Wet, Dry or Both??

[Cookiebaker]

Do you feed your cat(s) wet food, dry food, or both??

A few weeks ago, Marigold suddenly went on a picky strike about her food. Since the beginning, we have free-fed her dry food and she has always been happy with that. But one day, she quit eating that, and constantly merrowwed around my legs, begging to be fed. She prefered dog food to cat food (weird cat, huh?)

So I worked on changing her food and decided to try some wet food. Right now, we are going through about one 4-pack every 5-6 days. She LOOOOooooVes it! (The problem now is that I can't open any can of food without her coming and begging :p )

So what do you feed your cats and how much??

Edit: I forgot to mention that she is also getting dry food at all times as well.

[Craftlady]

Dry only. (Nutro), Skinny does love tuna but with his previous tummy problems that's out of the question even for a treat. Thumper won't touch tuna. Eleanor probably would but I haven't offered it to her.

[boscibo]

I feed Precise dry to all three cats, and Hanna and Bo get a little canned (Fancy Feast) twice a day. Abby will not eat canned, all she will eat is dry. She is finicky with a capital F.

I am getting more interested in feline (and canine) nutrition lately, so I will be watching this thread with interest. I know there is not any one "perfect food" for any animal, but I would like to find out what is best. There is so much conflicting information out there, and a million opinions.

[sirrahbed]

My three eat dry only. I tried to give them Fancy Feast as a fun treat and none of them would touch it. Beats me:rolleyes: Guess they don't watch enough TV like I do:D

[kimlovescats]

Dry only .... they think they like wet ... but all they do is lick the juice off then try to bury the chunks! :rolleyes:

[dogs_4_me]

I feed maddie half a can of fancy feast a day along with dry food.

[Pam]

Since Trevor was diagnosed with diabetes last summer I have been feeding both of my cats wet food. Trevor must eat Purina DM and in order for Andy and Trevor to finish eating at the same time I must feed both of them wet food. When they ate dry they picked and picked all day. Now that I can't free feed them any more I have to put Andy in a dog crate :o so that I know who is eating what. They each get 1/2 can of food in the morning and 1/2 can of food at night. Andy eats either Friskies or Fancy Feast. I worry that their teeth will go bad with no crunchy food but I really have no choice.

[DogLover9501]

Originally posted by kimlovescats
Dry only .... they think they like wet ... but all they do is lick the juice off then try to bury the chunks! :rolleyes:

LOL Same with Tigger!! He LOVES the wet food gravy, and he'll cry for the wet food, so he gets wet food(well the gravy :rolleyes: ) about once a week, but all the rest of the time, it's dry food.

[RedHedd]

Originally posted by kimlovescats
Dry only .... they think they like wet ... but all they do is lick the juice off then try to bury the chunks! :rolleyes: Same here :D

Mishi gets his K/D and Mitzi gets her Royal Canin Light formula. Each get about half a cup a day. Since Mishi went on his eating strike or whatever that blockage thing was last month, I put them both back to free-feeding. Mishi had lost a pound and the vet was concerned. I think he's back to about 15-16 lbs., still looks lean, but not bony. Mitzi is maintaining her weight loss.

They get Pounce tartar control treats once in a while, but they don't beg for them .... well, Mitzi does :rolleyes: Mishi can take 'em or leave 'em, but if Mitzi's getting some, he wants a nibble too.

[QueenScoopalot]

I use both wet & dry. Rescued moms and babies get all they can eat of wet, and a mixture of kitten chows. So many of the ones I take in are malnourished, and if I have a litter of hissy-spitty kitties, the wet food helps to socialize them. My house cats (and none are really overweight) have dry food all day, and wet once a day. If I feel really generous, sometimes the piggies get wet twice a day. It's not easy popping the cans, and being trampled to death here! :rolleyes:

[Desert Arabian]

We use dry and wet Iams, they get a can of wet every day and their kibble bowl is out 24/7

[Grace]

Both. Dry food is out all the time. Wet is given first thing in the morning and at dinner time. When it's gone - it's gone!!

And Reese gets shrimp - as a treat - because she is royalty.

[jazzcat]

Dry only here. I tried wet as a treat and Scout - my little porky pig who never passes up food - was the only one who would eat it.

[aly]

Mine get dry food. I feed them wet very occasionally - maybe once every month or every other month. If you switch her to wet, be sure to be proactive about her teeth since the dry helps keep tartar to a minimum.

[Shelteez2]

Originally posted by boscibo
I am getting more interested in feline (and canine) nutrition lately, so I will be watching this thread with interest. I know there is not any one "perfect food" for any animal, but I would like to find out what is best. There is so much conflicting information out there, and a million opinions.

I have heard that wet is supposed to be better for cats as they are built to get water from their prey, and kibbles are of course dry, (which is why it is recommended to always have plenty of fresh water out when feeding dry food). What have you come across so far?

Our cats both eat dry food and one eats a little bit of wet 2-3 times a day.




Originally posted by Pam
I worry that their teeth will go bad with no crunchy food but I really have no choice.

That's silly. That's like saying you can eat pretzles and not have to brush your teeth because you crunched on them. ;) :D I really don't think eating dry food does that much for cleaning their teeth. I also know that when our cats have thrown up right after eating a lot of the kibbles were whole, so they are not even being crunched.

I've heard that wet is better for cats

[QueenScoopalot]

If someone could can mice..that's supposed to be the ultimate diet for a cat. YICK!

[aly]

Originally posted by Shelteez2


That's silly. That's like saying you can eat pretzles and not have to brush your teeth because you crunched on them. ;) :D I really don't think eating dry food does that much for cleaning their teeth. I also know that when our cats have thrown up right after eating a lot of the kibbles were whole, so they are not even being crunched.



Actually being on a wet-only diet is pretty bad for the teeth. I've seen evidence time and time again at the shelter. When a cat's teeth are really bad, I check the background form and almost always it will say the cat is on a wet-only diet. I adopted Reece (dog) at 1 yr old, but the vet aged him to be 5 because his teeth were so bad from the canned food he ate at his previous home. I got them cleaned and haven't had any problems in the past 3 years that he's been on dry food.

Pam, I know you have no choice and I'm sure your kitties will be fine. If they do get problems, you can always brush their teeth :)

[carole]

I have tried to get both My cats to eat Dry food only, Lexie is fine and is satisfied with a good quality premium biscuit, but Ash just won't have it, he would rather go without, I am afraid he is a red meat bloke, so he gets a mixture of red meat 3 times weekly, the offcuts of our dinner, a cheaper can of food which he likes, usually salmon flavoured, and some of the good biscuits.

I am going to try to change Lexie to the new low-cal mix of her brand, because she is simply getting too chubby on her biscuits.

The good thing about the biscuits, is no smell, or mess and Ash's coat improved a lot when I did manage to get him to eat them, he has been sick, but its looking a lot duller now.

Lexie eats the brand EXCELLENCE, comes in two flavours and now a new flavour in the low fat one, turkey and chicken I think.

I just wanted to add my mother's cat Tessa, has only ever eaten biscuits, she is 11 yrs old and her teeth are in perfect condition, she has a clean now and then, not even needed to be done under a general, so in her case the biscuits have worked.

[krazyaboutkatz]

My boys get dry food only. I used to free feed them but Sky and Cirrus are little piggies and would eat all the food. They were also gaining too much weight. Now they're fed 2 times a day and receive 1/2 cup total each day. Cirrus is on Hills Prescription c/d diet because he had crystals and the other 3 eat a mixture of Max Cat Lite and Nutro Complete Care Weight Management Formula.

[NKBurlington]

Our boys get dry only - 3/4 cup a day. When it's gone, it's gone.

We used to give them wet in the AM and dry in the PM but they just loved the wet stuff too much and ate it so fast that they got sick. Also, they just begged and begged for the wet food to the point that it was driving us crazy! We now feed them dry food only - Felidae brand (http://www.canidae.com/). All natural and they LOVE it.

[mruffruff]

Because a couple of them had urinary problems, I switched them all to Purina One Uninary Tract. I give it to them dry for breakfast and mix dry with Friskies canned for dinner. They get a handful of Whiskas dry for a bedtime treat. Only Mooch is getting chubby. He's a bit of a bully with the other cats, so he ends up with extra food. None of them have dull coats or are thin.

My vet recommended the Purina after I had to take a couple of the cats to the emergency clinic. I had been feeding Special Kitty from Walmart.

Mary

[Jods]

I feed Pixie dry throughout the day then when I am eating supper she gets one can of fancy feast thats how she likes it...
Fifa only gets dry cuz the wet makes him sick.... (he steals it anyways...)
Jods

[catmandu]

The Found Cats,are 90% Dry food eaters,except for Michael,Moose The Magnificent,and Roscoe,who eat The Fancy Feast!The Found Cats are Getting,the Best Nutro Max Complete Care Indoor Senior!

[rpcathouse]

I always have dry out and that is a mixture of Royal Canin, Sinsible Choice, Science Diet Nature's Best, Nutro, Max Cat, Eukanuba. I even get these brands when I have a litter of kittens starting to munch on dry food. In the morning I mix 2 5.5 ounce cans of wet food with 2 cups of dry food and everyone one gets that as breakfast. Now you have to remember that it feeds about 15 cats. So they don't get alot. But the dry is out all day. And about 3 - 4 times a year, fix a pot of rice and chicken livers. Whic is a treat for them I use unsalted chicken stock when cooking the rice. I use the water fountains and have have them in several places.
I have been mixing dry food for almost nine years and never had a cat or kitten turn their royal little nose up at it. There is something for all and as for the kittens they become use to the mixture and the new parents can use all or some or just one if they want and it will not upset their tummies. I do send kitten packs with all new parents of the foods I feed them. So far never had one say the kitten had tummy problems from switching the food or not using one or more of them.

Stella

[Felicia's Mom]

A measured amount of dry food in the mornings.

Canned in the evenings.

[CatMama78]

Pretty much dry only. Nutro Complete. They get half a bag of Sophisticat wet food once a week as a treat, which they LOVE. I've heard wet food is better cause it's more meat based, but can cause weight problems. I get so confused with all the conflicting info. They seem to like Nutro and it has really improved their coats, so I'm sticking with it.

[Mandy-Lee]

I feed my 2 babies dry -Purina One cat food. They do love getting wet food for treats every now and then. We don't give it to them too often...wouldn't want them to go to the bathroom more then they should..if you know what I mean! :)
I heard that wet food can rott cats teeth..not sure if this is a myth or a fact. I think dry food is better for them, personally.
I give them Pounce Treats as well. They go nuts over them as well.
I use to have the same trouble...Thor would run in whenever I would use the can opener and then his lil' sister would follow her big brother :) Now they know not to keep their hopes up until we actually call for them to come get treats. They come when they hear the word...he he.

[QueenScoopalot]

There's the "flip side" to this conversation....some of my vets say "don't feed dry exclusively, as it causes UTIs". What's up with that? :confused:

[Craftlady]

Originally posted by CatMama78
They seem to like Nutro and it has really improved their coats, so I'm sticking with it.

We do the Nutro Complete at our house. Skinny (being black/white) his fur got so shiny and slick after about less than 2 weeks on the food. You really notice it on his fur because of the color.

I measure out 1/2 cup each in two bowls, twice a day. I put little out a night before I got to bed. Well since Ms. Eleanor (who has a bottomless pit appetite) has come to live with us, she is getting little more than her share of Nutro. Before she came to live with us Skinny and Thumper could make breakfast last all day. Now it lasts1 hr tops both bowls are cleaned out. Now I know why Betsy who sister who was also up for adoption was lighter in weight.
;) In the a.m. sometimes I'm busy with other things to monitor who's eating, it's easier at dinner time to see who's the piggy. I can tell when Thumper gets short cheated she looks at empty bowl and me. Of course mom gives her a spoonful. :)

[christa]

Josie eats dry, free feeds throughout the day. She never finishes, but gets 1/2 to 3/4 cups per day. She's been eating Purina Pro Plan since we got her. It's been really good for her. I could really tell a difference in her health after she started eat it. PLUS, they now have a Pro Plan for INDOOR CATS! It's supposed to cut down on the odor of their feces and maintains a healthy body weight and reduces the formation of hair balls. I like it so far.

Click here to see Pro Plan for Indoor Cats (http://www.proplan.com/product_detail.aspx?pid=115)

We tried to feed her Pro Plan wet food . . . but she's still under 1 year and it was making her poop runny. Maybe when she's a little older, she will be able to eat that fortune of canned food that I have sitting in the utility room!

[DogLover9501]

Originally posted by aly
Actually being on a wet-only diet is pretty bad for the teeth. I've seen evidence time and time again at the shelter.

I've also seen evidence from cats I knew! My moms friend Jenny had a cat named Garfeild(sp), and all he ate was wet food, and people would tell her to atleast get him some treats for his teeth, or tatar controll treats or anything really.

His teeth got really rotten, his breath was the worst, he couldnt chew anything, and I think they eventually just fell out of his mouth :(

And I think he was only 5-7 years old!

*EDIT* I forgot to add, Tiggers teeth are also getting bad, but he doesn't even eat wet food, only dry for his entire life...7 years, so Im not sure whats wrong with his :confused:

[cloverfdx]

Yumi eats mainly dry about 85%, and the rest is tinned sardines or tinned cat food. She cannot eat the cheap dryfood and brings in up strait away :(.

And also she gets fed when ever she asks but only in tiny bits at a time for snacks, unless it is her proper breakfast or dinner. :)

She will be 5 in November and her teeth are fine.

[AmberLee]

I free feed dry -- three varieties of hairball formula for 'plush' fur-kids and serve a 'treat' in the kitchen when I get home from work/in the evening. Usually a variety of Temptations or Catsip/ LapHappy cat milk, but about once every two weeks or so a mini-serving of Fancy Feast.

[carole]

Queenscoopalot, that is odd how some vets say that about using dry only, I always thought dry only was excellent for UTIS, it says so on the packets I buy, I guess it really all depends on the pet, as with humans, some things agree with us some don't, probably the same with our pets.

On the up side though my mothers cat has been on dry all her life and has great teeth and has never had a UTI to my knowledge, so that is promising., guess we just have to take all the information out there, and decide what is best for our kitties ourselves eh?:)

[Ally Cat's Mommy]

Ally and Connor are on dry food only. I have free-fed them up till now, but Connor is getting VERY podgy, so I will need to try again with the low-cal food for him (Tried it before I went away and it was a disaster - - he wouldn't eat anything at all, so I gave in and put his regular food back in his bowl) :rolleyes:

Ally loves Temptation treats (she is VERY fussy), Connor loves ALL treats, and they both get half a slice of Champagne Honey Ham once a day as a treat.

[carole]

Ally that is exactly what has happened to Lexie, she was fine , now on biscuits only she had gotten rather podgy to say the least, I too am going to try the low-cal variety of her biscuits, but i have only found them in one place, and I want to buy a small bag first to see if she will eat them.

They both enjoyed their treat yesterday of fresh red cod.

[Tonya]

Dry only. When I first got Ron from the pound, he'd obviously came from a spoiled home. He wouldn't eat anything but wet food. lol. It took me a long time to get him to eat dry. Even now, it has to be very fresh.