Vets that say kibble is good for cats' teeth...

...are not paying attention to their profession.

According to industry data, dry food is the predominant form of food fed to cats.

(I didn't buy the research, but the information is included in the press release: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/research-markets-state-industry-cat-172900909.html. What it says is "Dry Cat Food Accounts for Majority of Sales").

Yet all of the surveys of pet health state that dental disease is the number one diagnosed disease in our cats, and 85% of cats over the age of 3 years have some form of the disease.

(From the Banfield State of Pet Health Report - 2013 http://www.stateofpethealth.com/Content/pdf/Banfield-State-of-Pet-Health-Report_2013.pdf

So how can (non-dental prescription) dry food possibly be good for cats' teeth?

I'd really like to hear a vet recommending (non-dental prescription dry food) answer that question given these facts.

Good point Laurie!

Trouble is the dental dry food argument is so jolly entrenched. 

Do they really believe it, or is it just pretense in some cases? Consumer demand is high for dry food due to the price and convenience. The dental health pretext is a handy way of justifying their not scaring off patients' owners who want to feed dry.

Just remember, for a long time this was an accepted practice.

My vet believes that wet food is better for cats but she doesn't push it that much unless there is a health problem.  I too think it is the convenience factor with dry food that keeps it popular.  A lot of people who have cats like to be able to just top off the bowl when they see it close to empty.  Of course this practice also causes cats to get really overweight.  Just like in humans, obesity leads to other health problems like diabetes.  Then they have prescription dry food for diabetes to go with the insulin.  All kind of sounds like humans with fast food and heat and eat processed food.

jcat said:

Do they really believe it, or is it just pretense in some cases? Consumer demand is high for dry food due to the price and convenience. The dental health pretext is a handy way of justifying their not scaring off patients' owners who want to feed dry.

Click to expand...

Even I'm not that cynical. :lol3: I like to think that most vets won't intentionally recommend something they believe is unhealthy just to make someone feel comfortable. I mean - it's not that hard to say "An all wet food diet or a combination of wet food and dry food is best for their long term health. Of course, if you can't afford to feed wet food, an all dry diet in a loving home is all a cat needs. But dental disease is common in our pets. To help prevent it, we can provide tips on how to brush your cats' teeth..."

:dk:

...and good point, catspaw!

Here's a question. How did the whole myth of dry food being good for teeth ever get started? It is totally entrenched now, but what was the original basis for it? Was it all a marketing tag by some company or was there ever any research behind it?

The research came later - because most of the research indicates it isn't good for cats' teeth. That's why prescription dental foods were even created.

:dk: