Which is better wet or dry feeds?

Originally Posted by NosyKitty

A (real, whole) meat as the first ingredient(s).
No By-Products
No Animal Digest
No chemical preservatives - BHA, BHT, Ethoxyquine etc.
No, or fewer fillers/allgerens - Corn, soy, wheat, grains, fish (allergen to some cats)

Click to expand...

Agreed with this, not with the fish, as my cat is allergic to chicken, so he needs to eat fish.
I personally don't feed any of that.
Yes, hydration is very important... My cats drink very well, and a cat fountain can help with that. A 50/50 wet dry diet can also help.

Now, a lot of people (some of them call themselves specialists) love to use data from a long time a go, when dry food was in fact 40-50% carbs. But that is not longer reality. Yes, it CAN BE, IF you feed a supermarket brand, or a low quality brand, but it is hardly the only choice out there. Dry food NO LONGER = High Carbs.

Teeth shattering? Dry food is not that hard... This is truly a first for me. Cats barely chew their dry food anyways... Toothless cats eat dry food without a problem... I would be interested in seeing where this data is coming from...

The bottom line is that there is no perfect diet out there. The perfect diet is the one that works for YOUR cat, YOUR schedule and YOUR budget...

Originally Posted by GoldenKitty45

IMO the ideal diet consists of both dry and canned and/or raw. With males, all dry can sometimes lead to UTI's and the males getting blocked - even if they drink water.

All dry does NOT clean the teeth like many people (and vets) believe or will tell you. Some of my past cats have been fed almost all dry their entire lives and needed teeth cleaned - plaque still built up on the teeth in a few years.

Our cats get one meal of dry in the morning and one meal of canned in the evening and raw 2-3 times a week. They also are pretty good water drinkers in addition to the water in canned food. Feeding them this way I have very little litter box odor (we do use the wood stove pellets), and the stools are a lot smaller too - which means the food is being used by the body.

Click to expand...

Originally Posted by sharky

I do agree variety seems to be the best diet ...

I have had animals with NO extractions some never needing a dental do to the "rotation" diet

Click to expand...

I agree........................

Originally Posted by carolinalima

The bottom line is that there is no perfect diet out there. The perfect diet is the one that works for YOUR cat, YOUR schedule and YOUR budget...

Click to expand...

Yes, that's the way I feel too.

However I want to comment on the "no meal". This depends on if the source of the meal is identified. Chicken meat meal is actually a good thing, it is chicken with the water removed, so a denser form of protien. By product meal...well you don't know quite what the by product is.

However I've read conflicting views on by-product too.

I also agree and consider it FACT not opnion, that dry food is NOT "better for cat's teeth" nor does canned food "rot their teeth"

These are fallacies. Most cats don't chew their dry food much, maybe one crunch. And those dry pieces are more likely to stick to teeth and form plaque and tartar than wet food, which just kind of washes down as a cat moves his tongue.

What to feed your cat is a never ending and fascinating discussion with as many opinions and preferences as there are people to post them. Some people will become downright rabid over it, if they cannot convince someone else that they are right and the other is wrong.

I've learned a lot over the years participating in pet forums, and have formed my own opinions and feed my cats according to what I think is best for them. And yes, they are on a much better diet (in my opinion) than cats I had in earlier years, though those cats were all just as healthy, in fact more so, than the ones I have now (because the ones I have now are special needs)

Sissy (rb 12/97) lived to 21 on 9-lives canned food, for the last 16 years of her life. The first five years of her life (before I rescued her) she was fed Tender Vittles. UGH!

Baby (rb 1/98 ) also ate 9-lives canned food all his life. I lost him right before he turned 16 to acute kidney failure brought on by stress (same thing that happened to Sissy, stress killed her)

Wow many cat owners are really concern! I thank everyone for that!

I haven't dewormed him. He's my cat's baby. He's mine since he was born. I haven't seen any signs of worm making me feel that it's okay not to deworm him. I'm just a little worried that most of the time he doesn't want his meal.

Another thing is that someone told me that some cat foods may cause allergy, he has few small spots on his head but not really alarming because some of them just come back to normal.

Originally Posted by MysteryCat

Wow many cat owners are really concern! I thank everyone for that!

I haven't dewormed him. He's my cat's baby. He's mine since he was born. I haven't seen any signs of worm making me feel that it's okay not to deworm him. I'm just a little worried that most of the time he doesn't want his meal.

Another thing is that someone told me that some cat foods may cause allergy, he has few small spots on his head but not really alarming because some of them just come back to normal.

Click to expand...

MysteryCat, this is at least the third thread you say your cat doesn't want to eat... In Two others, you said he is very skinny... Also, if he was never dewormed, it makes me wonder, has he EVER seen a vet?
Your cat needs to see a vet, he might be sick, and thread after thread we will be telling you that (I know I have, and others have been telling you too)... PLEASE take your cat to the vet.... Cats don't just stop eating their food like that, specially their dry food... Please, take him in...

Originally Posted by MysteryCat

I'm feeding my cats dry pet food but I think he wants something new. I want to try feeding then with wet pet food. What do you think?

Click to expand...

Wet is much better. Higher in protein and fat. Dry is too high in carbs. there are a couple exceptions like EVO dry food and Orijen dry food. However for most, middle-grade wet is more affordable.

Originally Posted by carolinalima

MysteryCat, this is at least the third thread you say your cat doesn't want to eat... In Two others, you said he is very skinny... Also, if he was never dewormed, it makes me wonder, has he EVER seen a vet?
Your cat needs to see a vet, he might be sick, and thread after thread we will be telling you that (I know I have, and others have been telling you too)... PLEASE take your cat to the vet.... Cats don't just stop eating their food like that, specially their dry food... Please, take him in...

Click to expand...

I think there's a misunderstanding here
1st - It's not that he doesn't want to eat, he's not eating much especially if I gave him his dry food. I can remember, I said that my cat would like to eat something that I bought from the market which made me think that I need to switch to another food which is wet food.

2nd - Yes, he is so thin but not scary skinny, because I'm still giving him his dry food which is he doesn't like.

3rd - Yes, he never saw a vet, but i don't feel that he is sick. No sign of worm, no sign of being weak. Nothing has change about his behavior. It's just that he's being choosy with regards to the food I'm giving him.

I already tried switching to another brand of dry food, he liked it very much but then after a month he started to dislike it. What I did is to give the old one, same old story he likes it then after a month he started to dislike it again. But as I have said there's no sign of sickness, he's just being choosy. That's why I want to switch to wet food, and I posted this thread to know which is best among the two.

Anyway, I would like to ask everyone, is it not normal for a cat to dislike his food because he is having it too often?
Do you think I really have to take my cat to vet?

Sorry if it's a long post. I just want to make it more understandable.

Thank you.

Originally Posted by MysteryCat

I think there's a misunderstanding here
1st - It's not that he doesn't want to eat, he's not eating much especially if I gave him his dry food. I can remember, I said that my cat would like to eat something that I bought from the market which made me think that I need to switch to another food which is wet food.

2nd - Yes, he is so thin but not scary skinny, because I'm still giving him his dry food which is he doesn't like.

3rd - Yes, he never saw a vet, but i don't feel that he is sick. No sign of worm, no sign of being weak. Nothing has change about his behavior. It's just that he's being choosy with regards to the food I'm giving him.

I already tried switching to another brand of dry food, he liked it very much but then after a month he started to dislike it. What I did is to give the old one, same old story he likes it then after a month he started to dislike it again. But as I have said there's no sign of sickness, he's just being choosy. That's why I want to switch to wet food, and I posted this thread to know which is best among the two.

Anyway, I would like to ask everyone, is it not normal for a cat to dislike his food because he is having it too often?
Do you think I really have to take my cat to vet?

Sorry if it's a long post. I just want to make it more understandable.

Thank you.

Click to expand...

In my opinion YES your cat needs to see a vet. IMO it is rare for cats to grow tired of their dry food too (This happens more often with their wet food, I never had it happen with a dry food, unless kitty was sick). IMO if a cat is alsways hungry, but not eating, like you said on your other post, has red dots on the head, is "so" skinny and has never been dewormed, needs to see a vet. But then I already said in your other thread too, and so did other people: http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...19#post2820519

Originally Posted by MysteryCat

I think there's a misunderstanding here
1st - It's not that he doesn't want to eat, he's not eating much especially if I gave him his dry food. I can remember, I said that my cat would like to eat something that I bought from the market which made me think that I need to switch to another food which is wet food.

2nd - Yes, he is so thin but not scary skinny, because I'm still giving him his dry food which is he doesn't like.

3rd - Yes, he never saw a vet, but i don't feel that he is sick. No sign of worm, no sign of being weak. Nothing has change about his behavior. It's just that he's being choosy with regards to the food I'm giving him.

I already tried switching to another brand of dry food, he liked it very much but then after a month he started to dislike it. What I did is to give the old one, same old story he likes it then after a month he started to dislike it again. But as I have said there's no sign of sickness, he's just being choosy. That's why I want to switch to wet food, and I posted this thread to know which is best among the two.

Anyway, I would like to ask everyone, is it not normal for a cat to dislike his food because he is having it too often?
Do you think I really have to take my cat to vet?

Sorry if it's a long post. I just want to make it more understandable.

Thank you.

Click to expand...

Yes I think you should take your cat to the vet. Your cat needs an examination, and vaccinations, and probably to be dewormed.

he could have dental problems, or other illness that makes him not want to eat.

Some cats are finicky, but most cats will eat the same things with great enjoyment all their lives.

Cats are masters at hiding illness so he could be sick and you just wouldn't know it.

I take my cats in for wellness check ups twice a year.

I just called a vet, she says that my cat is sick of the food I'm giving him, he actually eat his food but he's not eating much. I also went to market I bought 400g of canned cat food and he really likes it!

I forgot to ask my vet how much should I feed him. Any idea please? How much do you give your cats?

The vet also says that he still needs to undergo examination for assurance.

Originally Posted by MysteryCat

I just called a vet, she says that my cat is sick of the food I'm giving him, he actually eat his food but he's not eating much. I also went to market I bought 400g of canned cat food and he really likes it!

I forgot to ask my vet how much should I feed him. Any idea please? How much do you give your cats?

The vet also says that he still needs to undergo examination for assurance.

Click to expand...

Please ask the vet about this when you SEE the vet, with the cat. Cats need health care; young cats and kittens need worming and vaccines. Vets can spot problems that may have never occurred to you or to us. As others have said here, cats are total geniuses at hiding pain, illness, and discomfort, and if your cat has regular issues around avoiding food, it can be a sign.

Originally Posted by MysteryCat

I just called a vet, she says that my cat is sick of the food I'm giving him, he actually eat his food but he's not eating much. I also went to market I bought 400g of canned cat food and he really likes it!

I forgot to ask my vet how much should I feed him. Any idea please? How much do you give your cats?

The vet also says that he still needs to undergo examination for assurance.

Click to expand...

The amount that is says on the can... However that depends of the weight of the cat... Since your cat hasn't been to the vet, you don't know the weight for sure. If your cat is so skinny, I would just let him eat all he wants.
400g is not much at all. that will be good for a couple or a few days at the most, depending on the food you bought....

Give him 3 meals...

Never I had a vet diagnose a cat over the phone, without EVER seen the cat before... Something here sounds off to me... What he is saying is one possibility of many... But there is no way for him to tell you that is the case for certain without examining your cat.
Now... if he sad "he might be tired of the food"... then that's another story...
In the end, it is your cat...

Just like what I've said he will still see a vet.

My cat weighs 3 1/2kg. I have my own weighing scale. He needs to gain at least 1/2kg.

here's his picture


Gonna find a way to see a vet.

Awww he is such a cutie!

Here is a coupon for a FREE NEW CAT exam at Banfield, which are the vet Hospitals at PetSmart. Please take him there - the consult will be free... You will pay for the medicine though...

Free First Visit at VCA Animal Hospital - Here is another option... Also free for your first visit, but if you go back, it can be very expensive the second time... But this time it will be FREE. The meds will be charged.

Now you have the option to take your boy for 2 different vets, for free... Both VCA and PetSmart are chains, and probably they have one close to your house... I would go to Banfield, as I think they are cheaper; VCA is $$$

Good luck!

Originally Posted by Carolina

Awww he is such a cutie!

Here is a coupon for a FREE NEW CAT exam at Banfield, which are the vet Hospitals at PetSmart. Please take him there - the consult will be free... You will pay for the medicine though...

Free First Visit at VCA Animal Hospital - Here is another option... Also free for your first visit, but if you go back, it can be very expensive the second time... But this time it will be FREE. The meds will be charged.

Now you have the option to take your boy for 2 different vets, for free... Both VCA and PetSmart are chains, and probably they have one close to your house... I would go to Banfield, as I think they are cheaper; VCA is $$$

Good luck!

Click to expand...

Wow, you are really supportive! I thank you for that. It made me wanna cry

I went out yesterday for more than 8 hours, I gave Charlie his food (canned food) before leaving, I tried to warm it but he didn't even touch it. Then I gave him his old food (Dry food) he ate few. Then I leave him. When I got home, I saw his food, it's half the amount I gave him. Then I prepared his food, mixed canned and dry food and he was craving! Then he finished his food. I can't really understand his appetite!

Really need a vet to understand.
I'm working, I don't have much time to take him there!
Another problem is how do I carry him? I don't have a cage and i'm afraid that if I put him in he might panic. Any suggestions?

You can put him in a box or use laundry baskets. If you use laundry baskets, they are cumbersome, but will work in a pinch. Just take 2 laundry baskets of the same shape and size and turn one upside down on top of the other. Use rope to make "hinges" for the "lid". Put a towel down in the bottom for your kitty, plop the kitty in, close the "lid" and tie it together. You might want to put 2 or 3 ties per side just so kitty can weasel his/her way out.

They also sell cardboard carriers at most pet stores. You could pick one up or get an inexpensive carrier while you're there.

Forgot to mention that you don't want to feed him the wet food that's been down all day. It goes bad after awhile of being left out. Perhaps you can fix his food before you leave for the day and he can munch on that while you're getting ready to leave. Just before you leave, pick it up, cover it or put the bowl in a ziploc an put in fridge. That you can give to him again later on. Also, try different flavors and brands until you find some that he likes.

I've tried putting him in but he is panicking, I'm afraid that when I open the basket he might run away!

You don't let him out of the basket until you're in the exam room with the door closed and the vet's in the room with you.