Cat Nutrition - The Top 3 Reasons Why Canned Food is Better For Your Cat Than Dry

There has been an ongoing discussion among cat owners about whether dry or canned food is better. Do you feed your cat canned food? Should you? The answer is a big YES, and here are the top 3 reasons why.1. Water Content.In canned cat food, the main ingredient is water. This means that canned food is closer to what your cat would eat in his natural habitat. When a cat kills and eats prey, the animal flesh contains the water required to meet the cat's nutritional needs. This is not the case with dry food.Because cats have evolved to get most of their water from the prey they hunt and eat, they are not well accustomed to drinking water from a bowl. Many cats do not get enough water if they are on a dry food diet, and easily become dehydrated. This can contribute to common feline diseases such as Urinary Tract Crystals, which often lead to kidney and liver problems.2.    Animal ProteinMost canned cat foods contain significant amounts of animal protein, and this is generally the second ingredient, after water, and before any carbohydrate content. Canned cat foods do not generally contain much carbohydrate, while dry foods usually contain a great deal.Is this important? Very much so! Too much carbohydrate for a cat can cause all sorts of problems, including a higher chance of developing Diabetes, more likelihood of becoming obese, and greater risk of Pancreatitis. A better understanding of cat nutrition tells us that lower carbohydrate and higher animal protein is a much healthier diet.3. DigestionCanned food is already partially broken down when the cat eats it. This makes it much easier to digest in the cat's stomach and intestines. What this can mean for your cat is reduced incidents of vomiting and intestinal gas, and less risk of Bloat.I know it can seem inconvenient to deal with canned food, when with dry all you need to do is pour a little into a bowl each day. Maybe you dislike the smell of canned food. The tins and bowls are messy and they need to be cleaned or recycled. But once you know what your cat really needs for optimum health, you understand that it's worth it. And think how much more inconvenient it would be if your cat develops diabetes or kidney problems, and you need to give him insulin injections or subcutaneous fluids each day! Not to mention how this would affect your cat's happiness and sense of well being.So keep your cat's health in mind, and consider making the switch if you have not already!