Cat food: choosing between dry and wet food

In short: Cats are strict carnivores and need a protein-rich diet that differs significantly from many other pets. Dry and wet food each have their own advantages and disadvantages, which can often be sensibly combined.

In more detail: Cats naturally have a low thirst drive, which makes getting fluid through their food especially important for kidney health.

In detail

• Wet food: With a water content of up to 80 percent, it supports fluid intake significantly better than dry food.
• Dry food: Convenient to store and portion, but it can sit out longer and encourage overweight if the amount isn’t controlled.
• Protein quality: High-quality food contains animal protein as the main ingredient, since cats can’t produce essential amino acids like taurine on their own.
• Grain-free food: Cats digest grain poorly, which is why many high-quality food brands largely avoid it.
• Switching food: An abrupt change in food can cause digestive problems; a gradual transition over several days is gentler.
• Age- and needs-appropriate food: Kittens, adult cats, and senior cats have different nutritional needs that specialized food accounts for.
• Ensuring water supply: In addition to food, fresh water should always be available, ideally in several spots around the home (katzen-verhalten-verstehen).