How do we make the transition from dry to wet cat food? Brand suggestions?

Question

I'm ashamed to admit but in the last few months (due to a combination of human illness, time, and budget constraints) we've been feeding our sweet feline friends only dry food (Science Diet). I know this is terrible so you don't have to remind me of that. All the press on the cat food recall has now got me thinking again about their nutritional needs. So, we are planning to return to an exclusively wet food diet (we've tried raw, which I know is best, but they won't go for it and honestly, as a 2 x full-time student household with an infant, it's not sustainable.) So, I have a two-part question for introducing a fully wet diet: 1) How should we transition from dry kibbles to canned foods? 2) What brands are best? I'm trying to strike a balance between quality and cost. Here is a list of recommended wet foods: http://cats.about.com/cs/catfood/tp/tpcannedadult.htm Anyone have any thoughts on these brands? Thanks.

P.S. Previously we feed them PetGaurd branned canned food.

Wow. Um, dry cat food is really bad for cats ... I'd prefer to get some answers from people with vet training and/or who have done research into feline nutritional needs. Thanks.

By the way, the recall problem was with wheat-gluten. This is a primary ingredient in dry foods. All of the cat food brands on the link above do not include wheat gluten.

Yeah, uh, by the way. Cat dental problems are usually the result of insufficient protein of which dry foods are sorely deficient. If you are serious about their dental health, you need to brush your cats' teeth.

I never thought that I'd be the one doing the educating on this question. I'd encourage you all to visit: http://www.catinfo.org/

So, if anyone is else is actually interested in getting the answer to this question. Here is an essay about the very issue. How to make the transition from dry to wet food and why:

http://www.catinfo.org/#Transitioning_Dry_Food_Addicts_to_Canned_Food_

I made the choice to feed our cats wet food based on scientific research on the evolution of feline diets and vet essays. If anyone has any scientific/medical vet essays that argue that a dry food diet is better, I'd be really eager to see them (after all, I do want the best thing for the cats). Please post the sources. I have access to medical journals and if given the complete citations, can easily find them. Thanks!

A few people have asked, what's wrong with dry food. If you are really interested, there are some good books out there about it. But, we are all pretty busy (as for me I've got to get to campus to teach) so here's some quick info. Basically, the 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 carnivores (not omnivores like us) they are evolved to eat no more than 3-5% carbs in their diets (usually fresh grass to clean their digestive tract from time-to-time. (Sure they can tolerate more - just like you can eat only Wonder bread and vitamins.) Diseases linked to insufficient animal protein in cat diet include: diabetes, kidney failure, bladder problems, IBD, obesity, fatty liver disease, and dental disease.

To Batgirl: thanks for the link. I actually visited the site and it confirmed everything else I've read. I'm not sure how familiar you are with that site but it is about some cats who died from Chronic Renal Failure (CRF). That site links to another site on CRF which states that diet (in particular low protein diet) is linked to CRF. It looks like this information is posted to show people why dry food is insufficient and actually contributes to disease. They state: "In the past, it was believed that a low protein diet was essential in controlling CRF. The idea behind this is to cut down on the kidneys' load. However, studies done on dogs in renal failure, show that a low protein diet did not help the GFR or BUN of said dogs. Since cats have an even higher protein requirement than dogs, it seems unlikely that they could thrive on low protein diets." They recommend feeding your cat organic meat to prevent/help resolve CRF. (Source: http://www.holisticat.com/crf.html#feed)

You know why your cat prefers dry food to wet foods and raw meats? It's because it's sprayed with animal digestive enzymes. Think kitty potato chips!

Answer 1

Good for you! It's good to see more and more people doing right foodwise for their cats.

I personally feed Natural Balance, but I have tried most of those from this list - all were rejected by Miss Thang here, but they are good brands for sure!

As for the transition, it took me about 2 weeks. I started out looking for the ones on this list, but I also tried some others that met the ingredient requirements. I continued to offer dry food although I might have cut it back just a little. I offered the canned and if Poppy (Miss Picky) went for anything, I noted it down as to brand and type of meat.

She turned up her nose at just about everything! It was very frustrating, but I just kept at it. Again, I still offered her regular food, but it had been cut down by about a 1/4 or 1/3.

I eventually stumbled across the ONE type that she would eat, so I just kept presenting that, and gradually phased out the dry food. My other cat ate anything I put down, so she wasn't a problem.

Most of those from your list are on mine as well. I wouldn't have any compunctions about feeding any of them, although one was rather heavy on the veggies!

I'd have loved to feed Wysong's Au Jus varieties, but again, only Sophie would eat them. They would require supplementation, of course, since they're just meat and organs. But they very handily make one - Call of the Wild.

Answer 2

Just be careful that the brand you go to doesn't have wheat gluten in it. They are still finding pet foods that need to be recalled. And, I've been feeding my cats exclusively dry food for years. 2 of them will turn 20 next month, and are in excellent health. When people come over, they think that they might be 9 or 10, not nearly 20! (These are the furry friends I grew up with) If you're going to all wet, just make sure the foods aren't on the recall list!

Answer 3

we had been feeding our dogs commercial dog foods for some time until one of them got real sick to the point where we though we would have to have him put to sleep. A friend of ours told us about this company that makes only holistic products. They make the batchs of food as they are ordered and then shipped to the customer fresh. No wheat, cor or bi-products ever used. Our sickley boy got better after only 2 weeks of being on this new diet. At 1st look it appears to be expensive but considering how fortified the food is, You ultimately feed your pet less. ONE TIP I CAN GIVE YOU : I you go to the web site you can order free samples and once you see if your pet likes it you can go onto "Auto Ship" and save Lots. Here is the web site and good luck with your cat.
http://nancyshealthnet.com

Also if you are interested in making some extra money on the side you can become a rep as well and investment is very little.

Answer 4

I use a mix of dry and wet food. I don't think one or the other exclusively can provide enough nutrition for a cat. I don't have scientific research to back this though, just a cat who lived to be 20 years old and acted like a kitten until the day she died.

Answer 5

Our cat hates wet food and avoids it whenever she can. mostly successfully. We feed her Science Diet, you don't have to move the cat to wet food, some cats do fine, as long as it's a complete food.
Nothing terrible about it at all, our cat, according to the vet is in stunning health. No diabetes, kidney failure, bladder problems, IBD, obesity, fatty liver disease, and dental disease.


But do feel free to see the complete list and total amounts of everything in these foods at the link:

http://webpages.charter.net/katkarma/dryfood.htm

Answer 6

What's wrong with dry food? I've fed all my cats dry almost exclusively. Right now the vet has put my fat cat is on wet food to see if he will lose because he has been on a perpetual diet of measured and controlled feedings and didn't lose weight. I get Natural Balance found conveniently at Petco and at a relatively reasonable cost. None of their products have been on recall and they don't use corn fillers or byproducts.

Answer 7

My cats get both the wet and the dry. It gives them a combination of solf and crunchy. I feed my cat friskie wet, fancy feast, and 9-live. They are happy healthy cats. I have some large cats, my oldest is 15 and going strong. I do foster for kittens and all have eaten both and are healthy happy cats. The above mention wet foods were not on the recall list. Good Luck.

Answer 8

I see you have so many good answers...

And you seem to know a lot about everything...

Science diet dry isn't on the list...
Eagle pack is good and not on the list and have wet food.. and organic...too...

Since the recall I don't take chances and i cook food for my kitten...
but I still give her wet tin food and dry food.. mix with my cooking...
Cook a lot and freeze them and take one small portion everyday...

Hope this can help ..

Good luck...!!!

Answer 9

actually a dry food diet is better for the cats in the long run. They have fewer problems with their teeth. And their weight is more easily retained. If you are feeling bad about the all dry food you can give wet food as a treat. But if you are determined to give the poor little ones bad teeth and urine tract problems in their old age then start mixing the wet food in with the dry and slowly put less dry food in the mixture each day. That should keep the diareah away while you are making the switch. but please provide your cats with plenty of hard treats if you are going with the wet food so their theeth don't get to bad.

Answer 10

What is wrong with dry food? I have cats and they have dry food out all the time so when they want a snack they can have it. I also buy small fresh fish twice a week and steam them so they can have a fish each morning and evening. They are very healthy and active. Two are seven and one is three.

I buy Purina dry cat food and also dog food for the poodle. Purina has been in the animal food business for a very long time and are good at it.