Skip to Content

Is Wet Cat Food Healthier Than Dry Food

Right now, I am just going to describe what the average cat owner does when buying food for their kitty. A lot of people tend to just get the most convenient option of cat food. This is usually dry cat food. 

It might be easier to go to your local supermarket and pick up a large bag of dry food that is convenient and cheap, but this is usually not the best and healthiest choice for your cat’s longevity. I am just going to be honest. Dry food is the easy option, but not the best option.

Wet cat food will be more expensive, have earlier expiration dates, and just be a more all around hassle. When I say more of a hassle, please do not get discouraged, and shy away from the healthier choice. 

Is Wet Cat Food Healthier Than Dry Food

Because it is not really a hassle at all in the large scheme of things, but compared to dry food wet food is just a little more effort. The thing is I don’t mind putting that extra hassle in if it means getting my cat what they need. 

I know every cat parent feels the same way and are willing to put in that extra effort to allow their cat to live long and prosperous lives. 

There is a general consensus that wet food is better than dry cat food. You always want what is best for your cat right? Wet food will provide better hydration, simulates a more natural diet, and is generally healthier. 

Cats Are Obligate Carnivores

Wet food is better than dry food because it replicates a cat’s diet that it would have in the wild. 

Cats are obligate carnivores which means that they need to eat meat to thrive and survive.

Wet cat food contains more proteins, and more animal meats than dry food. Dry food also usually has more carbohydrates that are used to stick all the nutrients together. If you based on what you should feed your cat now on what they ate in the wild, cats did not eat carbohydrates in the wild, so they do not need it today. Carbohydrates are not inherently a terrible thing as they provide a boost in energy, but it should not be the focus of their food. 

Cats used to get all their nutrients from their prey including necessary vitamins and minerals. Since they got all their food from prey, and wet food is higher in protein and animal content, it makes sense that wet cat food is more nutritional and is better for cats in terms of having more vitamins and minerals.

Wet Food Provides Better Hydration

We talked earlier about how cats would eat solely meat in the wild to get their nutrients. The animals that they would consume in the wild were about seventy percent water. Cats would get a lot of the water they needed from the animals they ate, and supplement this with drinking from streams.

Wet cat food contains about seventy percent of water as well, maybe even closer to eighty percent water. 

Dry food on the other hand contains a very low percentage of water close to about ten percent to twenty percent. 

Cats that eat only dry food need more water in their diet than cats that eat wet food or actual meat. Studies say that cats on a dry food diet that have a ready supply of water to drink from at all times tend not to consume the water (even if it is available) to make up for their lack of hydration. This is explained as cats do not like to drink water that is not running because their instincts tell them not to drink standing water. 

Non running water is more likely to contain germs and bugs. Cats that eat wet food are more hydrated.  Another solution to this problem that you could add to also transitioning to more wet cat food is a water fountain. Dehydration in cats leads to lots of adverse health issues. The one that is largely talked about is urinary tract problems. 

Better hydration can reduce the likelihood of these diseases. Drinking more water means peeing more. Well, when cats pee the amount they are supposed to crystals and stones that build up in their urinary tract are more likely to be broken down preventing urinary tract problems. Another big disease hydration can help prevent is chronic kidney disease. If you think your cat is suffering from dehydration, you might want to take your cat to the vet. I know a lot of cat owners struggle with making the trip to the vet. This article describes some tips on making that visit. 

Consuming enough water is just all around necessary for good health. Cats that eat dry food versus wet food will not get as much water, and this is a bad thing that is easily fixable.

The Negatives

Wet cat food will go bad a lot faster than dry food. 

Dry food is nice and easy as you simply have a bag of kibble that you scoop out into a dish and let your cats eat. You do not have to worry about picking up the excess food as it will not spoil. For wet food, you need to open a can of the wet food and monitor it for the next few hours to prevent your cat from eating rotten food.

If your cat does not eat all their wet food, the extra food is supposed to be disposed of to prevent your cat from consuming spoiled food. 

Wet food is messier and smellier. Remember nothing is perfect, and these few humps are really not a big deal. You will have to make a few adjustments, but in the end, they are worth it for your cat’s health. 

Some people have an automatic feeder to feed their cat on a set schedule even when the cat parent is not home. Even though wet food spoils, there are automatic feeders that work for wet food. 

Conclusion

I know that when you fall into a routine of a certain thing and when the whole pet food industry forgets to tell you that dry food lacks some very important nutrition, you might not even be aware that dry food is less healthy for your cat than wet food.  

It is a tragedy that cat owners are not informed about the health risks associated with a diet consisting of only dry cat food. 

From problems with a cat’s urinary health to kidney disease, dehydration causes serious problems. 

Since wet cat food emulates a natural diet of a cat, a lot of the problems like the ones mentioned earlier are prevented and it’s too important to ignore. 

Making the transition is rather easy when you put in consideration how helpful it can be for your cat’s future and general health.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.