Wet vs. Dry Cat Food: What’s Healthiest for Cats?

Choosing between wet and dry food is one of the most common dilemmas cat owners face. Both options offer benefits, and the “best” choice often depends on your cat’s individual needs, health, lifestyle, and preferences.

Understanding the differences can help you decide whether to feed one, the other, or a combination — and ensure your cat gets the nutrition they need to stay happy and healthy.

Contents

• Understanding a Cat’s Natural Diet

• Benefits of Wet Cat Food

• Benefits of Dry Cat Food

• Is One Healthier Than the Other?

• Feeding a Combination Diet

• When to Contact Us

Understanding a Cat’s Natural Diet

Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they rely on meat as the primary source of their nutrients. In the wild, cats get most of their water from prey, so they naturally have a low thirst drive.

This is important because it influences how well they stay hydrated — especially if they're fed dry food exclusively. Hydration, along with protein quality and overall nutrient balance, is central to feline health.

Benefits of Wet Cat Food

Wet food contains a much higher moisture content than dry food — often around 70–80% water. This makes it particularly beneficial for hydration and urinary tract health.

Key benefits of wet food:

• Improves hydration: Ideal for cats prone to urinary issues, kidney disease, or those who drink very little

• Supports kidney and bladder health: Helps dilute urine and flush toxins more effectively

• Often more palatable: The aroma and texture appeal to fussy eaters or senior cats with a reduced appetite

• Lower in carbohydrates: May be helpful for diabetic cats or those prone to weight gain

• Easier to chew: Suitable for cats with dental issues, missing teeth, or sore gums

• Improved satiety- the high water content can help pets feel ‘full’ on fewer calories

However, wet food does spoil quickly, needs refrigeration once opened, and can be more expensive than dry food.

Benefits of Dry Cat Food

Dry food (kibble) is convenient, economical, and easy to store — but it also offers certain health and behavioural advantages when fed appropriately.

Key benefits of dry food:

• Cost-effective and long shelf life: Easier to store and measure

• Encourages natural grazing behaviour: Can be left out during the day or used in puzzle feeders

• Good for dental health (in some cases): Kibble may help reduce plaque, though not all dry foods have proven dental benefits

• Useful for calorie control: Easier to weigh and portion precisely

• Ideal for food-dispensing toys: Helps with mental stimulation, especially for indoor cats

The downside is its low moisture content — around 6–10% — which means cats need to drink more water, something many are reluctant to do.

Is One Healthier Than the Other?

Neither wet nor dry food is universally “better.” The healthiest choice depends on your cat’s age, medical history, hydration habits, and preferences.

Wet food may be better for:

• Senior cats

• Cats with urinary tract or kidney problems

• Overweight or diabetic cats

• Fussy eaters

Dry food may be better for:

• Cats who graze throughout the day

• Cats prone to boredom who benefit from puzzle feeders

• Multi-cat households where portioning wet food is difficult

What's most important is that the food is complete and balanced, formulated to meet your cat's nutritional needs at their life stage — and that your cat actually enjoys and thrives on it.

Feeding a Combination Diet

Many vets recommend a mixed feeding approach: wet food for hydration and palatability, dry food for convenience and grazing.

Benefits of a mixed diet:

• Encourages better hydration

• Offers variety in texture and flavour

• Provides both the benefits of wet and dry formats

• Allows greater flexibility in feeding routines

If feeding both, be mindful of total daily calories — it’s easy to accidentally overfeed when mixing types.

When to Contact Us

Not sure which food is best for your cat’s age or health? Have a fussy eater, or a cat with dental or urinary problems? We’re here to help you tailor your cat’s diet to their unique needs and ensure they’re getting everything they require for a healthy life.

📞 Call us on 020 8459 4729 or book an appointment online to discuss nutrition options and feeding advice for your cat.

We believe preventing disease is a far better way of helping your pet stay fit, comfortable, happy and healthy. So we’ve created the Vital Pets Club to make sure every pet owner has easy access to the best pet care at an affordable price.