Dry Food vs Wet Food

As I'm new to the role of feeding these cats, I'd like some advice.

Some people seems to prefer wet over dry and vice versa.

But which is best for the cats?

And if it should be mixed what should the proportion be? 80:20 etc

Also are cheaper brands really less nutritious than premium labels?

Again, all advice given is greatly appreciated.

Wet food is better for cats.  In fact many people (myself included) basically believe that the worst wet food is better than the best dry food for cats.  100% wet or raw is best if you can.

In general, cheaper food is less nutritious, but there are always exceptions and you should read labels carefully. If price is a concern, there are some cheap wet foods that (while not comparable to the best wet foods) are very good and healthy for your kitty.  Friskees pates are good; so are fancy feast classics.  These are modestly priced.

I am sure others will chime in with more information. 

Dr. Lisa Pierson has compiled some very useful information on feeding and cat food that explains all of this better than I can.

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

Wet food is best for cats simply because they don't drink enough. Being desert animals, in the wild they get all their moisture from the flesh/blood of their prey instead of drinking. So pet cats rarely drink enough even when offered fresh water all the time. This is why so many pet cats end up with kidney disease and urinary problems.

Of course, there's no denying that dry food is cheaper and more convenient for the humans. Especially when you have older kittens, all wet can get very expensive! So some owners do need to feed some dry food. I wouldn't recommend anything less than 50% wet food, and 80% wet/20% dry is recommended by Cornell, I think. And it never hurts to add a little extra water to the wet food too.

As for quality, in dry foods, yes, there's a big difference between cheap foods and premium foods. Some of the really cheap dry foods are basically made of flavored sawdust with vitamins . No real meat at all. The premium dry foods have more meat, although any kibble needs plant ingredients to hold it together.

In canned foods there's less of a difference. Some of the super cheap foods have fillers, and a lot of the cheaper foods have artificial colors and flavors, but they still have a lot more meat than dry foods (I've looked at all the name brands and this is what I've found. Store-brand generics may be lower quality).

My vet has always recommended wet over dry.  She explained that most cats prefer to get their daily water through their food and it keeps the number of urinary tract infections down and helps prevent blockages(especially in males).  As for nutritional value -cheaper brands in my book include brand name like Friskies or Nine Lives - they have less nutritional value than premium brands.  Always look at the back of the can.  If the first ingredient is water - move on.  If less than 5 of the first listed ingredients are not actual meats (not byproduct or broth) - move on.  I always check ingredients rather than brand, but I do know that Paul Newman's and Natural Balance are definately higher on the nutrition scale.  The downside is they are also higher on the price scale.

Thank you all. Wet it will be then. But how much wet food (grams wise) should I feed each cat every day? Bare in mind one is pregnant.

Pregnant cats and kittens should be fed as much as they want, 3-4 times a day. Intact cats and outdoor cats require more calories. Adult indoor spayed/neutered cats usually eat about 5-6 ounces of wet food a day, but of course this depends on the individual cat and the caloric density of the food.

  Always look at the back of the can.  If the first ingredient is water - move on.  If less than 5 of the first listed ingredients are not actual meats (not byproduct or broth) - move on. 

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I agree that looking at the ingredient list is the best way to determine if a food is something you want to feed your cat. But these 2 rules seem rather arbitrary :dk:. Water is the heaviest ingredient so it's frequently listed first (ingredients are listed by weight), even in very high-quality foods. And a single-protein food (as many of the high-quality food are) is not going to have 5 different meat products listed.

Willowy said:

I agree that looking at the ingredient list is the best way to determine if a food is something you want to feed your cat. But these 2 rules seem rather arbitrary

. Water is the heaviest ingredient so it's frequently listed first (ingredients are listed by weight), even in very high-quality foods. And a single-protein food (as many of the high-quality food are) is not going to have 5 different meat products listed.

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Willowy said:

Pregnant cats and kittens should be fed as much as they want, 3-4 times a day. Intact cats and outdoor cats require more calories. Adult indoor spayed/neutered cats usually eat about 5-6 ounces of wet food a day, but of course this depends on the individual cat and the caloric density of the food.

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Agree with both these things.  

tulosai said:

 
Wet food is better for cats.  In fact many people (myself included) basically believe that the worst wet food is better than the best dry food for cats.  100% wet or raw is best if you can.

In general, cheaper food is less nutritious, but there are always exceptions and you should read labels carefully. If price is a concern, there are some cheap wet foods that (while not comparable to the best wet foods) are very good and healthy for your kitty.  Friskees pates are good; so are fancy feast classics.  These are modestly priced.

I am sure others will chime in with more information. 

Dr. Lisa Pierson has compiled some very useful information on feeding and cat food that explains all of this better than I can.

http://www.catinfo.org/

http://www.catinfo.org/docs/FoodChartPublic9-22-12.pdf

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I cringe whenever I see that. There are some not so great wet foods out there. Cheaper foods, especially ones with "Gravy" on the label tend to use wheat gluten as a thickener... and lots of it. It's not uncommon for some of those foods to be pushing 20-30% of their calories as carbs. Aside from those felines with tummy troubles, it's probably not too bad as an occasional treat, but it's not something I'd be feeding every day.

Gotta read all the labels.

 

ProCat said:

 
I cringe whenever I see that. There are some not so great wet foods out there. Cheaper foods, especially ones with "Gravy" on the label tend to use wheat gluten as a thickener... and lots of it. It's not uncommon for some of those foods to be pushing 20-30% of their calories as carbs. Aside from those felines with tummy troubles, it's probably not too bad as an occasional treat, but it's not something I'd be feeding every day.

Gotta read all the labels.

 

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I do, and I did encourage the OP to do so as well in my post.  However if it really came down to it, I would give them any wet over any dry simply because of the moisture content.  Neither of my residents is big on their water bowl and I really do believe that getting fluids into them is the most important thing and will prevent many health problems.

Of course, I am not a vet and your mileage may vary.  This is just a personal judgment call of mine.  

ProCat said:

I cringe whenever I see that. There are some not so great wet foods out there. Cheaper foods, especially ones with "Gravy" on the label tend to use wheat gluten as a thickener... and lots of it. It's not uncommon for some of those foods to be pushing 20-30% of their calories as carbs. Aside from those felines with tummy troubles, it's probably not too bad as an occasional treat, but it's not something I'd be feeding every day.

Gotta read all the labels.
 

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Yes, but. . .it's really really hard to find a dry food with less than 30% carbs. And at least it's wet :dk:. So I still think those foods are better than or at least comparable to almost any dry food.

Of the foods I've looked at, there are some very cheap foods that are just no good. Twin Pet, I think is the name (from a dollar store) has a lot of fillers. Some Special Kitty flavors as well (tuna is one I remember having "wheat middlings"). But if someone is feeding their pet dollar store brands they probably aren't buying very good dry food either :/. So at least it's better than the dollar store dry food.

Willowy said:

Yes, but. . .it's really really hard to find a dry food with less than 30% carbs. And at least it's wet

. So I still think those foods are better than or at least comparable to almost any dry food.

Of the foods I've looked at, there are some very cheap foods that are just no good. Twin Pet, I think is the name (from a dollar store) has a lot of fillers. Some Special Kitty flavors as well (tuna is one I remember having "wheat middlings"). But if someone is feeding their pet dollar store brands they probably aren't buying very good dry food either :/. So at least it's better than the dollar store dry food.

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That was kinda my point. No way would I feed my cat Twin Pet crap (.30 cents a can at WalMart, btw) over EVO dry.

Unless you're talking strictly moisture content, the worst wet food is definitely not better than the best of the dry's.

I feed my 3 cats dry food only, and once in a while I split a small can of Friskies between them for a treat. The reason I do this is because I feel that giving too much wet food causes plaque to build up on their teeth and this can cause bad breath, and worse, tarter buildup and decaying teeth. Knowing my cats, they would not want to eat the dry food anymore, which helps clean their teeth.

Hi @Shisimocha - it looks like this thread is a bit old and inactive, but there are many other wet/dry food threads you can chime in on that are more recent if you wish. With regard to dental health, there is no definitive evidence that dry food maintains or cleans teeth any better than wet food and it's largely an old marketing ploy:

 

Does Dry Food Actually Clean Your Cat's Teeth?

Brushing Your Cat's Teeth

Choosing The Right Food for Your Cat

http://www.catinfo.org/#Dental_Disease

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/277840/dry-food-vs-wet-food-genuine-question

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278627/is-one-better-than-the-other

http://www.thecatsite.com/t/278524/wet-diet-how-to-keep-teeth-healthy

Shisimocha said:

I feed my 3 cats dry food only, and once in a while I split a small can of Friskies between them for a treat. The reason I do this is because I feel that giving too much wet food causes plaque to build up on their teeth and this can cause bad breath, and worse, tarter buildup and decaying teeth. Knowing my cats, they would not want to eat the dry food anymore, which helps clean their teeth.

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Kibble does not clean teeth

I beg to differ that kibble does not clean teeth. My parents have given their 8 year old cats wet food only since they were kittens. They said their cat's breath was bad. So I lifted up the cat's lip in front of the canine teeth, and those teeth were turning black at the gumline. That means decay. My cats don't have that. So, as I said, I'm not against giving wet food to them once in a while for a change, but I don't want them to have decaying teeth. Okay, if you want to brush their teeth once a week, then wet food all the time might be okay. Imagine if you never brush your teeth? What will happen to your teeth? Your dentist will scold you! Cats can't brush their teeth.

Shisimocha said:

I beg to differ that kibble does not clean teeth. My parents have given their 8 year old cats wet food only since they were kittens. They said their cat's breath was bad. So I lifted up the cat's lip in front of the canine teeth, and those teeth were turning black at the gumline. That means decay. My cats don't have that. So, as I said, I'm not against giving wet food to them once in a while for a change, but I don't want them to have decaying teeth. Okay, if you want to brush their teeth once a week, then wet food all the time might be okay. Imagine if you never brush your teeth? What will happen to your teeth? Your dentist will scold you! Cats can't brush their teeth.

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Dry kibble does not clean teeth in that the cat either swallows the kibble whole or takes a crack at it and it shatters in the mouth.  It doesn't scrub the teeth clean.  Teeth problems can happen despite the best oral care, just like with humans.  And some humans (and cats) have great mouths despite the lack of care. 

Kibble doesn't scrub at all. If you watch how cats eat, they clamp down one or twice and that will break the kibble completely, and then just scarf down the pieces.

Dental health is largely genetic. More than anything else, if your cat has good genetics, that would have a greater impact than what you feed. Some people would argue that raw feeding is best for keeping teeth clean (for example, feeding raw chicken wings - the small bones will rub up against the outer edges of the cat's teeth, the meat is chewier and as the tooth sinks in, the meat wraps around it), and while there may be anecdotal data that one's cat who's eaten raw their entire life has perfect pearly whites, there are plenty of cats who have been fed strictly wet all their lives to have zero dental issues, or cats who have been fed raw all their lives with terrible decay, gingivitis, and requiring tooth extractions. The same applies to dry.

One cat, five cats, ten cats can't be proof that one type of food is better than another for oral health. Good maintenance is key, and ultimately the most effective thing you can do for your cat.

I do half and half. Dry in the morning and wet for dinner.  But my cat drinks plenty of water. Every time I turn on the faucet he sits there waiting to drink from it when I am done. He does the same thing in the shower, he will sit in there and meow until I turn on the shower for him.

Willowy said:

Yes, but. . .it's really really hard to find a dry food with less than 30% carbs. And at least it's wet

. So I still think those foods are better than or at least comparable to almost any dry food.

Of the foods I've looked at, there are some very cheap foods that are just no good. Twin Pet, I think is the name (from a dollar store) has a lot of fillers. Some Special Kitty flavors as well (tuna is one I remember having "wheat middlings"). But if someone is feeding their pet dollar store brands they probably aren't buying very good dry food either :/. So at least it's better than the dollar store dry food.

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Hmmm... Not to dispute but I do recall that Orijen is 17% (even that is a little high) and maybe NV Raw Boost or the meal is about 9%. I'm very skeptical of cheap wet food and know that I can't afford the high-end wet food on a daily basis so my choice was to do half and half (although it might be closer to 60% wet /40% dry given that summer is here). Hugo gets 1/2 can of 5.5 oz (mostly Merrick's since that is all I can afford/find around here that is grainfree and does not disgust me with their ingredients) split into 2/3 meals through the day and 1/4 cup of Orijen cat Kitten kibble left out to through the day. Oh, and also a table spoon of water added to the already wet food.

Hugo has about a drinking point in every room of my shoebox apartment though and I know he drinks quite a lot from each since the water is changed. I think having drinking points in each room really helps since he doesn't always have to make the effort to go out of his way to drink.

Regarding feline dentistry, I have no experience regarding that but sometimes the kitten have "kitten" breath and don't think kibble will clean all of the plaque and all. I do have the extra step trying to get Hugo to use plaque gel from Petkin - it does make his breath better. His teeth seems ok so far.