The simple answer to this is… yes! In this guide we’ll explore why this is fine, and what you should consider when mixing your cats food.
Like humans, cats need a balanced diet that contains all of their required nutrients to remain healthy.
You can feed your cat wet food for their main meals for the day (breakfast and dinner) and provide them with a small bowl of dry food for them to graze on during the day.
Most major wet cat food brands recommend a mixed diet of wet and dry food – making sure the majority of their food is wet to help increase the amount of moisture they ingest.
Cats are not normally natural water drinkers, so it is generally recommended to avoid a full dry food diet, but given the cost of wet food is generally higher, a mixed diet is the next best thing.
Mixing your cats diet with dry kibble will provide it with variety in their diet, along with the added benefit of helping to keep their teeth clean.
Can you mix wet and dry cat food together?
Yes, you can mix both wet and dry food together when feeding your cat. You should make sure that both the foods that you are mixing offer a balance or complete diet that contains all of the required nutrients for your cat. To ensure your cat gets enough moisture intake, it is generally recommended that wet food is the prominent food in a mixed bowl.
You should be aware that mixing wet and dry food can cause the dry food to soften, which some cats don’t like – it also reduces the benefit of the dry kibble where the lack of crunchiness
Do cats prefer wet or dry food?
This depends on your cat! Most cats prefer wet cat food due to the increased meat content but you should be aware that they are generally more expensive. If you are out of the house for prolonged periods of time, you may need to consider leaving dry cat food or using an automated cat feeder to ensure they are well fed.
The benefits of wet cat food
There are a number of benefits to wet cat food, including:
- High in moisture to improve your cats hydration
- High in protein – which promotes lean body mass and will help cats to maintain this level as they get older
- Higher levels of iron to support healthy blood and tissue
- Higher levels of biotin that help to provide a steady release of energy from the food
- Higher levels of zinc to help with maintaining your cats bones, eyes and skin
- Adds variety to their diet with different flavours keeping your cat eating regularly and healthily
- The food is generally softer which is great for young kittens or older cats
Does wet cat food help my cat hydrate?
Most wet cat foods help to hydrate your cat. As mentioned earlier in this guide, cats are not normally natural water drinkers, and wet cat food can help with this. When choosing wet cat food you should look for foods that have a high moisture content (generally 75% plus) to improve your cats moisture intake and avoid any potential future kidney function problems as they grow older. You can help to improve your cats water intake by leaving a bowl of water near their food, or by introducing a cat water fountain which we have found beneficial for enticing our cat to drink more.
