Is it true that low quality wet food is better than high quality dry?

Moonlight_wolf

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I’m currently feeding my cat a raw food diet so this question isn’t for her, I don’t mind spending most of my money on her... she’s my child after all lol. But I have heard this saying that the best dry is still worse than the worst wet cat food. So like Ziwipeak or Origen are worse for your cat than Friskies wet?! Or like 9 lives. I’m not sure what the cheapest wet would be.

I work at a pet store and I just want to know if it’s better to recommend a high quality dry food to people or a low quality wet if they are on a budget. I always tell them the importance of moisture in a cat’s diet but i don’t know if I would be better off just recommending cheap wet foods If it’s better anyways.
 

Furballsmom

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Hi!
Looking at it from the moisture content and that cats are often susceptible to urinary issues from lack of moisture in their diet, I think I'd err on the side of suggesting to feed canned/pouch foods.
 

Willowy

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I'm going to say yes. I know many people will say that a really good dry food like Ziwipeak or Dr Elseys is better than a cheap canned food, but from observing my own cats I think wet food is always better. Even the cheap stuff has high meat content, and the moisture is really important.

My cats are now on 9 Lives canned food (ever since they discontinued the big cans of Friskies :/) and I haven't seen any indication that it's lower quality. Now, maybe a few dollar store generics might be worse, idk, but all the brand-name canned foods seem ok at least.
 

Uncled

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Mine have never had a meal of kibble, they eat only wet food,primarily Friskies classic pate and only get kibble in a food puzzle even then it is a small amount. I have read so much about male cats blocking due to dry food that I do not want to chance it.
 

maggie101

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~ Yes. That is what most "experts " say.
Cats need the wet food . Dry food is more of a snack. 😼
So true
Who doesnt like crunchy?
For cats dry food and treats
Humans chips and fried food. Too much and you gain weight
Sorry to be so negative. There is some dry food that is not all bad. Just feed sparingly
 

Kitcatcastle

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I feed mine both, dry and canned, alternating. I hear that wet food is better for their urinary tract, and dry is better for their teeth.
 

klunick

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I have a bowl of dry food out 24/7. I feed wet food in the morning and evening. They each get 1/2 a can (3oz can) of wet. I have given full cans before but they usually won't eat it all so I just stick with 1/2 twice a day.
 

cataholic07

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Wet food is for sure better then dry food as cats have less chance of obesity, chronic dehydration, kidney disease, liver disease etc. But I wouldnt feed all wet foods though, carrageenan has been linked to stomach inflammation and even cancer. Some of the bad wet food have color dyes which is also linked to cancer. I know not everyone can afford good quality all wet food, but even if feeding two meals of wet food a day and having only some dry food it's much better. I see a lot of people say wet food is a treat and i'm like nooo, wet food is the healthy stuff lol. Dry food by the way does nothing for their teeth. The only thing that helps with teeth is brushing and dental cleanings lol. I find with wet food cats get bored easily so its a good idea to have different brands/flavors and give something new every day or two.
 

PaperCat

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I wouldn't buy the cheapest brands like 9lives and Friskies but yes, wet food is overall healthier. Dry food is great as an additive to their wet meal, treats for their teeth but its mostly popular because of the longer shelf-life (cheaper).
 

Talien

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I feed mine both, dry and canned, alternating. I hear that wet food is better for their urinary tract, and dry is better for their teeth.
Dry food being good for teeth is patently false. There are some specialty foods that have shown a certain degree of benefit, but even those are nowhere near a replacement for actually cleaning a Cat's teeth.

Put it this way. Do people eat granola to clean our teeth? No? Why not?
 

maggie101

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Dry food being good for teeth is patently false. There are some specialty foods that have shown a certain degree of benefit, but even those are nowhere near a replacement for actually cleaning a Cat's teeth.

Put it this way. Do people eat granola to clean our teeth? No? Why not?
I agree. No dry food. Not good for a cats teeth
 

roguethecat

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Rascal died of stomach cancer yesterday.
I was never able to get him to eat raw food, but he got high quality cans whenever he showed up. Unfortunately he loved to hang out at my sister's who lives across the street, where he had free access to dry kibble including preservatives and food colorings in cute little heart and star shapes. Dry kibble also mainly consists of cheap grains, most of which will have mold growing on them. Mold is a known cancer causing agent, as are the preservatives and by-products from high-heat processing.
I was never able to convince my sister that dry food, especially the cheap kind, is bad - her whole family eats processed food all day out of convenience. She already had a cat die of kidney failure.
Please help spread the word that cheap dry food is not healthy, and health matters.
 

Babypinkweeb

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I think sometimes it's also in the details. Personally if you're feeding some of the best dry, like Dr Elsey, and adding broth or goats milk to it for example, it might be a good choice if otherwise you feed them a cheap can full of ocean fish by products and carbs. I have 2 cats right now, one who enjoys drinking water even if he eats mostly wet with some kibble, the other one I see drink water maybe once every 2 days. If I had a financial choice between feeding the cheapest wet only vs feeding much better wet + best dry, I would choose the latter. Also cus my older boy is bad at eating and used to kibble, so I need to keep it in rotation or else he will go on strike!
 

Flybynight

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I think the best is not to feed kibble, so no risk of a kibble addict. Obviously, cats who come in later life may already be addicted to kibble. But start as you mean to go on.
Comercial wet foods have draw backs too, so try to have a mix of different brands and proteins.
 

Talien

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I think sometimes it's also in the details. Personally if you're feeding some of the best dry, like Dr Elsey, and adding broth or goats milk to it for example, it might be a good choice if otherwise you feed them a cheap can full of ocean fish by products and carbs. I have 2 cats right now, one who enjoys drinking water even if he eats mostly wet with some kibble, the other one I see drink water maybe once every 2 days. If I had a financial choice between feeding the cheapest wet only vs feeding much better wet + best dry, I would choose the latter. Also cus my older boy is bad at eating and used to kibble, so I need to keep it in rotation or else he will go on strike!
The "good" quality dry foods are extremely expensive. They can be upwards of $50 for a 5-6 LB bag and they still have a large amount of plant based ingredients by necessity, otherwise it can't be extruded and formed and would just crumble as it dries. For just about the same price a Cat could be fed a good LID canned food with no plant based ingredients.

But yes, a lot of Cats grew up on a diet of dry food in shelters and previous homes so it's what they want to eat and it can be a pain to transition them off of it. It's like feeding McDonald's to a child every day for years, then trying to switch them to home cooked food.
 
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