Cat food choices abound, from fish and chicken to fresh flavors, hard crunch, chewy centers, and of course, wet mushy delectable bites. For a cat, their favorite is typically anything that tastes like fish or chicken. You’re probably not going to stand in the aisle taste-testing the samples (although I’ve seen stranger things in the pet supply store). So, start where it makes sense: the back of the bag. Whether you’re selecting wet or dry cat food, the first place to look is the list of ingredients.
The Importance of Quality Ingredients
In their more natural environment, cats are carnivores. Left to their own devices, they make incredible hunters with the stealth of a missile when they find their prey. This is what their bodies are made to thrive on, and it’s what keeps them healthy. In any cat food, the one thing you should be looking for is meat—not a meat by-product. A by-product is just that: a substandard filler that may have come from meat, but isn’t actually meat. It’s like trimming all the fat off of a luscious piece of prime rib and serving only the fat to your family. Certainly not the healthiest meal you could give them, if they could even choke down all that undissolved gristle.
If you don’t see something familiar, something you would eat, at the very top of the list of ingredients, then pass on the food. You should see words like “chicken,” “salmon,” or “turkey” without any additional verbiage. Something simple that you would actually put in your mouth. “Chicken by-product” isn’t going on my plate anytime soon.
Wheat is not healthy for cats. Cats don’t graze. In fact, they don’t get any nutritional value from wheat—it’s just a cost-effective filler that allows for more volume of cat food at a lower price tag for the company. They’ll still charge you $15 for a 5-pound bag.
Wet vs. Dry Cat Food
So, how does this help you solve the debate between serving your kitty wet or dry food? We need to take a closer look at the natural behaviors and dietary needs of felines. Just as they are stealth hunters, cats are also very efficient and thorough eaters. Perhaps it’s a bit unpleasant to think about, but cats really don’t waste much of their prey. The flesh of their prey serves not only to feed their hunger but also provides the natural fluids that help keep them hydrated. Soft cat food most closely resembles this. However, cats will eat the bones (or at least a good portion of them) before considering their prey to be waste material. The crunchiness of the hard texture is great for their teeth. While you should not give your cat chicken bones (despite the fact that they would consider you the best human in the world if you did), you do need to pay attention to how cats rely on their diet to stay nutritionally and hygienically sound.
Cats that primarily eat wet food are generally healthier in their protein consumption but may offend their human counterparts with particularly foul breath. You should get their teeth cleaned regularly, but between cleanings, cats need natural ways of keeping their mouths healthier. Kittens especially use the hard crunch to help establish new teeth as their baby teeth disappear.
Cats that live primarily off dry cat food tend to have healthier mouths but are nutritionally lacking, even if the difference is marginal. If you want to offer your cat the healthiest food possible, consider blending both dry and wet food. This gives them the best of both worlds.
Considerations and Convenience
Of course, there are downsides to this. For starters, cats generally don’t eat all of their food in one sitting. They are more nibblers by nature. Some will, but they are the rare sort. Leaving wet cat food at their disposal is not only an attraction for germs but also for bugs and rodents.
One of the most convenient aspects of owning a cat is that a simple weekend away doesn’t entail the same hardships as it does with dogs. There’s no need to find a cat sitter or take them to a kennel. You have the option of leaving extra food down and disappearing for a couple of days. Having to contend with wet food, even a mixture of wet and dry, makes this more difficult.
Ultimately, the choice may not even be yours, especially if you’ve adopted an older cat who is stubborn about keeping their diet the same. A test of wills can be hard to endure when switching a cat’s food to something new, even when you try to adjust them slowly. The upset stomach, the constant mewling, and of course the beady-eyed glare you receive as they wait for their usual food might be more than you can bear, even if it’s for their own good. It often takes several tries to switch a cat from one food to another.
Nutritional Balance is Key
When choosing your cat’s food, the ingredients and nutritional levels are more important than whether you choose wet or dry food. If your lifestyle can handle it, a mix is always preferable. Most cat owners who travel even just a bit opt for dry food. The most important factor is that your cat is offered food that is nutritionally sound, ensuring they live a full and healthy life.
