Wet vs Dry Cat Food: Which Is Better?

The real differences between wet and dry cat food, and how to feed a mix without overfeeding.

There is no single right answer. Both wet and dry food can provide complete nutrition if the label says "complete and balanced." The best choice depends on your cat's health, preferences, and your budget.

Wet food

• Water content: usually around 75 percent or more. Cats often drink less than they should, so wet food adds to their fluid intake.
• Calories: less calorie-dense, so a cat can eat a larger-looking portion for the same calories.
• Cost and convenience: more expensive per calorie, and opened cans must be refrigerated.

Dry food

• Convenience: easy to store and measure, and it does not spoil quickly if left out.
• Calories: very calorie-dense, which makes overfeeding easy. A small extra scoop can add many calories.
• Cost: generally cheaper per calorie.
• Water: low moisture, so make sure fresh water is always available.

What vets often suggest

Many vets like wet food, or a mix of wet and dry, because of the extra water, especially for cats with urinary problems or kidney disease. Cats with dental trouble may also prefer softer food. Your vet is the best guide if your cat has any medical condition.

How to feed a mix without overfeeding

The key is to split the calories, not the volume. For example, a 10-pound neutered adult cat needs about 260 calories a day. If you want half from each type, that is roughly 130 calories from wet food (about 1.6 cans of an 80-calorie can) and 130 from dry food (about a third of a cup at 400 kcal per cup). Our cat calculator lets you enter the calories for either type.

Always check the label

Look for a statement that the food is complete and balanced for your cat's life stage. Cats are obligate carnivores and need nutrients, like taurine, that are not reliably in dog food, so never feed dog food as a main diet. Read the calorie statement and use our portion guide to set the amount.

Switching foods

Cats can be picky about change. Mix the new food in gradually over a week or two, and see our guide to switching foods, which uses the same gradual method (the plan works for cats too, but go even slower if your cat is fussy). A cat that stops eating for more than a day or two needs a vet, because going without food can cause liver problems.

General information, not veterinary advice.

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