Wet food for pets, typically in cans or pouches, is sometimes thought to be a poor-quality option – and indeed in years gone by there were certainly some very poor-quality options around. Today, however, there are a number of top-quality wet foods available and some very good reasons for adding a wet food to your pet’s diet. Here are a few benefits of feeding wet food:
1. Hydration
If you are feeding your dog or cat a dry food, and hopefully that is a really good quality dry food, it is important that they increase their water intake. Wet food, which generally has a moisture content of around 70 – 80%, added to their kibble or as a separate meal, is an easy way to ensure your pet gets additional moisture. This is particularly useful for cats who tend not to drink as much water as dogs.
2. Palatability
Wet food is highly palatable so it’s great for fussy eaters or older dogs who are losing their appetites. Just a spoonful or two mixed in with their kibble will entice the fussiest of dogs to eat. Cats on the other hand generally prefer not to mix the texture of wet food with their biscuits – separate meals are usually better for them!
3. Urinary Tract issues
Pets that are predisposed to urinary tract issues will benefit from the addition of wet food to their diet, particularly if you are concerned that they do not drink enough water. Cats in particular that have a tendency towards urinary tract issues are better fed a complete and balanced wet diet only.
4. Weight management
If you are trying to reduce your pet’s weight by cutting back on its food intake, adding canned food to your pet’s diet, with its higher moisture content, can help increase the feeling of fullness. Take care to choose a wet food that has a lower fat content if you are trying to reduce your pet’s weight.
5. High activity dogs
Very active dogs, and young dogs, need a higher amount of calories to support their energy requirements. Wet food is a great source of additional calories to support growth and/or an active lifestyle. Often dogs that have a very active lifestyle struggle to keep an ideal weight so the added calories from a good quality wet food may help them from looking too lean.
6. Medication
Administering medication to your pet can be challenging! If you have to give your pet medication in the form of tablets, a pate-style wet food can be very helpful to disguise the pills!
7. Protein rotation
It is generally beneficial to change the protein source (meat & fish) that you feed your pet – called a rotation diet. With a variety of flavours available in most wet food ranges, you can easily rotate the protein source for good health as well as to keep fussy ones interested in their food.
8. Sensitive teeth and gums
Pets that have sensitive teeth and gum issues, and puppies that are teething, will benefit from the soft texture of a wet food.
9. Dry skin and coat
Moist wet foods, especially if they are packed with omega 3 oils, can help pets that suffer with dry skin and coat.
10. Variety
Lastly, you can simply add some variety to your pet’s diet by adding some wet food as a topper or a treat to your pet’s biscuits.
Just remember not all wet foods are created equal – choose a product that has high quality meat ingredients and no by-products or “fillers”, made by a company that you can trust. Also, if you are adding a wet food to their normal diet, then decrease the amount of kibble that you are feeding.
We have a variety of flavours, including grain free options, and with different textures (stews and pates) in wet food for dogs and cats.
A final thought…. you might like to consider the packaging that your wet food comes in – sustainable TetraPak packaging is more environmentally friendly than traditional cans. Petcurean is a pet food manufacturer that really focuses on sustainability in all aspects of their production. They have introduced TetraPak packaging for their wet food and we are very proud to have some of their range available in New Zealand. Click here for TetraPak wet food.