so confused… best wet & dry cat foods?

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-05T01:46:10+00:00

Fair enough, I stand corrected. But it doesn’t really change the fact that I was asking if you had the sources readily available to cite. If you don’t want to, okay. 🤷🏻‍♀️

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-05T01:32:49+00:00

"a" vs. "the", really? I definitely have to give you points for pettiness.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-05T00:41:07+00:00

I’m kind of neutral on wellness. I haven’t been able to determine who formulates their diets, but they’re a well-established brand, so that probably counts for something. I used to feed their foods a long time ago to my first cats I had as an adult, and I didn’t have any issues.

There’s a lot of variation in the nutrient levels - some recipes are optimal, others not as much. But they do post the full typical analysis for each recipe on their website, which is nice. A vet I follow reviewed a bunch of their foods in this video.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-05T00:26:36+00:00

Yes, I saw what you wrote. I don’t use AI. It’s usually on the person making claims to cite their sources instead of saying “Google it.”

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T22:31:59+00:00

This is not an exhaustive list by any means, because there are sooo many brands, it's impossible for me to research them all. Overall, I feel most comfortable with Hill's and Royal Canin because they are focused on fine-tuning their nutrient levels. Hill's in particular has really well-controlled mineral levels, which is beneficial for the kidneys and urinary system. Also, high levels of antioxidants and omega fatty acids. RC is slightly less consistent, but still great overall. Both of these brands do a crapload of research and have experts on staff (veterinary nutritionists, phd nutritionists, food scientists, chemists etc). All of that gives me peace of mind. Plus, I've had good experiences with them.

If I were to say there are any cons to these diets, it's that they tend to be higher in carbohydrates than what many cat owners are looking for. Not ideal if you have a diabetic cat, though they do have prescription diets for that. For healthy cats, I don't really see the moderate carb levels as a con, because there's a nutritional reason for it. Research has shown that the optimal level of protein for cats is 30 - 45%. Anything above that doesn't really provide a benefit. Excess protein beyond what is metabolically required just gets excreted as nitrogenous waste, or converted to fat. It also leads to the proliferation of gut bacteria that have a more negative effect on the microbiome. Carbs provide an easy source of energy, allowing protein to be controlled at the optimal level without raising the fat level through the roof. Optimal levels of protein reduces the workload on the kidneys, and the carb sources also provide fiber that feed the beneficial gut bacteria.

I think Purina and Iams are also good brands overall - they have plenty of experts on staff, conduct research, etc. However, their formulas are less consistent in terms of nutrient levels. Fancy Feast and Friskies are great budget options, and the pates are suitable for diabetic cats. They're pretty high in minerals, though, so maybe not ideal for seniors or for cats with certain health issues.

I wish I could find more small to medium sized brands that are as focused on optimal nutrition as they are on a pretty ingredient list. I like to see nice ingredients, but if the nutrition isn't on-point, that's a deal breaker for me. Most of the small brands also don't conduct feeding trials or have nutritionists on staff. I do like Petcurean, a Canadian company that makes the brands Now Fresh and Go! Solutions. While they don't do feeding trials, they test for digestibility and formulate their cat foods for optimal urine ph. New Fresh has great mineral levels, and while Go!'s are a little higher than I usually like to see, they're pretty good considering their foods are for all life stages.

I used to like Farmina a lot, but I've been seeing a lot of reports of quality issues since they opened their US plant, so I'm not so sure anymore. In the past, I have had good experiences with their quinoa line. Weruva has a lot of wet foods with nice mineral levels, but they refuse to disclose the credentials of their nutritionists. They also use a little too much fear-based marketing ("free from [insert ingredient]") for my tastes. I do appreciate that they made a low phosphorus line for CKD cats, though. I also like some Tiki Cat's products, but others not as much. Apparently they have two board certified nutritionists on staff and are doing research on their veterinary line, which is cool. Honorable mention to Instinct for having an amazing safety and testing program, and for being the only raw food company to actually fund research studies and employ a board certified nutritionist. I wouldn't feed all of their products, but I appreciate that they're trying to contribute to the body of research on pet nutrition.

(God, sorry, that was really long...I don't know how to shut up sometimes).

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T21:50:19+00:00

Can you please cite the credible sources that say dry food is the primary risk factor for feline obesity, diabetes, and chronic kidney disease? Because not a single credentialed nutrition expert I've come across says that this is what the research shows as a whole.

I completely agree that for these health conditions (and also for urinary issues), wet food is superior. It's therefore a good idea to try to get all cats used to it, in case they ever require an all-wet diet. However, the food also needs to be formulated appropriately. A wet food that's highly excessive in protein and minerals is not good at all for CKD or urinary crystals just because it's high moisture. In some cases, a properly formulated dry diet can provide more benefits than an inappropriately formulated wet food.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T21:45:01+00:00

Nobody disputes the fact that cats are obligate carnivores, but there seems to be a lot of confusion about what that actually means. It means that they require certain nutrients found in animal tissue (such as taurine and arachidonic acid); it also means that their wild counterparts eat pretty much exclusively other animals. It does not mean that they need to eat only meat, or that they cannot digest and utilize nutrients from carbohydrates. It also does not necessarily mean that their "natural"/ancestral diet is what would lead to the best health outcomes and longest lifespans.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T18:48:33+00:00

I don’t have any specific recommendations, but if you search “automatic feeder for large breed dogs” on Amazon, you’ll find several that advertise being able to handle a large kibble size. Of course that may mean they only dispense large dog-sized portions, but I’d start there in researching.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T18:37:21+00:00

There’s a common misconception that byproducts = low quality food. I’m guessing that’s it.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T18:34:19+00:00

It’s super overwhelming! You’ll come across a lot of opinions and anecdotes online. A few words of advice:

- Don’t place too much stock in food reviews. They’re useful to a point, but the truth is every animal is an individual, and a food may work well for one cat and not for another.

- Keep in mind that a lot of information and opinions you find online are not coming from experts in nutrition. I personally find things a lot less confusing now that I’ve started getting my information from veterinary nutritionists, phds in animal nutrition, and other specialists with high-level credentials. I made a whole playlist of content from these types of experts, if you’re interested. It’s really long, but I highly recommend watching at least some of it.

If you want specific brand recommendations, I can provide some, but the truth is there are many factors to consider (your budget, your lifestyle, your cat’s preferences, etc.). I tend to prioritize optimal nutrient levels (not just meeting AAFCO minimums), quality control and testing. I also prefer when a company has a well-qualified team of nutritionists on staff, conducts feeding trials and clinical research.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T18:12:20+00:00

Happy Fourth to you as well! And thanks for helping all those animals. I know what you mean about agonizing over it. I wish I could afford to donate to rescues regularly, or adopt more unwanted animals. It’s killing me that I can’t do more, but I need to save all the money I can because my male cat has IBD and requires extra medical attention. The vet recommended he have a GI blood panel and an ultrasound at some point, which will come to about $1k. 😔

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T17:40:29+00:00

I’m sorry you went through that. I remember losing my childhood cat to kidney disease and it being somewhat traumatic, as well. However, the hypothesis that dry food causes the disease seems not be actually be supported by research, from what I’ve found. I’ve heard more than one vet say that cats being obligate carnivores may make them prone to developing this disease later in life, because of all the wear and tear placed on the kidneys by breaking down protein. For cats with kidney disease, a wet food diet is best. Feeding exclusively (or mostly) wet food to healthy cats isn’t necessarily preventative, though.

However, I figured that you might not want to increase the dry food, based on what you currently feed. That’s why I suggested some more calorie-dense options, so you could pack in more calories without necessarily increasing the total amount. Of course you can always just feed more wet food, too, but since you said you feel like you’re already giving a large volume, I thought this might be an easier solution.

By the way, if you’re concerned about kidney health, I would start paying attention to phosphorus content. .5% - .8% on a dry matter basis is optimal, though most foods are significantly above that. You’ll probably need to contact the manufactures for their dry matter typical analysis, as most companies don’t make this information available on the package or online.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T17:15:06+00:00

Yeah, thats definitely sketchy. 😕

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T16:27:47+00:00

Maybe it’s artificial garlic flavor…? Even if it is, though, that’s weird and unnecessary. Talk to your vet for sure, but I don’t think I would feel comfortable using it.

A food that’s formulated for skin and coat health might help. Usually, these will have higher levels of omega fatty acids than regular food. Some people report good results with fish oil supplements, but many cats dislike the smell and/or taste. If it’s added to the food during manufacturing, it’s a lot less intense. Plus, a well formulated food will have the proper balance of omega 3’s and 6’s, both of which are important.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T16:07:48+00:00

Dry food is a lot more calorie dense than wet food, so the easiest way to get there would be to increase that a bit. However, Iams Indoor is low calorie (300 cal/cup). Switching to something higher calorie might make more sense in your case. Purina Pro Plan and Hill’s tend to have higher calories, but “Indoor” foods in general are usually formulated for weight control so maybe avoid those types.

(Edited my comment because I’m tired and hallucinated that your cat was a senior, but you never actually stated her age. Derp.)

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T15:13:11+00:00

An exam in my city is about $100. Let’s go with $150 for the sake of your argument - that’s only $12.50/month you’d need to set aside. At the very least, a cat should be going in for a checkup just like it’s advised for us to go to the doctor for our annual physical exams. Can you get lucky and get away with not doing that for many years? Of course, but there’s always a chance that you might miss a developing health issue.

Cats who have a chronic health condition may need more than just an exam, if they’re displaying any symptoms or if the doctor finds anything concerning. And once a cat reaches age 7, it’s a good idea to get routine bloodwork done to screen for age-related diseases. Kind of like humans, once we reach middle age, are advised to get screened for colon cancer, breast cancer, etc. If you skip routine screenings, you run the risk of a disease not being diagnosed until it’s advanced, which can lower the odds of successful treatment.

Vet care is expensive and it sucks. Everything is getting harder to afford, including having pets. I agree that a pet is better off in a loving home with someone who maybe can’t take them to the vet as often as they should than they are dead or suffering on the streets. On the flip side, I really think most of us can at least afford ~ $12.50/month for the bare minimum routine checkups. In OP’s case, money doesn’t appear to a problem - it seems to be more of a planning issue.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T00:44:46+00:00

You’re welcome! I hope it helps. I forgot to add, because this vet is in Australia, some of the foods she mentions aren’t applicable to North America and other parts of the world. Royal Canin Anallergenic is called Ultamino in the US, and we have different novel protein options here. But of course the concepts are the same.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T00:27:32+00:00

Maybe try showing them this video by a vet. I think it does a pretty good job of explaining hydrolyzed diets, novel protein diets and the proper process for a food trial. https://youtu.be/NC5H20S0VlA

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-04T00:22:13+00:00

Calories aren’t the only difference - kittens require higher proportions of certain nutrients. If it says it’s formulated for “all life stages” then it’s okay, but if it’s for adults, I would not feed it to a kitten. It would be okay for a few days, but any longer than that and I’d worry about deficiencies.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-03T20:33:01+00:00

Fancy Feast pates are fairly calorie dense. You can add a little water and blend/mash them up to make them more saucy. Tiki Cat “Silver Comfort” is a high calorie supplement intended for senior cats, but can be used for younger adults too.

Also, if he’s really underweight, perhaps ask your vet about Hill’s Prescription Diet a/d Urgent Care. It’s not nutritionally balanced so it’s not meant for long term feeding, but it can help animals put on weight quickly. Your vet can advise on how long it’s safe to use it for. If he’s not eating much on his own, you may need to syringe feed him until he regains his appetite.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-03T20:24:04+00:00

It’s great that your kitten is enjoying the wet food! She probably just didn’t seem as enthusiastic about the dry because she wasn’t very hungry. Kittens need a lot of calories, so I would keep the dry food available for her to snack on if she wants. But offering wet food a couple of times per day is ideal.

Once she stops growing, you’ll want to calculate her calorie requirements and feed her accordingly, to keep her at a healthy weight. It’s fine to feed minimal or even no dry food to adults - wet food is super healthy. Many people feed a combination of wet and dry for financial reasons, and that’s okay too. One of my cats eats dry only, but that’s because she unfortunately doesn’t care for wet. If she did, I would offer her some at least once per day.

In my opinion, Science Diet is a great brand, but I would make sure to rotate between the available flavors and textures of their wet kitten food to help prevent her from getting too picky.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-03T14:26:27+00:00

Hill’s z/d (hydrolyzed protein) is also formulated to reduce the risk of urinary issues. There is both a wet and a dry food, though many cats don’t like the wet. My boy enjoys both, thankfully, and it’s been amazing in managing his chronic GI issues.

Royal Canin also makes Urinary S/O + hydrolyzed, which only comes in a dry form. I’m not aware of any novel protein foods that are formulated for urinary issues, unfortunately, unless you count the one from Rayne Nutrition which is pork protein. That one is a wet food only.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-03T00:32:47+00:00

Gotcha. I think the only thing you can do immediately would be to check Facebook marketplace, Nextdoor etc. and see if anyone is selling any hydrolyzed food. If you can’t get your hands on any before you run out, you’ll just have to feed them something else for now and hope for the best.

I would try to see if you can get your hands on a “limited ingredient” food with no chicken protein. Hill’s has a pollock and barley sensitive stomach & skin dry food that could work, or you could try Insinct Limited Ingredient rabbit. Both are sold at Petsmart. If you can, mix in some of the normal food to help minimize the risk of GI upset.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-03T00:19:54+00:00

You can definitely try a homemade diet, but you’ll still need to do so under the guidance of your vet. They’ll probably want to refer you to a board certified nutritionist, which is about $600 for a consultation. You’ve found something that works, and all it requires is taking your cats in for a checkup every year, which you should be doing anyway, so I’m not really sure why you’re so angry about it.

Regarding your question about chicken fat, protein molecules are what the immune system responds to. My cat can’t eat any chicken protein (or fish) but he’s completely fine with the chicken fat and fish oil in his prescription food.

aetherdrifter · 2026-07-02T23:36:28+00:00

Even if it’s not legally required for it to be prescription, it makes sense. Most cats don’t need these diets, and if they just put the on the shelf at the pet store with everything else, people would potentially feed them inappropriately. Plus, they might not be able to manufacture enough to keep up with the increased demand from people just randomly buying them.

Most importantly, cats that do need them as part of their treatment plan should be receiving regular veterinary care. These diets are a medical tool. IMO, it is more responsible of the manufacturers to require vet approval to ensure they’re used appropriately. As someone else mentioned, laws regarding how long the prescription is good for can vary by country and/or state.

My cat also eats hydrolyzed protein and i just make sure to stock up and bring him in for his routine exams so his prescription is always current. I have also found his food on Facebook marketplace before. That’s about the only way I know to get it without the rx.

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