Dry or Canned Cat Food?
The decision of whether to feed a canned or dry commercial pet food can be made with an understanding of the advantages and disadvantages of each type of food.
- Dry cat foods are easy to store and keep, and can be fed free-choice without risk of rapid spoilage. Dry foods are also somewhat lower in fat content and may be preferred for cats who tend to over-consume and gain too much weight. Dry foods are somewhat more economical than canned products, primarily because they contain less water and more dry matter and energy on a per weight basis. Finally, dry food may offer some dental hygiene advantages because of the increased chewing and grinding needed during consumption.
- Canned cat foods have the advantage of a very long shelf-life prior to opening. These foods can be very appealing to cats because of their texture and because they contain a relatively high level of fat and protein. This palatability can be a distinct advantage when trying to entice a “finicky” cat to eat. Canned cat foods also have a much higher water content (75% or more) so they provide a good dietary source of water. Many owners feed primarily dry food and supplement it with one or two tablespoons of canned food each day as a “treat” for their cat. One disadvantage of canned food is that the high energy density and palatability may contribute to obesity in some cats.
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