A cat’s health begins with their diet. In order to determine the best meals for feline friends, owners must be able to distinguish and select between numerous food options — a choice that is best made by knowing their specific cat’s needs and preferences.
Dr. Deb Zoran, a professor at the Texas A&M College of Veterinary Medicine and Biomedical Sciences, provides guidance to cat owners on choosing the most nutritious food to support their cat’s health and well-being.
The wet vs. dry debate When considering whether to feed your cat wet or dry food, owners should understand the benefits of both options.
“The differences are primarily physical — texture, moisture, and how they are processed,” Zoran said. “Wet is cooked, while dry is extruded, made into pellets, and then cooked. Wet food is about 75-80% water, and dry is less than 5% water, unless it’s a ‘soft moist’ product.”
In addition to its crunch-based texture, dry foods tend to have higher fiber and other carbohydrates, and while canned foods can vary widely, they can have a higher protein content.
Because the majority of a cat’s daily hydration needs are typically met with their diet, according to Zoran, wet food goes a long way in ensuring adequate water intake, which is especially important in the prevention of constipation and maintaining a good urine output. However, many people prefer to feed both, and with proper feeding approaches cats can benefit from diets that contain both dry and wet foods.
Because dry foods contain little water, they are more calorie dense than wet foods, so if dry foods are fed, portion control is essential to prevent overfeeding and weight gain.
“Most adult cats only need about 200 calories a day, and if you are feeding both canned and dry food you have to account for both,” Zoran said. “A good rule of thumb is that if you are feeding a volume of food that is larger than the cat’s head, you are overfeeding.”
Because of the importance of portion control, Zoran advises against the use of demand-feeder methods — in which the cat triggers a dispenser — and free feeding.
“Indoor spayed and neutered cats are particularly prone to weight gain because they get less exercise, less stimulation, more food, and more calorie-dense food,” Zoran said. “So, it’s really crucial to control their intake.”
Selecting a brand
When choosing a food brand or consistency, owners should consider your cat’s individual needs. Paying attention to the specific nutritional statements on packaging can help owners choose a brand that is trustworthy and consistent in offering a well-balanced meal, according to Zoran.
“Seeking out packaging that explicitly states ‘complete and balanced for all life stages’ is an important first step, as this legally defined claim can only be used if a brand is meeting specific nutritional standards,” she said. “Many cat foods on the shelves have ‘add ons’ or ‘flavor enhancers,’ which are not formulated to be a complete diet on their own, so that is very important to pay attention to.”
Another indicator of quality is found in brands that have been on the market for a long time and have earned credibility through consumer consistency.
“There are new or smaller pet food companies that are not necessarily bad, but they may not have established or published quality controls or nutritionists on staff,” Zoran said. “A lot of people like these foods — they appeal to people because of how they are marketed — but, you should consult your veterinarian or contact the company for specific information about their product.”
Cats behavior patterns In addition, understanding and monitoring a cat’s eating habits are vital in maintaining a healthy diet and regular feeding routine.
“There are some unique behavioral and preference considerations for cats that help determine what kind of food they prefer — whether that’s dry vs. canned, flaked vs. pate, and so on,” Zoran said. “Unlike dogs, cats usually will not easily transition to another food if they were not introduced to it at a young age or have not been routinely fed over time; they have very distinct, learned preferences and will develop food habits that can be hard to change.”
Cats that eat only dry food as kittens tend to grow attached to that taste and texture. This can lead to problems later in life if the cat develops a health problem that is best managed with a wet food diet, such as urinary tract disease, kidney disease, or diabetes.
“A cat that prefers dry food may refuse to eat wet food or will, at least, be very resistant to change due to having the learned food preference,” Zoran said. “The easiest way to prevent this issue is to feed some canned and some dry food every day throughout life.”
Meeting a cat’s basic nutritional needs is one of the most important responsibilities as a pet owner, one that may involve some trial and error as you work to balance your cat’s needs with its preferences.
“Remember, indoor cats can’t supplement their diet with outdoor prey, so they rely completely on us to select the food that meets their needs,” Zoran said.
Pet Talk is a service of the College of Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Sciences, Texas A&M University. Stories can be viewed on the web at vetmed. tamu.edu/news/ pet-talk. Suggestions for future topics may be directed to vmbseditor@ tamu.edu.
