Is she getting all the nutrients she needs from dry cat food alone?

Question

My cat will only eat dry cat food. She wont touch canned cat food or people food. Is she getting all the nutrients she needs from dry cat food alone? If not, how can I get her to try something new?

Answer 1

If this is a high grade food she may be getting all the nutrients, but nutrients alone is not what makes a healthy diet.
My cat used to be the same, and I decided to test it.
She refused it until I made it the ONLY option (closed her into the house for this so she had no chance of getting any food elsewhere). She started eating wet food, little by little.
Now she gets wet in the morning and evening, and kibbles thorugh the day to nibble on.
I cannot tell you what a difference it makes - to everything about her, she's more loving and her coat is in even better condition than it was.
Now, one factor that I was worried about is urinary crystals, I want to avoid that for all I am worth, and by giving dry food you're increasing the chances of that every day.
So she can hate me for it all she likes, but wet food now is part of her diet, and there has not been one crystal.

Answer 2

First, don't starve her into eating that particular food. Cats can't go without eating, and are at risk for developing hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease - deterioration of the liver) when they go long periods without eating. Older overweight cats are at most risk, but it's still not healthy! A couple of questions for you - is this a new cat? If so do you know what she was eating prior to getting her? Is this a new food, or new formulation of the food she has always been eating? She plain and simple may not like it. And there is always the possibility that there is something "wrong" or "off" in the particular bag you've got. In the huge pet food recall of last year, one of the major signs of the bad food was that pets refused in many cases to touch it once a new bag was opened. And now that is always a concern of mine. Has she been to the vet to have her teeth checked lately? A painful tooth can make them stop eating. Have you tried other brands, and canned food? If she's refusing to eat *anything* that's a whole different story than if she just won't eat what you're offering. An ill cat often won't eat, so total refusal to eat could be a symptom of an illness. Time to play detective, I guess.

Answer 3

Any pet food so labeled must, by law, satisfy by itself all the dietary requirements of the animal.

Dry food is perfectly fine, and in many cases better than canned. It's also cheaper, easier to feed, and doesn't smell nearly as bad. Count your blessings! Most cat owners have the opposite problem.

Do check the ingredients of the food you buy, though. Make sure it contains mostly meat products, not corn, wheat, or some other vegetable filler.

Answer 4

A good quality dry cat food provides complete nutrition. It's healthier for your cats teeth to eat dry food, too.

Answer 5

Actually.. I disagree.

Dry cat food is better for your cat's teeth, but it has a bunch of "filler" ingredients.

I'd prefer to feed my cats high quality canned food, but after the pet food recall, it just costs too much.

Overall, I believe it's much better to feed your cat both. The advantage of teeth-cleaning dry food, and moisture rich, "realistic" wet food.

(Dry food can result in UTIs in male cats if they don't drink enough water)

Answer 6

Dry/canned is a personal preference for your animal, yes she is getting all she needs from dry food. Be sure to buy the best brand you can afford and give her plenty of fresh water

Answer 7

I feed strictly dry, only because I can't stand the look or smell of canned food. It's gross. I did buy a small can once for a treat & they wouldn't eat it. There's 69 cents I'll never get back, LOL!

Answer 8

My cat has been eating dry cat food for 6 years and she is very healthy and she has been eating Purina Cat Chow Complete.

Answer 9

It is actually healthier if a cat only eats dry food. Canned food does not have enough fiber and people food is very unhealthy for them.I had a cat get diabetes from drinking too much milk. Dry food is also much better for their teeth.

Answer 10

All my cats have grown up on Purina Cat Chow and they're healthy as little horses. One lived to be 22 and one is coming up on 17.