How to Choose the Right Wet Cat Food

Contents

– Cat food: characteristics

– Criteria for choosing the right wet food for your cat

– Cat food: advantages and disadvantages

– Purchase price of cat food

Cat food is, along with kibble and homemade food, one of the possible diets for your cat. Cat food is the most expensive but can meet specific needs, especially for fussy cats or those with kidney problems.

Cat food: characteristics

Specificities of cat food

Cat food is wet food, unlike kibble, which is dry food. It is easy to eat, appetizing (attractive to the cat), and has various tastes, textures, and flavors.

Cat food is manufactured in a factory, where the raw materials are assembled, cooked, packaged in cans or pouches, and finally sterilized. It is generally composed of raw materials of animal origin (poultry, fish, lamb, etc.), vitamins; mineral supplements; fat, and sugar.

Good to know: cat food is sold in fresh bags, trays, or cans. It usually contains 50 to 80% moisture.

The different types of cat food

Wet cat food is available in pate, mousse, bite-sized pieces, terrines, or slices. It can be served in sauce or jelly.

There are different types of pate:

– for kittens, adult cats, or senior cats;

– for sterilized cats or against hairballs;

– light;

– specialized for convalescences such as urinary or liver problems.

Criteria for choosing the right wet food for your cat

You must decide whether to feed wet food alone or a mixed diet of wet food and kibble. Then, your choices will be based on:

– Your cat’s age and health status;

– the texture and taste (don’t hesitate to have your cat test different brands and presentations)

– the essential composition because your cat’s food ration must be balanced, rich in proteins, and low in sugar (remember to read the labels to check at least these two elements);

– You should also prefer good quality veterinary products or “complete” cat food. Banish the bottom of the range from supermarkets, or your cat may develop deficiencies.

Cat food: advantages and disadvantages

Wet Cat Food

The benefits of wet food

Appetizing, varied, often presented in individual doses, and therefore easy to serve, wet food has the great advantage of providing a significant amount of water, which is very interesting for cats that do not drink much.

Moreover, it resembles more closely what the cat would eat naturally (remember to give it at room temperature or even slightly warmed up).

Vitamins are better preserved in wet food, and it’s easy food for cats to eat.

The disadvantages of cat food

Their soft texture makes chewing easier but increases tartar build-up (unlike kibble, which has a rubbing action on the teeth). Read more: Plaque and Tartar Prevention in Cats – VCA Animal Hospitals

If the cat doesn’t eat its food in one sitting, the food will oxidize quickly, making it inedible for your little friend.

Some pates are too rich in fat, which is tempting for gluttonous cats and promotes weight gain. Finally, their price is high, and we will lose quality if we choose cheaper chews.

Purchase price of cat food

Of course, depending on the difference in quality and composition, the price ranges can be pretty broad. However, it is possible to buy large batches, to reduce the purchase price.

You must count from $0.85 to $2 per portion for freshness bags, trays, or individual boxes. Special diets can cost more than $2.50 per serving.