Should You Feed your Cat Wet Food Or Dry Food?

Should you be feeding your cat wet food or dry food?  It seems to be an ongoing debate, which is better for your pets?  Interestingly enough, both wet food and dry foods can be packed full of the nutrients and vitamins that your cat needs.

Believe it or not there really is no right or wrong answer to the question.  Years ago, wet cat food was thought to be more nutritional, but nowadays dry food is just as good for your cat.  If you check out the labels on the bags, you will see some bags contain more nutrients, calcium, protein etc. than others.

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Dry food is generally more convenient for pet owners.  It’s cheaper, doesn’t create a mess, and you don’t have to deal with all of those tiny cans.  Plus, dry food tends to make cleaning up your kitties’ litter boxes a bit easier, and their bowel movements less sloppy.




In some instances, veterinarians do recommend wet food for specific cats, if they are having dental issues, or a tough time digesting hard food.  As always, at the end of the day, it is best to consult with your pet’s vet if you have any concerns.

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A safe bet with your cat is to give them a healthy balance of wet and dry cat food.  A cat can survive on dry cat food alone just fine, there are some cats that have never even had wet cat food and they are doing just fine.  Make wet cat food a treat for your cat.  Or if you want to give them more wet cat food but are worried about the cost, you can buy them a large can and store it in your refrigerator and get two or three feedings out of it.

Do you feed your cat wet or dry food?  What has been your experiences?  Let us know in the comments below!

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  • Jenn

    I have always went with dry food for our cats. The wet food is a treat once and awhile for them.

  • Guest

    I have always went with dry food for our cats. The wet food is a treat once and awhile for them.

  • Jacqui Odell

    I don’t have a cat but this is good information. I will share with a friend who does.

  • Guest

    I don’t have a cat but this is good information. I will share with a friend who does.

  • Heidi

    Thanks for these tips. I’ll save them for if I ever get brave enough to get a pet!

  • Guest

    Thanks for these tips. I’ll save them for if I ever get brave enough to get a pet!

  • Denise Walker

    We have two cats, Posh and Becks, who are now 10 years old. We have always given them wet and dry food.. They are both very healthy cats with glossy coats and still play like kittens, so it works for us.

  • Carrie

    My inlaws do 50% of each. I guess it works for them! We dont have any cats cause I am seriously allergic to them.

  • Guest

    We have two cats, Posh and Becks, who are now 10 years old. We have always given them wet and dry food.. They are both very healthy cats with glossy coats and still play like kittens, so it works for us.

  • Guest

    My inlaws do 50% of each. I guess it works for them! We dont have any cats cause I am seriously allergic to them.

  • Rosey

    We feed our cat dry dog food most of the time. Sometimes we give him wet for a treat.

    • Kat

      Dog food should not be fed to cats. Cats must have enough taurine, which is not included in dog food (or is at levels too low for cats). The protein needs of dogs and cats are also different. Please feed your cat appropriate food.

  • Guest

    We feed our cat dry dog food most of the time. Sometimes we give him wet for a treat.

    • Guest

      Dog food should not be fed to cats. Cats must have enough taurine, which is not included in dog food (or is at levels too low for cats). The protein needs of dogs and cats are also different. Please feed your cat appropriate food.

  • tara pittman

    I think it depends on the cat. My friends cat loves the wet food best.

  • Amber Myers

    We have two cats. They eat dry food. Sometimes they do get a wet food treat though!

  • Guest

    I think it depends on the cat. My friends cat loves the wet food best.

  • Melanie Smith

    When I had a cat I used to buy dry food for her and it was great. Wet food doesn’t look good.

  • Guest

    We have two cats. They eat dry food. Sometimes they do get a wet food treat though!

  • Guest

    When I had a cat I used to buy dry food for her and it was great. Wet food doesn’t look good.

  • Jean Todd

    I was feeding my cat only dry food, and about a year ago at her vet visit, she was having kidney problems..The vet recommend I put her on wet food and I did. She has had no problems since, she is 14 years old and strictly an indoor cat..

    • Kat

      Exactly. I sushi had a cat with kidney disease after a lifetime of dry food. Dry food leaves cats chronically dehydrated, and kidney disease is a very frequent consequence. I’m glad your kitty is doing well now!

  • Guest

    I was feeding my cat only dry food, and about a year ago at her vet visit, she was having kidney problems..The vet recommend I put her on wet food and I did. She has had no problems since, she is 14 years old and strictly an indoor cat..

    • Guest

      Exactly. I sushi had a cat with kidney disease after a lifetime of dry food. Dry food leaves cats chronically dehydrated, and kidney disease is a very frequent consequence. I’m glad your kitty is doing well now!

  • Nancy

    I’m actually kinda opinionated on this topic. I have a dog actually – not a cat. But I feel like that wet food could stick to the teeth, causing more decay, quicker than dry kibble. We do feed our dog wet food once a year (on his birthday) lol.

    • Kat

      If dry pet food tasted good, would you chew it to clean your teeth? Quite the opposite, your dentist would tell you to brush & floors after eating anything of the sort. Dry food is full of carbs that stick to the teeth and cause problems. Wet food doesn’t present these problems. The best thing for teeth is actually chewing chunks of raw food, as well as bones.
      http://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-what-dry-food-does-to-your-cats-teeth

  • Guest

    I’m actually kinda opinionated on this topic. I have a dog actually – not a cat. But I feel like that wet food could stick to the teeth, causing more decay, quicker than dry kibble. We do feed our dog wet food once a year (on his birthday) lol.

    • Guest

      If dry pet food tasted good, would you chew it to clean your teeth? Quite the opposite, your dentist would tell you to brush & floors after eating anything of the sort. Dry food is full of carbs that stick to the teeth and cause problems. Wet food doesn’t present these problems. The best thing for teeth is actually chewing chunks of raw food, as well as bones.
      http://feline-nutrition.org/answers/answers-what-dry-food-does-to-your-cats-teeth

  • Bill S

    I think it really can depending on the cat as well. Great information as to what to consider when feeding your cat.

  • Guest

    I think it really can depending on the cat as well. Great information as to what to consider when feeding your cat.

  • Elizabeth O.

    I think it doesn’t matter, what’s important is that you give your cat what he or she needs nutrition-wise. We feed ours with dry food and he’s really healthy still, not much difference when he was eating wet food.

  • Amy Jones

    Interesting post! I feed my cat both types of food

  • Guest

    I think it doesn’t matter, what’s important is that you give your cat what he or she needs nutrition-wise. We feed ours with dry food and he’s really healthy still, not much difference when he was eating wet food.

  • Guest

    Interesting post! I feed my cat both types of food

  • Ana Sanchez

    This is a great post for cat owners. I am going to share this with my cat owning friends.

  • Guest

    This is a great post for cat owners. I am going to share this with my cat owning friends.

  • Lisa Rios

    Such a great information for cat owners on dealing with the best food their cat needs as every cat differs with the food intake. Will suggest this to my cousin who has two cute cats at her home!

  • Guest

    Such a great information for cat owners on dealing with the best food their cat needs as every cat differs with the food intake. Will suggest this to my cousin who has two cute cats at her home!

  • Laura

    I don’t have any pets, but wouldn’t what they’d eat in nature be kinda wet and squidgy? I don’t have a cat, so I’m not sure either way.

    • Kat

      You are absolutely right. Cats natural prey is very high in water content, so wet food is most appropriate for them. Dry food causes many health problems.

  • Echo

    I’m not sure about cats, but we like to feed our dogs a good quality dry food and add in wet food on occasion.

  • Guest

    I don’t have any pets, but wouldn’t what they’d eat in nature be kinda wet and squidgy? I don’t have a cat, so I’m not sure either way.

    • Guest

      You are absolutely right. Cats natural prey is very high in water content, so wet food is most appropriate for them. Dry food causes many health problems.

  • Guest

    I’m not sure about cats, but we like to feed our dogs a good quality dry food and add in wet food on occasion.

  • Guest

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  • Kat

    This is not good information, and in fact it’s simply wrong.

    Cats need MUCH more water than they can get from dry food and water. In the wild they get nearly all their water from eating their prey (the meat is 70% water) . Because they evolved this way (being desert animals), they have a very low thirst drive and simply cannot drink enough water to make up for a dry diet. This is why so many cats end up with kidney disease (not to mention urinary problems, IBD, and other issues) – they are chronically dehydrated. Dry food also tends to produce obese cats since it is full of carbohydrates (cats natural diets are less than 5% carbs). Your kitties will be much healthier if you feed them wet food. For more good info on feline nutrition visit catinfo.org

  • Guest

    This is not good information, and in fact it’s simply wrong.

    Cats need MUCH more water than they can get from dry food and water. In the wild they get nearly all their water from eating their prey (the meat is 70% water) . Because they evolved this way (being desert animals), they have a very low thirst drive and simply cannot drink enough water to make up for a dry diet. This is why so many cats end up with kidney disease (not to mention urinary problems, IBD, and other issues) – they are chronically dehydrated. Dry food also tends to produce obese cats since it is full of carbohydrates (cats natural diets are less than 5% carbs). Your kitties will be much healthier if you feed them wet food. For more good info on feline nutrition visit catinfo.org