Er, being both predators and obligate carnivores, cats can go without any food at all for several days. I honestly wouldn't worry about the wet food. Unless it's ground meat you've cooked in broth, it's almost nutritionally useless and functions as little more than a treat. Unless she won't drink enough water, but most cats will respond to being fed dry food by drinking more. That's sort of automatic.
My point being, that you can leave her a pile of dry food and if she only eats half of it and whines when you get home, there's nothing wrong. I would be more concerned about the litter box, because many cats will refuse to use on that's over-full. (We set out two when leaving for over a week).
Canned (or in-a-pouch) food is indeed generally not as good a diet for your cat as dry food. (Though if your dry food is full of colouring or flavouring agents, or has too much indigestible binder -- a little tomato pomace or dried beet pulp is good for digestion, too much and it's just there to bulk out the product -- or glycol compounds, or if it doesn't have properly balanced minerals, it might do your cat even more harm.) Perhaps even more importantly, a regular diet of wet food means more food residue sticks to kitty's teeth and can lead to tooth decay, gum disease and even potentially fatal infections. Dry food actually helps clean cats' (and dogs') teeth as they bite into the crunchy kibble.
Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to wean cats off a primarily wet-food diet if that's what they're used to. Royal Canin brand makes a dry food formulation specifically for finicky eaters -- they spray the outside of the kibble with ground-up liver and other delicious-to-cats organ meats -- that could help encourage your cat to
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i agree with the above.... i ran a good [read: healthy, not supermarket-quality CRAP] pet food/supply/supplement store for a long time, and i wouldnt be worried at all about wet food. my two cats get good dry food, and then wet food only once in a while. my biggest concern as well is the litter box... cats that are choked that it isnt being emptied may poop somewhere else, or pee in your bed or somewhere that smells like you because they are mad at you :) .. ah, love.
wet food can range from total sugar garbage to actually good quality meat, but really its more like dry food with water added. and, as noted above, when cats eat dry they simply drink more water. dry food also helps keep their teeth cleaner. cats, like kids and dogs and people in general, like treats :). as long as the dry food is nutritionally sound [meaning the diet is relatively complete], when a cat whines for wet food its like a kid whining for a donut, hehe.
Ah, okay, that's good to know! I mean, not about the poop, or that they pee specifically in a place that smells like me (cat vengeance is a dish best served stinking of ammonia, apparently) but it's good to know that I can safely ignore her pleas for more wet food from now on. We do buy a very high quality/well-balanced dry food, so luckily my whole crazy misunderstanding of feline nutrition and wet food didn't do her any harm. She just gets lots and lots of donuts. :-)
variety is a good thing, but kitty will be fine without wet food for an extended period of time. and the nutritional value of wet food depends on the quality of the ingredients... if its fancy feast, just know that that is what vets feed very sick cats because its the only thing they will eat [ie its mushy CANDY haha]. if you see beet pulp or brewers rice or anything byproducts or 'meat' or ... etc etc. i used to do product knowledge seminars about dog and cat food, including wet, dry and frozen raw foods. *shrug* i certainly dont know everything but i like to think im at least more educated than the average person!
Cats are really worse than Dief. They will whine and whine about not getting their wet food...you just have to learn to turn a deaf ear to it. The dry food will not kill them, no matter what they say.
I just got back from a four day trip and all I left them was a pile of dry food - the two kitties normally get wet food once a day...as long as you're leaving plenty of water and dry food, your cat should be fine...
I wouldn't be comfortable with more than two days either. You never know what might happen. As for how long they can go with out wet food--forever! :D I only give mine wet food as a treat. Maybe once or twice a week, if that.
Awww, are you a nervous cat mom? scarfe is always so concerned with Emily's safety and well-being but I think it's just misplaced anxiety. Plus she knows how to play him. Like a piano :-)
But but but what if the TV falls on her or Jehovah's Witnesses try to kidnap her?! There's SO MANY TERRIBLE things that could happen to the poor wee innocent kitty! Maybe you should just take her with you. :D
You can also get self feeders for dry food, if you're worried they'll eat it all at once. They aren't much different than the ones for water. You might have to look in the dog section, and get one for small dogs.
Extra litter boxes are a must. You'd be amazed at the places they can choose to leave "tootsie rolls." And mine start by digging up all the house plants because dirt is is second best to litter. One then once moved on to a pile of Legos left in the floor.
Re: food feedersnos4a2no9November 27 2007, 04:50:05 UTC
Thanks for the recommendation for dry feeders. I think it's worth investing in one since we're away all day at work, and she does like to snack.
And wow. I would think the surprises left in the Lego pile would really damage my relationship with my cat. I would be very suspicious of any and all piles of plastic bricks from that point on. (So...I guess it would just damage my relationship with Lego).
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My point being, that you can leave her a pile of dry food and if she only eats half of it and whines when you get home, there's nothing wrong. I would be more concerned about the litter box, because many cats will refuse to use on that's over-full. (We set out two when leaving for over a week).
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I think we'll either get someone to change her box after a week, or we'll add a second one for her to use. Thanks for the tips/advice!
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Unfortunately, it can be very difficult to wean cats off a primarily wet-food diet if that's what they're used to. Royal Canin brand makes a dry food formulation specifically for finicky eaters -- they spray the outside of the kibble with ground-up liver and other delicious-to-cats organ meats -- that could help encourage your cat to ( ... )
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wet food can range from total sugar garbage to actually good quality meat, but really its more like dry food with water added. and, as noted above, when cats eat dry they simply drink more water. dry food also helps keep their teeth cleaner. cats, like kids and dogs and people in general, like treats :). as long as the dry food is nutritionally sound [meaning the diet is relatively complete], when a cat whines for wet food its like a kid whining for a donut, hehe.
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I just got back from a four day trip and all I left them was a pile of dry food - the two kitties normally get wet food once a day...as long as you're leaving plenty of water and dry food, your cat should be fine...
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Extra litter boxes are a must. You'd be amazed at the places they can choose to leave "tootsie rolls." And mine start by digging up all the house plants because dirt is is second best to litter. One then once moved on to a pile of Legos left in the floor.
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And wow. I would think the surprises left in the Lego pile would really damage my relationship with my cat. I would be very suspicious of any and all piles of plastic bricks from that point on. (So...I guess it would just damage my relationship with Lego).
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