[ariesmars]

i want to keep my babies healthy so i reading about what to feed them wet or dry food. I do both, alot of nights i can only get them to go to bed with a can of wet. now from what im reading i dont know if wet is good.

I have always given wet and dry..I dont know if it's the best way or not but to see thier little faces light up when I give the wet food makes my heart melt. So in my opinion something that makes them that happy cant be all that bad surely. I've never had any diet related health problems with my pets, I think it's all about balance.
Too much wet food can give my pets the runs.

[Jewels]

lots of animals are fed both dry and wet food. And they are healthy, happy animals. I feed my cats wet cat food once a day, sometimes every other day, and they are healthy and happy. They love both foods, and each helps them in a different way. The dry food helps their teeth get strong, and helps their digestive tract. The wet cat food appeals to their more animalistic ways. So they will not get fat, or lazy, or get diseases from having wet food. Actually, there has been considerable concern about cats getting cancer in between their shoulder blades where the shots that are supposed to keep them healthy. So not everything you read about foods is necessarily true. I would give them what you feel comfortable feeding them, and watch them as they grow. If it seems that they are not getting the nutrients they should be, put them on a better kibble (dry food) to anticipate the needs left from giving them wet food. I hope that you will feel comfortable what you think they need, and want.

Jewels

[Omers]

Don't know of what variety your babies are but Most of this fits for both cats and dogs... my experience being with cats... This is the conversation (clifnotes version) my current vet (who is awesome)and I had...

Wet food, especially those that are low in carbs are a healthier, more natural diet. However, due to the processing of the food (rather than eating as they would in the wild) there is no built in method for them to clean their teeth. Few humans actually follow through and brush a pets teeth and even then it is not the same as chewing on a bone. This leads to poor dental health, the need for dental cleanings and dental cleanings are done under sedation which has its risks and is expensive. Poor dental health can lead to poor overall health.
However... Dry food is very high in carbs and can lead to diabeties. The diabeties can be treated with insulin (I have had a diabetic cat... there is also a wonderful community of support for those with diabetic kitties). Again this can be expensive (very... especially at the beginning). Even well managed diabeties has health risks and can be a ton of work if you want to do it the safest way possible (there are shortcuts but they do put your pet at risk).
So... most people, including myself choose, like you have, to take the middle road. But... if you are able and your vet is willing it is very helpful to know how to read the nutrition label and ingredient list on pet food... It is both very similar to knowing how to read a label and make healthy food choices for yourself. It is very different though in that cats are carnavores where we are omnivores.

Perhaps a bit of TMI... but feel free to PM if you want to know more about low carb pet foods and the like... I had to learn fast and hard as my vet at the time knew nothing about diabeties in cats other than to puth them on perscription diet... which by the way is less healthy and more expensive than some of your normal OTC foods.

[Omers]

Yes, I too have heard from reliable sorces that vaccines for pets can cause cancer. it is one of the reasons why they do rabies right and lukemia left... this helps them better track which vacine (as they are often given at the same time) causes problems. Knowing your vaccines helps. in my state pets are supposed to have their rabies shot yearly however the cheepest, most redily available rabies shot is in a three year dose... So... if you follow state protocall you are actually overdosing your pet on rabies vaccine. All my pets go three years on rabies rather than yearly unless I have to take them in public or put them in a kennel.

[ECHOES]

I selfishly wanted no more of the canned food mess. I had 2 cats for nearly 20 years each and when I adopted my kitty I hoped he would be okay with just dry food and he is. Even when he recently was kept sedated because of an injury, he didn't want the little can of food I got for him. He could barely walk, but wanted his dry food. It works for us. I feed him a high quality dry food.

[Omers]

yes, with all that I have ranted about above... since I was old enough to be a part of their care the youngest I have has a cat pass away was 12yrs old (ith the exception of one who came as a stray with significant health issues from day one) and One was in her 20's. up until last year all my cats were on an all dry diet as that was what I had been told was best.
My 8yr old just got a blood pannel done as she has lost some weight and the work came back so healthy that the vet called the lab because an 8yr old cat shouldn't have been that healthy... she spent 6.5 of her 8 years living on quality dry food.

[SunnyD]

I think good quality food is the the key. My indoor/outdoor cats usually do well on Science Diet.

[hayward]

When I got my first cat 2 years ago, I did lots of research on the subject. LOTS of research, just wanting to do it right since I was never a pet owner before!

Having said that, I think pets are different like people, and also the lifestyles their owners live are different as well.

I think balance is good, and I give my cats both; wet food once a day and dry at other times. One likes the wet food more, and yet it depends on the day and their moods, of course.

I think the absolute MOST important thing is the quality of the food!! Learn how to read ingredients- there are lots of charts on line. High protein is where it's at! Some people think good cat food is too expensive and cut corners by buying large quantities of cheap cat food. However, cats need less of the higher protein quality food, and you will save LOTS of money on unneccesary health issues down the line. And of course give them LOTS of fresh water! I actually bought a cat fountain and it has been amazing.

[Gently1]

I found out that it can be very individual, but when my cat became diabetic and was switched to no grain canned food he was almost insulin free, and what he ate they all ate and my cat with asthma was not needing her inhaler that often.
Now that I foster, we feed canned and dry so the cats can be more adaptable to what their people want to feed them. Yet over the years of fostering some will not touch dry and others will not touch canned, then the kittens tend to follow the mother cat.

With having cats on canned only for a few years their teeth were fine, we had more tarter build up with the dry food, before we found grain free, I also give them a bowl of spinach or lettuce leaves that they seem to enjoy, as they did not like the indoor cat grass.
In the summer there is grass growing in the cat run, which they seem to chew on like dental floss, and as a hair ball tonic/ purge.

I personally feel a combination dry/wet daily is the best for most cats. and ((hayward)) as mentioned protein and fat are what cats digest the best. Cats would not thrive on dog food as it does not meet a true carnivores (cats) needs.
Reading lables, some of the most advertised food is the lower quality and more expensive. Somewhere the ads have to be paid for.
And they love the fountain for drinking.

Some people have the time and energy to feed raw, but even that requires addtional supplements.
Have fun researching and then finding what they will actually eat!

[AAAAA]

As stated before, the quality of the food is the main issue. You have to continue to research. I used Science diet for years, but since Purina (I think) bought the brand, the quality has suffered. I was shocked. I do not know if they changed their formula but they are now one of the worst foods out there, full of low quality fillers.

I did a lot of research and from what I've learned if you can get grain free food, even though it may cost a little more, it makes a big difference. Sadly many vets will recommend a lower quality food that they sell. Check out sites like consumer reports, pet forums, etc.

They eat less (because they feel full faster and longer) and poo less on the good food. According to what I've read, it is actually better for your cat's main diet to be canned food. I haven't been able to follow that plan as my own cat has very loose stools with canned, even with the high quality food. So she eats mainly dry with canned food being her chocolate. Just enough to satisfy.