Dry Cat Diet:

Good health is dependent on a healthy diet consisting of nutritious wholesome foods.



Cats that are fed on high quality canned food or natural food diets enjoy better health than those that are fed on dry cat food or kibble.  Extra care and attention regarding the kind of food your cat is eating will help her to fight off various illnesses which can be painful for her as well as expensive for you.

Dry cat food or kibble mainly consists of grains. Grains are carbohydrates and are made up mostly of starch.



The main function of these carbohydrates is to provide a certain firmness and texture to the kibble. This prevents the food from disintegrating during the process of production. Cats are carnivores and experts have argued that a diet that is composed primarily of starch and carbohydrates is not healthy and appropriate for them.



Dry cat food contains up to 30 to 40 per cent of carbohydrates which is believed to be associated with an increased risk of cat diabetes. In comparison, wet cat food contains high amounts of protein and is more suited to carnivores. Cats have a high protein requirement because of their elevated liver enzyme activity which produces energy from amino acids. Because they are carnivores, they are unable to reduce this activity when they are fed foods that are low in protein. As such cats that are fed on a dry food diet tend to have a higher incidence of fatty liver disease. Cats in their natural environments do not eat the large amounts of carbohydrates that are contained in dry foods. Dry foods are often listed as having high protein percentages than canned food. However when compared on the basis of strictly dry matter, canned food has more protein than dry food. It is also very important for cats to consume water along with their food, since cats do not feel very thirsty. Water is an essential nutrient that is imperative to overall health. Since they tend not to drink much water on their own, being fed a dry food diet only increases the risk of chronic cat dehydration.

There are also many manufacturers who claim to produce natural dry cat food. Such foods contain some additional ingredients which claim to have health benefits. Although, manufacturers may state that these foods are exactly like the foods cats would usually consume in the wild, this is not the case. Dry foods are never consumed by cats in their natural settings.