Wet vs. Dry: The Great Cat Food Debate

There is nothing quite like a group of avid cat fanciers getting together socially. Of course the conversation always turns to our kitties and a lively discussion ensues as quickly as you can say "meow."

We are always on the fast track talking about the newest developments in the field of feline veterinary medicine, the hottest new toys on the market, and popular new products to entertain our cats designed to enrich their environment, and of course, comparing litter boxes, litter and that controversial subject; dry cat food vs. canned.

So in an attempt to find out which foods were more nutritious and healthier for my kitties, I decided it was time to get the latest "scoop" by doing my research.

The first thing I did was to ask my veterinarian for her opinion, going to the "horse's mouth", so to speak. When she told me that while she was in veterinary school, as far as education in the field of feline nutrition was concerned, what she told me surprised and somewhat alarmed me. You may find this hard to believe, but in her school's curriculum, only one day was devoted to the subject. And most of that was provided by a pet food manufacturer's representative to ensure that their products adorned the shelves of veterinarians entering into the field.

Since she is really smart and skilled in the art of feeding kitties, I asked her what she had to do to educate herself about this fascinating and highly important aspect of feline care. She replied that she reads a lot of articles written by experts in the field, and does considerable research on the Internet. And I have to tell you that she has given me some excellent suggestions over the years about the most appropriate cat foods and most importantly, what makes these cat foods so crucial to keep my cats well fed and healthy.

Since cats are obligate carnivores and require meat as the primary mainstay in their diet, we decided that it would be best to switch them over to an all meat feed. Cats do not digest vegetable protein easily and carbohydrates are difficult as well. Most dry food contains 30-50% carbohydrates so it makes sense to feed moist food which has meat as the primary ingredient, contains no grain or by-products to be the most effective diet. For cats addicted to dry food, however, there are now a few products on the market that contain no grain.

My cats are thriving on an all meat diet, with far fewer episodes of digestive upset. They also maintain their "boyish" figures and are a perfect weight. And no more finicky behavior lets me know that meal times are a delight at our house.

To read more about the moist food vs. dry food debate, visit "article Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition" by Lisa Pierson, DVM, an expert in the field of feline nutrition. http://catinfo.org/index.htm

Do you feed dry, canned, semi-moist, a combination? Leave a comment and share your results.