As a pet parent, feeding your kitty the right diet is essential. However, choosing between wet and dry cat foods can be confusing, especially if you do not know the differences between the two types of food. So, what exactly is wet cat food and how much of it should your cat eat?
Wet cat food is canned cat food that contains at least 70% moisture. It is recommended that you feed your adult cat 5.3 to 8.8 oz of wet cat food per day. The extra moisture wet cat food carries should help to keep your cat sufficiently hydrated. This is why it is so important to include this type of food in your cat’s diet.
If you are looking for ways to make your cat’s diet healthier, here is an in-depth guide on wet cat food and why it should be an integral part of your cat’s diet.
How Much Wet Food Should My Cat Eat Per Day?
Wet cat food helps to keep your cat hydrated and well-nourished. On average an adult cat should eat between 5 to 8 oz of wet cat food per day.
However, cats will have different nutritional needs based on their life stage, weight, and activity levels.
Kittens
A growing kitten needs plenty of calories to promote healthy growth and development. This means that on average a kitten will need to consume more calories than an adult cat.
A kitten should be fed at least 200 calories per 5 lbs of body weight. This is the recommended guideline to ensure that your kitty gets enough calories to support healthy growth.
When feeding your kitten wet cat food, check the labels for feeding guidelines. Always feed your kitty 3 or 4 times a day in small portions rather than one big meal.
Your vet can also provide you helpful tips on how much to feed your kitty depending on their health, weight, and specific age.
Adult Cats
For an adult cat, we recommend 6 oz of wet cat food per day. If you are buying cat food in sachets, you can feed your cat 2 to 4 sachets per day.
It is also important to note that your cat’s nutritional requirements will largely depend on their body weight, stage of life, and activity levels. Always do check and read the wet cat food labels for feeding guidelines and information on the total calories contained in the food.
What Is The Best Wet Food For Cats?
When choosing the best wet food for cats, it is important to consider the nutritional content of the food. The ideal wet food for your cat should contain:
- High-quality animal proteins
- Healthy carbohydrates and fiber
- Healthy fats and fatty acids
- Essential vitamins and minerals
Healthiest Wet Cat Food
Always go for foods with a healthy protein source as the main ingredient. You also want to keep a lookout for organic ingredients that will ensure your cat is getting a healthy balance of nutrients without any filler content.
For cats of any age, healthy protein, adequate moisture, and nutrient-rich ingredients are essential. That is why Nom Nom Cat Food is one of the healthiest wet cat foods. This protein-rich formula is packed with a healthy balance of nutrients to ensure that your cat stays healthy and happy.
Nom Nom Cat Food is also designed to appeal to even the pickiest kitties, so you will not have a problem getting your cat to eat this healthy food.
Best Affordable Wet Cat Food
Wet cat foods tend to be more expensive because they typically contain more meat protein and fewer carbohydrates than dry kibble. However you can still feed your cat a healthy diet without having to spend a lot of money.
Homemade cat food is an affordable option and comes with the added benefit of giving you complete control over what your cat eats. Using ingredients such as chicken, tuna and other protein sources you can make healthy and delicious homemade cat foods.
Just be sure to include a healthy balance of nutrients from a variety of ingredients including protein, healthy fats and fibre.
The general recommendation is to include 85% muscle meat and 5% organs, such as liver, kidney or spleen, with the remaining 10% as bone content in your homemade cat food recipe.
Is It Bad To Feed Cats Wet Food All The Time?
It is not a bad idea to feed cats wet food all the time. Wet food contains all the nutrients your cat needs so a wet food diet will have a positive impact on your cat’s health.
There are plenty of benefits of feeding your cat wet food including:
Weight Management
If your kitty tends to put on weight fast, a wet food diet can help remedy the problem. Wet foods typically contain fewer carbohydrates than dry cat food.
Wet food also tends to have fewer calories than dry food which also makes it a better option for cats with weight problems.
Urinary Health
The moisture content in wet cat food is great for your cat’s urinary tract. Wet cat food contains moisture which helps in flushing out urinary crystals and lowers the risk of crystal formation.
Wet cat food is a healthy option for cats with kidney conditions, urinary tract infections, and other illnesses that can be aggravated by dehydration.
Digestive Health
Proper hydration is important in keeping your cat’s gut healthy. Wet cat food can help in remedying conditions such as constipation which may be caused by dehydration.
Highly Palatable
Cats can be fussy eaters. If you struggle with getting your fur-baby to eat, you may want to try wet cat food. Cats love wet cat food because it is highly palatable in terms of both texture and flavor. This makes it appealing even to picky eaters.
If your kitty is a picky eater, a wet cat food diet may make feeding times a lot easier.
How Much Wet Food Should I Mix With Dry?
For many pet parents, dry cat food is an affordable and hassle-free way to feed their cats. However, it is recommended that you always feed your cat a combination of both dry and wet cat foods. This mixture should help to infuse more nutrients and moisture into your cat’s diet.
You can feed your cat daily with a mixture of 5.3 to 8.8 oz of wet cat food with 1.7 to 2.5 oz of dry cat food.
This will ensure that your cat gets the benefits of both types of food. Dry cat food tends to be higher in calories so it is recommended that you feed more wet food than dry.
Here are some of the benefits of mixing wet and dry cat food.
Dental Health
While wet food contains all the nutrients your cat needs, dry cat food has been found to be better for dental health. Kibble can help in keeping your cat’s teeth clean and this is good for their dental health.
Proper Hydration
It can be difficult to determine whether your kitty is drinking enough water. Fortunately, feeding a diet of both wet and dry foods can help to avoid dehydration.
Wet cat food contains up to 70% more moisture than dry cat food. Adding some wet food to your cat’s kibble can therefore help in ensuring that your cat is consuming enough water.
Cost Effective
Wet cat food tends to be expensive, so feeding your cat exclusively on a wet food diet may be costly. However, if you combine both dry and wet foods, you can cut down on costs while still ensuring that your cat gets the nutrition they need.
Can You Warm Up Wet Cat Food?
Storing Wet Food
Wet cat food is extremely nutritious but it does come with a few drawbacks. One of these drawbacks is how to store it. Once you have opened your can of wet cat food, make sure you store any leftover contents in your refrigerator to preserve freshness.
Opened cans of wet cat food should be refrigerated at 40 to 45°F, for a maximum of 7 days.
It is also important to empty out any left-over cat food in your cat’s bowl within 4 hours. This helps to avoid contamination of the food.
Feeding Wet Food
After refrigerating the wet food, always ensure that you warm it for 3 to 5 seconds before feeding your cat. Feeding your cat cold food is not recommended as most cats do not like cold food.
Wet food is more prone to contamination and therefore requires additional precautions when it comes to storage and feeding compared to dry cat food. Feeding too much wet cat food can cause diarrhea, so investing in an automatic feeder can help in controlling the amount you feed your kitty.
An automatic feeder such as the Cat Mate C500 Automatic Pet Feeder With Digital Timer For Cats is a great option for wet cat food. This feeder can be put on a timer, ensuring that you only put out food when it is required and in the right amounts.
Related Questions
Should I Feed My Cat Wet Or Dry Food? You should feed your cat both wet and dry food. Wet food contains added moisture which helps to keep your cat properly hydrated. Combining both wet and dry foods ensures that your cat can benefit from the added nutrients and moisture in wet food.
Do Cats Get Bored Of Eating The Same Food Everyday? Yes, cats can get bored of eating the same food every day. Feeding your cat a varied diet helps to ensure that they are getting the right balance of nutrients. Varying your cat’s diet will also help to prevent overexposure to certain allergens that may be present in a particular type of food.
What Age Can Cats Eat Wet Food? Cats can eat wet foods from the age of 4 to 5 weeks. To get your kitten used to the wet food, you can start by mixing small quantities of the wet food with kitten formula. You can feed this mixture to the kitten using a feeding bottle or on a dish.
