I have heard that moist (canned) has less filler, since fillers are added to dry cat food to make it stick together into those chunks/morsels. But on the other hand, I know that dry is better for their teeth as it helps to brush away plaque and so forth. Does anyone know if one is truly better than the other, or is all just personal preference?
Chosen Answer:
It is a myth that dry food helps clean teeth. This article http://www.littlebigcat.com/index.php?action=library&act=show&item=doesdryfoodcleantheteeth explains it. Dry food generally has more refined carbohydrate, which causes tooth decay. Giving a cat dry food for the purpose of cleaning teeth is not realistic – after all, would you expect your dentist to recommend eating pretzels if you can’t be bothered to brush your teeth? And it is not like cats really chew their food so thoroughly that there would be much scrubbing action going on. Cats who eat only dry food still need regular dental care – both at home if you can manage it, and professionally at the veterinarian’s.
As for wet food, if carefully chosen to have a high amount of protein and a greatly limited amount of refined carbs, the cat’s teeth should be healthier due to not having the carbs causing tooth decay. Again, dental care is still needed, just like people who don’t eat a lot of sweets still need to see the dentist. Plus, the increased amount of water in the food will be healthier for the rest of the cat’s body in the long run. As a species that developed originally for desert survival, cats are meant to derive most of their water requirement from the bodies of prey animals. So their thirst instinct is not as well-developed as it could be. A cat fed on dry food will be chronically dehydrated because it simply will not ingest enough water to make up for the lack of liquid in the food – no matter how fresh and appealing their water dish or fountain or leaky faucet or toilet may be.
by: Windi Lea
on: 2nd February 12