What’s best for my cat: wet, dry or mixed?

Here are 3 reasons why...

1. Hydration: Cats are notoriously bad drinkers and often suffer from urinary issues, especially male cats and later in life. By mixed feeding, you supply some water through food which can help prevent this.

2. Carbohydrates: Cats don't have a carbohydrate requirement. They can utilize it when cooked properly, but it doesn't make sense only to feed kibble as this naturally contains more carbs than wet food. You offer a perfect balance between protein, fat and carbs by feeding both wet and dry.

3. Weight control: Wet food helps with weight control as it's less calorie-dense than dry food.

Why choose wet food?

• Wet food is extra tasty because of its stronger smell and flavour, so cats get excited by even the smell of it!

• Wet food can be easier for older animals to enjoy, particularly if they’re short a few teeth.

• If you’re constantly trying to get your cat to drink more, wet food is a great option because it contains way more moisture.

Why choose dry food?

• It’s easier to overfeed with dry food because it's more energy-dense than wet food, and it's necessary to portion control which many cat owners don't do. So we recommend feeding both (in different bowls).

• The friction created by chewing dry food will help clean the surface area of your cat's teeth.

• Dry food is easier to store. Unlike wet food, it doesn’t require refrigeration once open. You can leave dry food out longer so your cat can choose when to eat.

• Cats can make a mess when they eat wet food, whereas dry food is generally easier to clean.

How to mix wet and dry food

If you want to give your cat a mix of wet and dry food, the only challenge is figuring out how much to provide to keep them happy and healthy.

To make sure your cat is getting the right amount of food, you first need to determine the daily recommended amount of dry food they should be eating. This number (in grams) depends on your cat's size, age and weight. There's a handy measurement table on the side of each bag of kibble. You can choose your own dry-to-wet food ratio, but we recommend a minimum of 1/3 wet food and 2/3 dry food. Wet and dry food have different calories per gram, so you can't just interchange them. Not sure how to do it? Scan the QR code on the side of the kibble bag, and it will take you to our mixed feeding guidelines.

Final note: the cat paradox

Cats are carnivores, meaning they could live happily on wet food alone. They don’t need carbohydrates, but dry food inevitably contains some. However, cats are also nibblers and don’t tend to eat all their food in one sitting. And, of course, wet food goes bad if you leave it out all day. So what’s the solution? Unless you feel like feeding your cat a small amount of wet food six times a day, we recommend giving them a combination of wet and dry food. To stock up on both, head to our online shop.

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