that wet food has less calories and is better for chubby cats.

My 16 year old cat is beyond chubby, she's obese. (I love her all the same)

My vet told me during two different visits to switch to a recommended low-calorie dry food. He never once mentioned the caloric difference.

This has been a problem for a few years now and I realize she's old but I've spent a fortune on special dry foods and cried MANY times because I fear her impending health problems.

Does anyone think I should switch to wet food for her??? We currently have her on Hills Science Diet. I measure it out daily. I'm willing to do anything to keep her around for a few more years, God willing.

beandip · Apr 24, 2007

Hello and welcome.

The biggest thing with dry foods is that they are heavy on the carbs. Some more than others...but Cats don't have much use for carbohydrates, they are a big contributor to weight gain. Cats utitlize protein and fat much more efficiently.

I switched all of my cats to a "wet" diet and I'm very happy with the results. It took the middle aged "bulge" off of my Leopold quite easily. I don't bother with any low calorie food...he eats the same stuff that my 11 month old "kittens" do...we're leaning on grain free wet food now, so they eat a lot of Wellness and Innova EVO. He's at a healthy weight and is much more active now...because he actually has some energy.

At 16, you may encounter some resistance from your girl (in regards to the switch). Has she had wet food before?

What did the vet say about her weight?

Also, you need to be very careful, regarding the rate of weight loss...it is dangerous for an obese cat to lose weight too FAST. It needs to be gradual.

I like this site, there's some good info here: www.catinfo.org

littleraven7726 · Apr 24, 2007

i switched to all wet for several months, but one of my cats never really adjusted to it. so i switched back to 2/3 of their diet being wet, and 1/3 is dry kibble. stimpy has lost weight with this method. he's down to 17 lbs. and everyone is quite happy with the feeding situation.

i had problems with each cat has certain flavors they like best. and someone inevitably didn't like one meal & was left hungry and cranky. so this way, even if someone is unhappy with their wet meal, there is *something* to snack on until the next meal. if you just have one cat you probably won't have the problem i did.

merlynn's mom · Apr 24, 2007

I definitely would look into incorporating some canned food into her diet. My little one (Merlynn, 1 yr, 1mo) was getting hefty and "tanky" according to the vet.

So, I put both of my cats on 100% wet diet for 2 weeks (I'm not able to regulate the dry). After the first week, she already showed signs of slimming. Problem is that now she is eating less of the canned food in one sitting and begs for dry, so she gets it.

We're now trying 1 1/2 cans of wet split for both and 1/4 cup of dry. Piccolino, the baby (8 mo), will usually ask for more canned, so he gets what he wants.

But b/c she is an elderly lady you should speak to your vet. But I definitely would not recommend putting her on any dry product that is for "losing weight." Wet will definitely bring the weight off. Remember, that dry food has a lot of carbs and cats are not created to efficiently digest carbs - it basically turns into fat.

Good luck.

sharky · Apr 24, 2007

Quick wet vs dry % ange break down for typical senior

... YES talk with a vet who is at least willing to help ...

wet food is higher in protein and fat yet that portein and fat is far more digestable do to moisture and less caloric overall...

typical wet food

label read s
9% protein / dry matter meaning minus moisture yeild 36-45% protein

5% fat / dry mattter 20-25% fat

78% moisture

typical dry food

30% protein

15% fat

10% moisture

Wet food s moisture content keeps calories down ave 5.5 oz premium is about 200-250 cal

Dry food the protein may go up a % or two same with fat .... but the calories for a cup ( ave cup is really 4 ozs of food) 350-400 calories

sangria14 · Apr 24, 2007

My cat was once 1-2lbs overwt and the first thing the vet recommended was limiting or eliminating the dry food. Think of a cat as a mini-lion or tiger - they have no use for dry food.

beandip · Apr 24, 2007

Originally Posted by sangria14

My cat was once 1-2lbs overwt and the first thing the vet recommended was limiting or eliminating the dry food. Think of a cat as a mini-lion or tiger - they have no use for dry food.

Sangria, I think you might have a good vet!

At least one that I agree with.

jean44 · Apr 24, 2007

Originally Posted by sangria14

My cat was once 1-2lbs overwt and the first thing the vet recommended was limiting or eliminating the dry food. Think of a cat as a mini-lion or tiger - they have no use for dry food.

An amazing answer from a vet.

I also agree with the recommendation. If your cat(s) will eat it and you can afford it an all wet diet is one of the best things you can do for your cats' health.

sbd45 · Apr 25, 2007

Hi, I have been to my vet recently as my cat is heavy at 17lbs and should be 12lbs. My vet put her on Purina OM.
All I have been reading is to put obese cats on all wet foods, I really would like to try it, but I guess I'm afraid. I guess I have a thing in my head that she would gain instead of lose. Need help with this problem.
Thanks

sharky · Apr 25, 2007

Originally Posted by sbd45

Hi, I have been to my vet recently as my cat is heavy at 17lbs and should be 12lbs. My vet put her on Purina OM.
All I have been reading is to put obese cats on all wet foods, I really would like to try it, but I guess I'm afraid. I guess I have a thing in my head that she would gain instead of lose. Need help with this problem.
Thanks

try the om in canned

see my post in this thread

sbd45 · Apr 25, 2007

I could try the canned. My vet totally is against wet. I mentioned to her about the catkins diet and she didn't say anything good about it, except it would not work. I can't figure her out. I guess that's why I am not sure what I should do. Thanks for your input though. I really need the help. What I am getting is a lot of other people switching to wet and their cats really loosing the weight. Sure would be nice.

sharky · Apr 25, 2007

Originally Posted by sbd45

I could try the canned. My vet totally is against wet. I mentioned to her about the catkins diet and she didn't say anything good about it, except it would not work. I can't figure her out. I guess that's why I am not sure what I should do. Thanks for your input though. I really need the help. What I am getting is a lot of other people switching to wet and their cats really loosing the weight. Sure would be nice.

Not to be harsh ... but it sounds like you need to find a more up to date nutritionally mined vet ... plus your views dont seem to jive..

noelle&oliver · Apr 28, 2007

Originally Posted by DaniMarie

I've read quite a few threads here that mentions that wet food has less calories and is better for chubby cats.

My 16 year old cat is beyond chubby, she's obese. (I love her all the same)

My vet told me during two different visits to switch to a recommended low-calorie dry food. He never once mentioned the caloric difference.

This has been a problem for a few years now and I realize she's old but I've spent a fortune on special dry foods and cried MANY times because I fear her impending health problems.

Does anyone think I should switch to wet food for her??? We currently have her on Hills Science Diet. I measure it out daily. I'm willing to do anything to keep her around for a few more years, God willing.

Wet food doesn't necessarily have LESS calories, but rather the APPROPRIATE calories.

1. Cats are obligate carnivores that require a lot of protein in their diet. Animal protein quality in dry food is no where near as good as in canned food. It can't be in order to make the dry hard kibble, as animal proteins are not a very good binding agent. Kibble is comprised mostly of carbohydrates, plant based protein, which a cat can't metabolize very well. They are not designed to eat grains. Cats get their energy from protein and fat and need much more of both than humans do. Humans are omnivores, and as such, we get our energy mostly from carbs. High quality canned food, by itself, is typically enough to make a cat regain it's normal weight. No need to use a weight control formula, they generally don't work anyway because they are carb based.

2. Cats are descendent from desert creatures, and as such, learned that the only way to get sufficiant amounts of water was in the prey they were eating. They have a very low thirst dry and will not actively seek out water until they are in some stage of dehydration. Dry food contains little to no water, obviously. No matter how much extra water they drink, they cannot make up for the amount they should be having in their diet. Canned food has a high water content, and as such, meets their needs and much more closely mimicks their natural diet. The animals they eat are comprised mostly of water. In fact, all animals are comprised mostly of water, including humans.

3. Dry food does nothing to clean their teeth. This myth just will not go away. When they bite into kibble, it shatters and is swallowed. It does not stay in contact with the teeth long enough to clean it. In the wild, cats chew on chunks of meat, which keeps their teeth pretty clean. They do not munch on hard, dry kibble. Neither dry or wet food is responsible for the condition of their teeth.

I had the same issue my one of my cats. She was overweight when I got her, and she got even more so in my attempts to get her to lose weight. I had her on Iams weight control over a year ago, and it resulted in an even fatter cat. I found Innova Evo, which did help some, but when I started mixing in canned Evo, it has helped even more. Unfortunatly, vet's don't seem to know the proper nutrition for cats. You'd think they would, but I keep reading stories where people are told to keep their cats on crap food like Friskies, or what not. I think it's previlant in all areas of feline education as well. I have a degree in Animal Care, and I can't really remember my classes saying cat's shouldn't be on dry food. It wasn't until I started researching it on my own after I graduated that I discovered a wealth of information that just wasn't offered.

pdubs410 · Apr 30, 2007

Thanks for the info-I'm going try these tips on my big cat!

danimarie · Apr 30, 2007

Originally Posted by Noelle&Oliver

Wet food doesn't necessarily have LESS calories, but rather the APPROPRIATE calories.

1. Cats are obligate carnivores that require a lot of protein in their diet. Animal protein quality in dry food is no where near as good as in canned food. It can't be in order to make the dry hard kibble, as animal proteins are not a very good binding agent. Kibble is comprised mostly of carbohydrates, plant based protein, which a cat can't metabolize very well. They are not designed to eat grains. Cats get their energy from protein and fat and need much more of both than humans do. Humans are omnivores, and as such, we get our energy mostly from carbs. High quality canned food, by itself, is typically enough to make a cat regain it's normal weight. No need to use a weight control formula, they generally don't work anyway because they are carb based.

2. Cats are descendent from desert creatures, and as such, learned that the only way to get sufficiant amounts of water was in the prey they were eating. They have a very low thirst dry and will not actively seek out water until they are in some stage of dehydration. Dry food contains little to no water, obviously. No matter how much extra water they drink, they cannot make up for the amount they should be having in their diet. Canned food has a high water content, and as such, meets their needs and much more closely mimicks their natural diet. The animals they eat are comprised mostly of water. In fact, all animals are comprised mostly of water, including humans.

3. Dry food does nothing to clean their teeth. This myth just will not go away. When they bite into kibble, it shatters and is swallowed. It does not stay in contact with the teeth long enough to clean it. In the wild, cats chew on chunks of meat, which keeps their teeth pretty clean. They do not munch on hard, dry kibble. Neither dry or wet food is responsible for the condition of their teeth.

I had the same issue my one of my cats. She was overweight when I got her, and she got even more so in my attempts to get her to lose weight. I had her on Iams weight control over a year ago, and it resulted in an even fatter cat. I found Innova Evo, which did help some, but when I started mixing in canned Evo, it has helped even more. Unfortunatly, vet's don't seem to know the proper nutrition for cats. You'd think they would, but I keep reading stories where people are told to keep their cats on crap food like Friskies, or what not. I think it's previlant in all areas of feline education as well. I have a degree in Animal Care, and I can't really remember my classes saying cat's shouldn't be on dry food. It wasn't until I started researching it on my own after I graduated that I discovered a wealth of information that just wasn't offered.

Wow, thank you so much!!!!!!!! That was really educational and informative!!!!

catsarebetter · Apr 30, 2007

The two that I have on a raw diet are in no way overweight, although the male cat is upwards of 12 pounds and could actually stand to gain maybe another pound (but I think that might be his limit unless he bulks up in muscle some). They both eat to their heart's content and we have no issues with them. They're currently eating chunks. I'm waiting to see how it goes with the clean teeth.

The other two are on Evo dry. My overweight cat has lost some weight, and seems to be continuing to do so at a slow rate. I don't know how this will go over. The other one is at a good weight, and seems to be maintaining.

Ultimately, I want to switch the two of them to a raw diet as well. But until them I'll see how the Evo goes. Thus far, it seems to be working well. They're eating a lot less of it even though it's higher in calories and they *love* the taste although it did take a day or two for them to get onboard the Evo boat.

Good luck with your kitty weight loss program!

merlynn's mom · Apr 30, 2007

Originally Posted by sbd45

Hi, I have been to my vet recently as my cat is heavy at 17lbs and should be 12lbs. My vet put her on Purina OM.
All I have been reading is to put obese cats on all wet foods, I really would like to try it, but I guess I'm afraid. I guess I have a thing in my head that she would gain instead of lose. Need help with this problem.
Thanks

My vet also suggested I put Merlynn on "light" food if she continued to "grow" and it probably would have been some Hill's formula b/c that's all he sells. I shrugged off this recommendation thanks to all the information in these forums and kicked up the canned food as I mentioned in my earlier post. Merlynn stopped gaining weight and I did notice her "hour-glass" shape coming back; slowly but surely. So I'm very glad I did that.

As soon as I finish the dry, which will take forever at 1/4 - 1/2 cup per day between both cats...

....I'll be looking into the grain-free dry foods b/c they do like the crunchies.

I'd love to see if I could find a vet around here that shared my thoughts...research starts now! Can anyone suggest any good places to find this info? Thanks.

beandip · Apr 30, 2007

Originally Posted by merlynn's mom

I'd love to see if I could find a vet around here that shared my thoughts...research starts now! Can anyone suggest any good places to find this info? Thanks.

A few links

http://catinfo.org/

http://littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library

or more specific

http://littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...needcannedfood

http://littlebigcat.com/index.php?ac...=show&item=016

I'm sure there's a lot more...

mlynn · Apr 30, 2007

I think wet food is actually better for cats and dogs then dry food. Dry food contains alot of fillers - and even if it doesn't (premium foods) it contains alot of grain products. Dogs and Cats should eat as close to a natural diet as possible....PREMIUM canned food (like wellness, old mother hubbard, neura meats exc) is much better for a carnivore then any dry food.....even super premium dry foods....because it more closley matches thier natural diet (meat) with less grain product and less processing involved.

Neura meats is a GREAT product that is 95 percent meat. It is actually just human grade canned meat made for pets (with some other stuff in there) and it is totally holistic and organic and natural. It is made for dogs but should be OK for cats as it is meat and cats are also carnivores.

sharky · Apr 30, 2007

Originally Posted by mlynn

I think wet food is actually better for cats and dogs then dry food. Dry food contains alot of fillers - and even if it doesn't (premium foods) it contains alot of grain products. Dogs and Cats should eat as close to a natural diet as possible....PREMIUM canned food (like wellness, old mother hubbard, neura meats exc) is much better for a carnivore then any dry food.....even super premium dry foods....because it more closley matches thier natural diet (meat) with less grain product and less processing involved.

Neura meats is a GREAT product that is 95 percent meat. It is actually just human grade canned meat made for pets (with some other stuff in there) and it is totally holistic and organic and natural. It is made for dogs but should be OK for cats as it is meat and cats are also carnivores.

CONSULT a vet PRIOR to giving a cat, dog food ... Is Neura a complete food??? or is it a intermitant ???

MANY food s in DOG now have 95% meat ... Innova , Wellness are two somewhat readily avail... oh and they taste better than neura, (according to my dog

( which if memory serves some have rice

....

Evangers make s a line that is dog/cat all meat .... Natures prairie does the same

Wet food versus Dry food... I'm astonished!!!

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