is it ok to feed only hard food to cats?

Answer 1

It really depends on your cat, but most of them it is okay to feed just hard food. The person you should really ask about dietary need is your veteranarian.

Answer 2

If you are feeding a very high quality dry food, your cat will be fine. A lot of the less expensive brands have a lot of ash in them that can cause problems down the line.

I feed Royal Canin dry cat food and offer about a third of a can of wet food (Friskies) in the morning and again at bedtime. I worried because three of my cats refuse the canned food. They only wanted to eat the dry. My vet said that because the dry food was such good quality, I had nothing to worry about.

BTW, I've tried all the "special" canned brands with my cats, and they won't eat them. The ones who eat the canned food like the Friskies.

Answer 3

Yes, as long as it is a high-quality, nutritionally complete food. Avoid the cheap supermarket foods--they are cheap for a reason.
Some are good, such as Purina One and Iams. Science Diet, Nutro, Eukanuba, are all good.
Always provide fresh, clean water in a bowl that the cat likes. Some cats prefer flowing water and will benefit from a fountain. Although they may be pricey, it's worth it to ensure your cat drinks plenty of fresh water.
If you have an overweight neutered male, you have a cat predisposed to urinary problems (not that other cats can't have problems too). Also, of course, if you have a cat that has had any urinary problems in the past, they can recur. These cats do benefit from canned food because of the increased water content.
If you have a normal, healthy cat, dry food is perfectly fine.

Answer 4

yes. I have 12 cats at present and the oldest is 17 years old. He has only ever been fed on dried food. You have to ensure that they always have a bowl of clean fresh water available though. Mine do get treats like raw beaten eggs, or a drop of evaporated milk in warm water (yes I know, I know, cats are lactose intolerant ect but mine get it daily and it never causes the squirts so they are actually tolerant to it) and also any scraps from my meal in the evening . Saying that, I *do* eat very healthily with no ready meals, no salt used at all. My 17 year old cat has sparkly white rat-snatchers (teeth) and you would never tell he was so old by looking at him as he looks way younger.

Answer 5

Of curse. most cats like canned cat food, too, but it can be hard on their digestive system if they're not sued to it or if a poor quality is used. Hard food also keeps their teeth cleaner. If you have a very young kittne, though, it may help to soften the hard food with water to make it easier to chew, same goes for older cats with bad teeth. My cat hates canned cat food, and will only eat one kind of hard food. First cat I've seen that wll pass up canned food!

Answer 6

That is all I have ever fed my cats. I read the dehydration comment and consider it bogus; they drink water to take care of that problem. I use a mid grade food, always. Usually the cheap brands have ash or other fillers that have no nutrition at all. My cats have always maintained good weight, health, & that kitten playfulness. I did have one who had been starved as a kitten and seemed to have a food addiction problem. but she was still playful. Of course I mix in a little water if a cat has dental or sore mouth issues that make it difficult to eat dry food. I used to try to give them canned food occasionally as a treat, but they wouldn't eat it. When they do not eat a more natural, unfamiliar food, it is another indication they are getting all the nutrition they need.

My brand of choice is Purina Cat chow, with a formula that matches my cats' lifestyle, or Purina 1.

Answer 7

I usually feed my 5 dry food, and give them a treat every 3 days with a tin of felix each. But I've been told dry food is better as it keeps the decay down on their teeth.

Answer 8

Sure it's OK. Hard/Dry food is better for indoor cats due to the poop factor. But a little canned treat is nice.

I have 9 cats, 2 of them are indoor cats ONLY. Each day I use one pound of dry food, one small tin of canned food, and one cup of warm water, ( I add 1/2 cup of milk once a week) mix it, and give the house kitties their own bowl and put the rest on the porch.

All my kitties have their vet visits.

Answer 9

Yes it is, as long as you buy a decent quality catfood and make sure they have plenty of fresh water to go with it. The complete foods are generally much better for your kitty anyway as they have a much better nutritional balance.

If you want to try one of the very best ones for free go to

http://www.wellbeloved.co.uk/ select cat from the menu on the left and click free sample, they'll send you some (in the UK) free of charge, and i guarantee you that your kitty will love it.

ps. all that guff about it causing cats discomfort and giving them problems is total crap - dont listen to that.

Its not the cheapest cat food out there but its one of the best.

Answer 10

give it a variety, hard foods are ok but im sure the cat would like to have standard cat food in addition.

be sure to provide lots of water tooo as hard foods are very dry

Answer 11

No - I used to do exactly that and as the cat got older she developed urinary problems .... the vet explained that although you might see cats drinking from puddles or something, the majority of the time they don't drink as such, their water/moisture comes from the food they eat .... therefore if you only give hard foods they are not getting enough moisture .....
Also don't feed your cat with cow's milk - the fat content in it is too high for their digestive systems and so they end up with things like diarrhoea .... so you can either give them a small drop mixed with water (mine won't drink that) or the new cat milk (again not too much) = mine love it .... depending on the cat's age, a small dish of Lactol every couple of days is good for them - it's like a liquid build up food with lots of vitamins and stuff in it .... mine loves that too ....