Did you know cats thrive on canned / moist food?

Diet is the foundation of  health. This blog lays out some often-ignored principles of feline nutrition and explains why cats have a better chance at optimal health if they are fed a quality canned food diet instead of dry kibble. Putting a little thought into what you feed your cat(s) can pay big dividends over their lifetime and very possibly help them avoid serious, painful and costly illnesses!

The three key negative issues associated with dry food are:
1) Type of protein - too high in plant-based versus animal-based proteins
2) Carbohydrate load is too high
3) Water content is too low

Cats are obligate carnivores which means they need meat / protein!  Canned cat food on average provides 20-30% more protein per serving than dry cat food. Feeding canned cat food addresses the
three negatives associated with feeding dry food.

Protein
Kibble or dry formulations of cat foods are often too low in protein and rely too much on plant based protein.  Proteins help our cats produce amino acids, which help the body grow, create cells and regulate normal bodily functions. A protein deficiency can lead to: Loss of appetite, dull coat, poor skin, decreased immune function, lethargy, and increased rate of illness or infections.

Carbohydrates 
Who doesn’t love carbs! Despite being delicious they are not always the best for us or our feline friends!  Dry cat foods are heavy in carbohydrates because of the manufacturing process used to produce the food. Although the dry food may be dipped in animal fat to make the kibble more appealing to the cat, this may present a problem if it encourages the cat to eat dry food excessively. A diet high in carbohydrates can lead to weight gain and overweight cats can have complications from and higher chances of diabetes, poor mobility, liver disease, heart disease, arthritis and urinary tract disease.

Water content and hydration
Cats do not drink enough water and those cats fed only a dry kibble based diet do not receive adequate hydration.  In the wild cats eat fresh prey, such as birds and mice, and the raw meat of these animals has some liquid content that helps keep the cat hydrated without it having to seek additional water sources.  When fed kibble they do not seem to make up the difference with their water intake.  Poor hydration over years leads to both kidney disease and or urinary tract disease. Feeding canned cat food helps reduce this risk !

article written by:
Dr. Joe Whalen
Companion Animal Hospital