Last Updated on May 27, 2023 by HodgePodgeDays
Cats originally relied on hunting to get their nutrition, even as pets. However, that’s certainly not the healthiest way for any pet cat to get their nutrition today, especially since rodents may carry a long list of diseases. The modern household cat relies on nutritious cat food instead, which come in two prime varieties: wet and dry.
This brings us to a comparison between the two. What’s the real difference between these two beyond just their respective dry and wet status? Is one really better than other the other? Let’s answer those questions and more next.
What is Wet Cat Food?
The main difference that sets wet cat food aside from its dry counterpart is the higher moisture content, just like the name suggests. How much moisture wet cat food contains will vary of curse, depending on the product. Nevertheless, wet food has a moisture content of roughly 70% on an average, which can be particularly beneficial for some cats.
Wet food consists of water blended animal protein primarily, with a bit of grain protein, adequate vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats mixed in to create a more nutritious meal for cats. After the blending is complete, the food is then heated to a high temperature to kill any germs that might be present in the mixture.
What is Dry Cat Food?
Dry food has a moisture content of roughly 10% on an average, with the rest being a combination of proteins, carbs, vitamins, minerals, and healthy fats. The nutrients are obtained mostly from meat that’s cooked at high pressure. Dry cat food tends to have more carbs than wet food, which is why you should keep an eye on the ingredients list before buying the product. Cats don’t do well if the carb content in their food is too high.
Which One is Better?
The best way to go about it would be to feed your cat(s) dry food, but not without a regular portion of wet food to go alongside with it. It’s a reliable way to keep your pet(s) in optimum health without breaking the bank. You can find both dry and wet cat food from specialist such as Applaws, so consider testing them out together.
There are practical considerations that cannot be ignored, but from a purely nutritional standpoint, wet food is indeed a better option. However, wet food is also more expensive, and it does not last more than a day after you open a can, even if you put it in the fridge. After a day and sometimes even before that, wet food can become contaminated with germs. Therefore, cats must finish the entire can in a few hours’ time.
This should not be too much of a problem because manufacturers do sell them in small cans that are just perfect for one meal. Dry food, on the other hand, is cheaper and it lasts much longer. The two advantages make even more sense if you have more than just one or two cats to feed.
Now that you have all the important answers, there’s just one more aspect to deciding on this. You must consult your veterinarian about your choices, just to be sure. Some cats do have medical conditions that require special dietary considerations which only an experienced vet can provide.
This is a contributed post.