Why do some cats prefer dry food?

By Sandy Murphey

This is a follow up on Mitzy’s constipation saga. I’ve always fed my cats wet and dry food. I’ve noticed a preference for the dry, which seemed odd to me. That is, until I began to do research on pet foods, and learned that “animal digest” is used to make it more appealing (like sugar coated cereal) and….addictive.

When I brought my cat Mitzy home from a week at the vet’s for constipation issues, they shoved a bag of Royal Canin Hi Response dry food at me, even though I said I was getting her off dry food. They said “Oh, she likes it, and she’s doing very well on it!” I took it, reluctantly. (And returned it the next week.)

I put a small amount in a container, and began to feed her quality wet food. She didn’t seem interested, and I thought I’d sprinkle a little of the dry on top.

As soon as I popped open the container, she came running! This was a sign of “addiction”. And it did work to get her back to eating the wet food.

After reading the ingredients on several “prescription” diet foods, I was shocked. I had previously studied the “ingredient analysis” by Dr. Lisa Pierson, on PetFoodRatings.org, so I had an idea of the poor quality ingredients. And here they were on this “prescription” food, which by the way is only identified that way so you have to get it from the vets! There’s nothing in here that isn’t in any other poor quality pet food. Look at the amount of grain! See anything here that needs a prescription?

Ingredients

1. Chicken meal,
2. rice,
3. chicken fat,
4. powdered cellulose,
5. rice hulls,
6. ground corn,
7. wheat,
8. corn gluten meal,
9. natural flavors,
10. wheat gluten,
11. dried beet pulp,
12. fish oil,
13. monocalcium phosphate,
14. brewers dried yeast,
15. psyllium seed husk,
16. sodium silico aluminate,
17. potassium chloride,
18. salt,
19. calcium carbonate,
20. fructooligosaccharides,
21. L-lysine,
22. vegetable oil,
23. hydrolyzed yeast,
24. taurine,
25. choline chloride,
26. DL-methionine,
27. Vitamins: [DL-alpha tocopherol acetate (source of vitamin E),
28. L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate (source of vitamin C),
29. biotin,
30. D-calcium pantothenate,
31. vitamin A acetate,
32. niacin supplement,
33. pyridoxine hydrochloride (vitamin B6),
34. thiamine mononitrate (vitamin B1),
35. riboflavin supplement (vitamin B2),
36. folic acid,
37. vitamin B12 supplement,
38. vitamin D3 supplement],
39. marigold extract (Tagetes erecta L.),
40. Trace Minerals
41. zinc oxide,
42. zinc proteinate,
43. ferrous sulfate,
44. manganese proteinate,
45. copper sulfate,
46. copper proteinate,
47. manganous oxide,
48. calcium iodate,
49. sodium selenite],
50. rosemary extract,
51. preserved with natural mixed tocopherols and citric acid.

Analysis

• Protein % Min 21.5
• Fat % Min 14.5
• Fiber % Max 12.5
• Moisture % Max 10.0

I’m wondering how many of you are feeding “prescription” diets? Are you aware of the ingredients? Do you know how to evaluate them? It’s not easy, but the “ingredient analysis” really helps.

Does your cat like the food? If you’re feeding regular dry food, what brand are you using? Does your cat have health issues, like being overweight, UTI, diabetes, intestinal problems, or others?

Have you tried to wean your cat from dry food? What methods did you try, and what worked or didn’t work?

Is your cat indoor/outdoor or both? Cats that go outside may be eating raw (live) foods to supplement the dry.

Does your cat have health issues that your vet hasn’t been able to solve?

Do you suspect a pet death due to contaminated pet food? Did you report it? Most vets will not support you in this issue. Remember, there is a collusion between vets and pet food manufacturers.

Recalls usually happen after many pets get sick and die, although there are some “voluntary” recalls. Check these frequently, or get on the list to be notified by email.