Canned VS Dry (specifically cats)

moonprincessd

Just curious, but which is better/healthier for your cat? 

Djinxs

I generally think that canned is better. It has a higher moisture content. Our cats don't drink a lot of water, so we like to get as much water into their diet as possible. Though the boy cat does drink out of the toilet...

It also depends on quality. I would think that really good, high-end kibble is better that very poor canned food.

chrisnjay05212010

our cat gets dry food in the morning and at night, but with his dinner he gets a scoop of wet. The dry is supposed to be good for their teeth and tartar build up

Jennifer&Nate

My vet recommends at least 50/50 wet/dry because the high carbohydrate level in dry food isn't good for cats.

moonprincessd

Thanks guys!

We currently our giving our cats Iams Proactive Health Indoor Weight and Hairball Care Dry Cat Food. They've gotten can food before when we get them for free, buy a bag of Iams, get two cans free type of deal. 

I was just curious since I don't know all that much about pet food. My grandma always gave her cats canned food, but she spoiled them, lol, and my husband's parents and my parents only ever gave dry food. 

I do know our female kitty loves the wet food (every time I open a can, she comes running), but she never can finish one of those little cans in one sitting. I have to give her the same dish of wet food 3 times before it's gone, it's a hassle because I can't leave it out or our male cat will eat it. He can eat one of those little cans in just one gulp! I swear! And then he'll go and try to steal hers! Which he also does with dry food. We don't know why he likes eating so much... they both get the same amounts of food and are the same size. 

aggiebug

Canned food no doubt!  I am a huge believer in canned food.  

High water content is important in a cat's diet.  Also like PP mention dry food is inherently to high in carbs for cats.  While you can find canned food with more carbohydrates so you have to be careful, there are much better options in canned than any dry food.  

Djinxs

I'm also not sure I buy the idea that dry food is good for or cleans a cat's teeth. The kibble pieces crumble too easily to rub off much tartar, and a lot of cats just swallow the majority of their food and only chew a bit.

Allgaier

Greenies is the only treat proven to fight tartar on cats teeth. No dry food claims to help with tartar unless it's "oral care".

Wet food is better for calls. With the dry when it's cooked and processed it loses a lot of it's nutrition value. 

Jecca07

I give our cats Purina One White Meat Chicken canned food in the mornings (best part of their day) and Purina One Indoor Healthy Weight dry food at night. I didn't start the canned food until a few months ago when my male cat had to have 3 molars removed and had trouble with the dry food (also my vet tried to make me feel bad about not giving them only canned food, but it's so expensive that half and half is a better option for us).

aggiebug

Djinxs said:

I'm also not sure I buy the idea that dry food is good for or cleans a cat's teeth. The kibble pieces crumble too easily to rub off much tartar, and a lot of cats just swallow the majority of their food and only chew a bit.

The canned food is more likely to stay in between the teeth and is thus more likely to cause dental disease than cats, but I think that is nominal compared to the benefits of canned food over dry.  

Check out VOHC.org for more ideas on how to prevent dental tartar in your cats or dogs.

SURFERxGIRL

I've heard that canned food is better for cats, however my cats tend to throw up if I give the canned food. The only exception I've found is the Wellness brand--that stays down, but it gets pretty pricey since I have to have enough to feed 5 cats. Usually I'll try and mix in a little canned to their dry dinner a couple of times a week though. I'm not too concerned about them needing the extra liquid though since my cats seem to all love drinking water, but in a pinch I've been known to add a little water to their dry food and warm it up so it gets moist.

lynnirene

We give our cats dry food during the day, and then half a can of wet food (the small Fancy Feast ones) at night. It seems to work well enough for the cats my family has had, because we have had several cats live long, healthy (until the very end of course, when they were 18-19ys old) lives

kittie8709

I'd say canned food is better for cats, especially if the cat is male. My Raz almost died of a urinary tract infection a few months ago. Luckily he is doing so much better, but he now has to be on a special diet. I felt so bad for giving him an exclusive diet of dry food. If I had known then what I do now, I wouldn't have given him dry food.