Canned food vs. dry food

Okay, I got Ripley yesterday. The rescue fed the cats wet food 2x a day and had out dry food and water all day as needed. I really don't want to feed wet food 2x a day for 2 reasons. First, I dont' think it is that great for their teeth and second, it is a very expensive way to feed the kitty.

I had thought to give him wet food maybe 3x a week. Will he adjust to the new regime or do I need to cut him back gradually from that??? I'm not sure how to do that. I guess I could feed him wet food 1x a day. I guess I'm not really sure as I always fed the soft food as a treat or to get my cat to take pills. Any suggestions would be great. I know he is wondering where his dish of turkey and gravy is though.

I don't recommend dry food cos it will cause blockage in the urinary tract esp. in male cats. Erm U can always feed ur cats left overs of what U had, U don't always have to go buy canned food for them right?

I believe wet food is easier for your cats to process- it doesn't cause wear and tear on kidneys like dry food does. I think a good balanced diet is essential, though, so human foods should be infrequent treats.

I feed wet twice a day and put dry down for them overnight. I want them to accept dry in case I am ever gone and have to rely on someone else to feed them, but wet is my choice by far.

Here is more than you will ever need to know about cat nutrition. Scroll all the way down to read the dry vs. wet facts
http://www.maxshouse.com/feline_nutrition.htm

Well, I always left dry food out all day so that some food was always available. I only feed a half a can of wet food each night. Changing the food habits may leave the kitty begging for food but it may be better of the kitty teeth!

Originally Posted by bigblackfatcat

I don't recommend dry food cos it will cause blockage in the urinary tract esp. in male cats. Erm U can always feed ur cats left overs of what U had, U don't always have to go buy canned food for them right?

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A wet food diet is better than dry for your cat. If you feed a good quality wet food your cat will actually eat less because it will be getting better nutrition than it does from the dry cereal type food which is high in calories and actually does nothing for their teeth. Leaving a bit of dry food out for snacking through the day (about 1/4 cup) is OK but the main meals are really better if wet.

DO NOT feed your cat leftover people food. Cats need other things in their diet, like taurine, to stay healthy and people food doesn't do it for them. There are good quality wet foods out there that do not cost a lot - check out the ingredients and do some searching on this forum for many, many discussions on what to look for on the label.

All food I buy has to have a specific type of meat as the first ingredient such as chicken or beef or whatever. With wet food, you have to get their teeth scraped for tartar MUCH more often than if they eat dry food just because of the texture.

I think I will probably feel him the wet food 1x a day as a compromise and see how it goes. He really doesn't eat a lot, maybe a tablespoon of the wet food at a feeding. I had no idea what to give him and just put out a few tablespoons and he ate a little over half of it. How do you know how much to feed? Is is it kind of trial and error??? Sorry, I'm new to the wet food thing.

Originally Posted by bronte73

With wet food, you have to get their teeth scraped for tartar MUCH more often than if they eat dry food just because of the texture.

How do you know how much to feed? Is is it kind of trial and error??? Sorry, I'm new to the wet food thing.

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Actually it isn't true that eating wet food causes tartar. The dry food can actually cause more tartar (when you eat dry crackers you'll find that a lot more sticks in your teeth than if you eat a bowl of stew).

When cats eat dry food they break the food with the tip of their tooth and swallow so it doesn't do a whole lot for the teeth.

I feed 1/2 can of wet in the morning and the rest of the can at night. Bijou's weight has levelled out from the wet diet as well. He was getting overweight from the dry high calorie food.

I had posted a similar question before, but after my kitten's first trip to the vet for her shots, the vet has told me NOT to give her any wet food and under no circumstances feed her both dry and wet food.

Just when I had gained some peace of mind about food quality/etc.!

I will follow the vet's directions, even though the kitten was always hungry when on dry food only -- the vet also told me that it would be best for the kitten to eat only a little of dry food than a lot of wet food? I'm not sure about this, I mean, a growing kitty needs to eat a good amount of food right? I can't argue against a vet

But I wonder if this is an american vet/european vet thing? After searching online, almost all american sites advise against dry food, but the european vets that I've heard from say that dry food is best.

Originally Posted by 0.0cm

I had posted a similar question before, but after my kitten's first trip to the vet for her shots, the vet has told me NOT to give her any wet food and under no circumstances feed her both dry and wet food.

Just when I had gained some peace of mind about food quality/etc.!

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OF COURSE they tell you that! They ONLY study a couple weeks of nutrition AND it is supported by Science Diet!

They ALSO tell you ANNUAL shots and that is wrong too! It is ALL about MONEY!

Here is a link to different places showing you that canned is best. As for dry helping teeth----!!!!!! Cat DONT CHEW! - they crunch and swallow!

http://tinyurl.com/ebmms

Originally Posted by 0.0cm

I had posted a similar question before, but after my kitten's first trip to the vet for her shots, the vet has told me NOT to give her any wet food and under no circumstances feed her both dry and wet food.

Just when I had gained some peace of mind about food quality/etc.!

I will follow the vet's directions, even though the kitten was always hungry when on dry food only -- the vet also told me that it would be best for the kitten to eat only a little of dry food than a lot of wet food? I'm not sure about this, I mean, a growing kitty needs to eat a good amount of food right? I can't argue against a vet

But I wonder if this is an american vet/european vet thing? After searching online, almost all american sites advise against dry food, but the european vets that I've heard from say that dry food is best.

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I was going to say the same as the other poster. Most vets know little to nothing about diet.

The formulas for food can vary from North America to Europe, but truly a wet food diet is much healthier for your kitty. Neutered males are particularly susceptible to crystal problems on dry food.

I'd give you odds that if you were to go to a different vet you would probably get another different story. Vets go to school to study medicine for animals and get very, very little in the way of nutrition knowledge.

Originally Posted by 0.0cm

I had posted a similar question before, but after my kitten's first trip to the vet for her shots, the vet has told me NOT to give her any wet food and under no circumstances feed her both dry and wet food.

Just when I had gained some peace of mind about food quality/etc.!

I will follow the vet's directions, even though the kitten was always hungry when on dry food only -- the vet also told me that it would be best for the kitten to eat only a little of dry food than a lot of wet food? I'm not sure about this, I mean, a growing kitty needs to eat a good amount of food right? I can't argue against a vet

But I wonder if this is an american vet/european vet thing? After searching online, almost all american sites advise against dry food, but the european vets that I've heard from say that dry food is best.

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Did you ask your vet why he suggested this, or just take the answer at face value? It is odd to hear of a vet being so biased when it comes to diet.

I've seen younger cats than Pudge on a dry-only diet with worse teeth. The number of cleanings needed depends more on genetics than anything. Some are more succeptible to gingivitis/buildup than others.

Pudge is on a diet of only wet food. (I order a case of 13oz cans of high quality wet food for her every three months, as this is how long each case lasts her. Even with shipping included, feeding her costs $11/month this way.), and up until very recently her teeth were near-perfect, save for a small amount of plaque on one of her very back teeth. The rest are fine.

She is over two years old, and has never had a dental cleaning before.

I've recently begun giving her a raw chicken wing or two for her teeth every week or so (supervised, of course), and it's gotten most of the plaque off already. Now her teeth pretty much are perfect, and I won't need to set up the dental appointment for her.

Kibble dental treats never did this when I used to buy them. This is because she absolutely HAS to chew the wing with her back teeth, wheras, the kibble treat was gone in a crunch and a gulp and never touched any of her middle or back teeth.

My main issue with wet vs dry is not dental care, but urinary tract infections. Male cats tend to be succeptible to these, and it is good to get as much water into their systems as possible. (Girls, of course, are not exempt from getting them either. )

Naturally, the main way they do this is through food. The liquids from the small rodents and birds they would normall catch and eat. Dry is more of a convenience for us than it is for our pets, and of course, not a good source of water. I chose wet to insure that my cat is getting enough water into her system, and always have water bowls around the house for her.

Did you ask your vet why he suggested this, or just take the answer at face value? It is odd to hear of a vet being so biased when it comes to diet.

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I asked her specifically about the dry vs wet issue and urinary tract/water intake problems and was told that it was simply not true and that mixing dry food and wet food would cause undesirable changes in the cat's urine pH. Another vet said the same thing before... Personally, this seems a little unnatural, cats in the wild don't eat dry food at all, but again, I'm in no position to argue against a certified veterinarian! I am awfully tempted to investigate this and try to find out if the vet associations feel the same way or what they recommend. So I think I'll try to find out more about this.

Originally Posted by 0.0cm

I asked her specifically about the dry vs wet issue and urinary tract/water intake problems and was told that it was simply not true and that mixing dry food and wet food would cause undesirable changes in the cat's urine pH. Another vet said the same thing before... Personally, this seems a little unnatural, cats in the wild don't eat dry food at all, but again, I'm in no position to argue against a certified veterinarian! I am awfully tempted to investigate this and try to find out if the vet associations feel the same way or what they recommend. So I think I'll try to find out more about this.

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Can't say I understand how the vets you spoke with came to their conclusions..here is a vet written site with a very different point of view (even if you do not choose to feed raw, but prefer to do a homecooked or purchase a premade raw): www.catinfo.org

and here is an article, by a vet, on why the wet food = dental issues is no longer the predominant opinion in veterinary medicine:
http://home.ivillage.com/pets/cats/0...=adid=15884520

Originally Posted by 0.0cm

I asked her specifically about the dry vs wet issue and urinary tract/water intake problems and was told that it was simply not true and that mixing dry food and wet food would cause undesirable changes in the cat's urine pH. Another vet said the same thing before... Personally, this seems a little unnatural, cats in the wild don't eat dry food at all, but again, I'm in no position to argue against a certified veterinarian! I am awfully tempted to investigate this and try to find out if the vet associations feel the same way or what they recommend. So I think I'll try to find out more about this.

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It is good to question things and gather as much information as possible, especially in health-related subjects. Call around and ask a few more vets the question, and by all means, ask the associations. Good luck in your research.

Originally Posted by 0.0cm

I had posted a similar question before, but after my kitten's first trip to the vet for her shots, the vet has told me NOT to give her any wet food and under no circumstances feed her both dry and wet food.

Just when I had gained some peace of mind about food quality/etc.!

I will follow the vet's directions, even though the kitten was always hungry when on dry food only -- the vet also told me that it would be best for the kitten to eat only a little of dry food than a lot of wet food? I'm not sure about this, I mean, a growing kitty needs to eat a good amount of food right? I can't argue against a vet

But I wonder if this is an american vet/european vet thing? After searching on line, almost all american sites advise against dry food, but the european vets that I've heard from say that dry food is best.

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I live in Europe, too, and your vet may say that because up until about 4 or 5 years ago, it was difficult to get quality canned food here, while there have been premium dry foods on the market for well over a decade. In other words, your vet(s) may have learned that Royal Canin or Science Diet dry were superior to Whiskas or Friskies canned. The vet practice I go to used to recommend dry, too (both vets are middle-aged, so their studies "pre-dated" premium European brands), but now they ask me for advice about what canned foods are available where (I order on line for myself, friends, neighbors, colleagues, and a shelter), and request that I send them links.
European producers/suppliers have recognized that there is a great demand for premium canned and dry foods, and have acted accordingly. Unfortunately, a lot of vets seem unaware of that.
I subscribe to one German cat magazine (Geliebte Katze), and buy others, and know that the magazines now also recommend canned instead of dry.

I've always fed a combination of wet and dry - one pouch of wet per day with the remainder a good quality dry food. My 9 year old has just had his teeth cleaned for the first time (the vet always commented that his teeth were good until his last health check when she said he needed to have them cleaned). His brother died last year age 8 and his teeth were fine. I do believe that when it comes to dental health dry food makes no difference and that some cats are genetically pre-disposed to dental problems. Cleaning their teeth with a toothbrush or dental gel will help more than dry food. I'm now more concerned with possible urinary problems with my 9 year old (neutered male) so have increased the amount of wet food he has to 2 pouches a day and decreased the dry food accordingly. Making sure he gets plenty of water is a priority. He can live without teeth but not without kidneys.

Originally Posted by 0.0cm

I can't argue against a vet

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Sure you can! Vets (like human doctors) are people we should work with to ensure our pets' health rather than go along blindly with whatever they say. They have more knowledge than most of us and in many situations we have no choice but to trust them, but when it comes to nutrition I think it's worth doing our own research. As has been mentioned previously, vets don't learn much about nutrition and they aren't always up to date with recent thinking. Always question your vet, especially if you're not sure the advice you've been given is correct. Did your vet give you a reason why you shouldn't feed wet and dry?

edited to add: jcat has a point - it is quite hard to get good quality wet food here in the Uk, although there have been a few recent additions, such as natures menu and almo nature becoming available in shops. I now buy much of mine from a german website.

Jcat, that might be the case, but another vet who just graduated a couple of years ago advised dry food only too, so maybe it isn't only about the vet's ages but what they're being taught at vet school. I found a lot of the premium canned food brands (mentioned by this forum's posters) at the pet store, so they do exist here. Or the vets that are for dry diets might be right, I'm not ruling that out completely

But I need to be sure, so Monday I'm going straight to the Animal Health Dept. (curiously enough they're right next to me! I had no idea!) and try to get the straight dope on wet vs dry food once and for all, and, if they are contrary to the vet's indications, I'll try to get some flyers/info and give them to her, because websites surely won't convince her!

Urbantigers, deep down you're right, but I really can't argue against a vet because they're in a position of authority, with a diploma on the wall, they have studied animal health, I have not. Plus, it wouldn't convince my vet in any way and she would probably resent me for questionning her expertise (especially since she's a vet for a long time and with a steady stream of customers), most professionals, in any area, resent that sort of thing. It would be arrogant on my behalf and it wouldn't serve any purpose, what's more, it wouldn't be helpful to my cat's best interests to start a grudge with the vet, i think.

As mentioned above, she told me that the differences between dry and wet food would mess with the cat's urine pH and were more likely to cause urinary tract problems, pointing out that when cats get UTI's and similar, they are fed a dry diet; she was very strict about this and gave me some fliers on UTI's from Hill's Pet Nutrition! Amusingly enough, the person who walked into the office before me seemed to be a salesman pitching some canned food brand (though i don't know if it was for cats or dogs).

Originally Posted by 0.0cm

Urbantigers, deep down you're right, but I really can't argue against a vet because they're in a position of authority, with a diploma on the wall, they have studied animal health, I have not. Plus, it wouldn't convince my vet in any way and she would probably resent me for questionning her expertise (especially since she's a vet for a long time and with a steady stream of customers), most professionals, in any area, resent that sort of thing. It would be arrogant on my behalf and it wouldn't serve any purpose, what's more, it wouldn't be helpful to my cat's best interests to start a grudge with the vet, i think.

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Please take the time to go to the site written by a vet, that I gave you, and read the article, written by a vet, that I also gave you a link to.

I would not consider it arrogant to want to discuss such an important topic with my vet...you are paying her for her expertise, she owes you the courtesy of listening to your questions and being open to them.

Same as with a physician, having worked with many of them from med school through their residency, I can assure you they are not gods and are just as human as we are.

This is a very imporant topic, because nutritional decisions you make today for your cats may well affect their health in their senior years.

I wouldn't wish dealing with chronic renal failure on anyone's kitties.

Originally Posted by urbantigers

edited to add: jcat has a point - it is quite hard to get good quality wet food here in the UK, although there have been a few recent additions, such as natures menu and almo nature becoming available in shops. I now buy much of mine from a German website.

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Probably one of the ones I order from! I belong to several German cat forums, and you wouldn't believe the number of tips and Web addresses being traded by PM and email. Most sites are run by on line retailers, and brands not sold by a particular on line shop can't be discussed in their forums. That makes it difficult for vets to judge what is available, too.