Is it good enough for her??

Question

My 1 year old cat will only eat dry food! She doesn't like canned food! Is that sufficient for her? I'm always afraid that she doesn't eat enough in a day!

She's about 6 lbs. 8

Answer 1

The key to most of the responses here is "quality" dry food. Female cats are not as prone to developing urinary problems from the dehydration of a dry food only diet as a male would be. In the long run there is no research to show what the effects of the dry diet over a lifetime can be. The stress on the kidneys from that diet may show up later in life and cause the cat to lose some kidney function earlier than other cats on a more moist diet.
No one has "proved" this and as I hear it more vets are beginning to recommend a combination of wet and dry for cats.

So if you want to continue with the dry for this dainty little girl look into Eagle Pack, Natural Balance, Solid Gold, Felidae, CA Natural and Nature's Logic. The last three are the most expensive (like 50 cents more for a 7 lb bag). So depending on your budget for your cat you might want to switch around among the less expensive with a bag of the more expensive thrown in once in a while. That's what I do for my cat who eats dry food. When you first start switching you need to do it very gradually and there is a recipe in my Yahoo profile you can follow.

The reason for not using just one brand over a lifetime is that a diet of only chicken can lead to allergies if your cat is suseptible. Natural Balance does a venison and pea as well as a chicken formulation. Nature's Logic has duck and salmon as protein source, Solid Gold has lamb, Felidae has some turkey in it.

My cat is 13 and I just open the new bag and put it in her dish as she is used to switching around and looks forward to "what new" in her bowl.

Answer 2

As long as the dry food is of good quality, she should be OK. Make sure she has fresh water every day. Some cats are just like that. I have several cats, and a couple of them will only eat dry food, even though as kittens, they would only eat canned food. There's little chance of changing what the cat will eat anyway, and cats (unlike dogs) will starve themselves rather than eat something they don't like, so don't worry. Cats who are happy and fed good quality dry food (not the cheap grocery store kind filled with corn and other fillers) know how much to eat. Most domestic cats have a problem with being too heavy because of the kind of food they're fed. The best foods are found in pet food stores rather than the grocery store. I personally like Eukanuba, but it's a bit expensive, although cats eat less of better quality food. Petsmart's Authority is pretty good quality for the price, as is Nutro.

Answer 3

That's actually good. I had a cat (older stray that I took in) that only liked dry food and he was very happy, peaceful cat.
Give her a very good, high quality, and nutritious dry food. Don't be pressured into giving your cat something its body rejects.
Also, try giving your cat RAW meat and see how it likes it. It could be a matter of protein, and the protein level is much higher in raw meat and cooked chicken than just plain old canned food (unless its very choice stuff).
If it rejects that, again, go with the a very high quality dry stuff. If you get good canned food, or decide to try regular meat, leave out a little consistently. Sometimes they'll nibble on it when they feel like it - my cat that loved dry food did once or twice - as long as you don't pressure them.

Answer 4

My cat only likes dry food too. The vet told me this is fine as long as it is a quality food and you give them plenty of water. Dry food is actually better for their teeth. And no stinky wet food. Don't worry, be happy.

Answer 5

Dry food is much healthier for her than wet food. Just leave out a full bowl all the time and plenty of water. She may just have a small frame for a cat, and will always be little.

Answer 6

Yes, dry food is a perfectly well balanced diet for a cat. She will eat as much as she needs.

Answer 7

Quality dry food is fine for cats. I wouldn't worry about not feeding her wet food. Lots of water and quality food will be just fine in my opinion.

Answer 8

cats are just fine with only a dry food diet,
just leave a big bowl of kibble down and she will eat till she is full,or take little nibbles throughout the day,she wont let herself starve

Answer 9

I am sure you take your cat to the vet.The best person to ask about your cats diet is the Vet.They can put your cat on the best dry food possible.so, your cat really don't need the wet food to be healthy.Make sure your cat has plenty of fresh water and your good to go.

Answer 10

dry food is fine for your feline... alot of cats only eat dry food. it may not seem as appealing but its just as good for them