Dry vs Wet food: Do you agree with the Vet?

[lollydollydrop]

Hi kitty lovers,

I would like to get some opinions on cat food/diet..

We have just come home from taking our 14 month Maine Coon to the vets as we were worried she might be deficient in Taurine as the wet food we give doesnt contain it (Applaws).

However, it turns out that not only does the Vet think she will be fine because of her dry food Royal Canin which is a complete food with Taurine, but actually that dry food is best for cats and that wet food isnt really neccessary. You can feed wet in addition if you like, but she really didnt seem that fussed about it. She has been a vet for 20 years and fed her cats aged 13 years a diet of Only dry food. She said that billions of pounds were spent on the industry, and that the main reason why pets are living much longer is down to their diet rather than vaccinations etc. The dry has everything you need.

She positively was horrified at the mention of a raw food diet we had found- completely not needed in her opinion and the product of a few groups/forums which very strong opinions who try to persuade others of their view.

However, my OH disagrees as his reasoning is 'Could you imagine if all we could eat was dry?' I understand him in one regard, I believe the preference to feed wet is probably psychological- we wouldn't feed our human babies only dry food. But I dont want him to just dismiss a vet's opinion just because it might go against what you like to believe.

But what is your opinion on this and have you had vet's advise you of similar/different? What do you feed your cat/s, as my partner and I are having mixed views/a debate on the subject! He's just spent about £150 on wet cat food imported from somewhere

Sorry, I hadn't seen all the earlier posts. Thanks for the information!

I've always fed cats dry food, wet is a treat they get occasionally.

They also get occasional human food such as chicken (cooked) and she also supplements her diet with freshly caught rodent/bird.

My indoor 4yr old male kitty is on a 3rd of a can wet food and small amount of dry food per day. He picks at the dry food and often leaves it but its there if he wants it. He loves the wet food, couldn't take it away from him.

Lone, is there any connection between dry food and vomittyness in cats, or was that just your experience with your particular cat? My two eat almost exclusively dry food, and one is pretty pukey - mind you, he's the one who really will eat only dry food, so we'd be a bit stuffed even if there was a connection. His brother meanwhile would eat us if we stayed still long enough ...

We fed our girl a mix of wet and dry until I figured out that the dry stuff was making her throw up. She hasn't been sick once since we took her off the dry stuff over a month ago.

Our vet said it was a bad idea to feed purely dry food because cats don't drink enough water - cats don't need their teeth but they definitely need their kidneys.

It was just my vomity can. No particular relation I can see.

Our vet said it was a bad idea to feed purely dry food because cats don't drink enough water

He's not met mine then, she has her own mug (won't use a bowl) and will drink out of human glasses if you are not looking, and if it is too low she knocks the glass over.

The she goes outside and drinks muddy puddle.

Seniorboy steals milk if there's any around. He adores it - and luckily seems to have no lactose intolerance.

My vet insisted I feed my cat on wet food only as he'd had cystitis and a dry food diet could cause it to come back and give him more urinary problems.