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There are two types of food in a cat's bowl: wet food for cats (terrines, mousses or bites) and dry food for cats. And there's a strong consensus among vets, nutritionists, and scientists that wet food is the healthier option for our feline companions. Provided it's made from premium ingredients of course
"Today, we know that wet food most closely meets a cat’s natural needs" says Dr Géraldine Blanchard, vet and feline nutrition expert for over 25 years.
And for good reason; wet food comes with numerous benefits.
Unlike dry food, wet food contains a lot of water, which is great for keeping our furry friends hydrated as cats mainly hydrate through what they eat. It prevents urinary problems and reduces the risks of becoming overweight, obese, or diabetic, as it’s very low in calories. And for greedier cats, wet food also has the advantage of making them feel full as it fills their stomach more.
Wet food is the closest thing to a mouse in a can 😺
But watch out, not all wet foods are created equal. Some wet foods are deficient in certain nutrients or minerals, too high in carbs, or contain low-quality proteins, which don't provide your fluffy friend with much nutrition at all.
In this article, we'll give you 5 essential criteria for choosing the ideal wet food for your cat.
And if you're looking for dry food, you'll also find all our tips for choosing the best dry food for cats.
Let’s not forget our cute kittens? You can also find our tips for choosing the right dry food for kitten.
Our tips for choosing the right wet food for your cat.
1/ Wet food for cats must be complete
First and foremost, it's important to choose a complete wet food for your pet!
There are two types of wet food for cats: complete wet food and complementary wet food. As you guessed, these two are completely different.
Complete wet food is the only one that provides all the necessary nutrients to maintain good health: protein, fats, fibre, vitamins, and minerals in sufficient quantities! With complete wet food, there's no need to supplement your cat's diet.
Complementary wet food, however, must be paired with another food to make up a complete diet and avoid deficiencies. It doesn't contain all the nutrients your cat needs, especially vitamins and minerals you find in complete wet food.
Choose a complete wet food to meet all your cat's nutritional needs.
At Ziggy, all our wet food is complete wet food.
2/ A wet food for cats rich in premium proteins
Good wet food for cats is rich in premium animal proteins!
Let’s not forget that cats are strict carnivores; they can't survive and stay healthy without animal protein in their diet.
Their wet food's main ingredient must be animal-protein based, whether it’s beef, chicken, salmon, or pork. But never another ingredient such as 'grains', 'wheat', or 'potato'. If your cat's wet food lists 'wheat' as the first ingredient, it means that the main ingredient isn't an animal product.
But that’s not all you need to watch out for. While wet food can be rich in protein, that protein can also be of poor quality.
To cut costs some manufacturers don't use premium organ meat or muscle meat, but rather reconstituted meat (a mix of plant and animal proteins), mechanically separated meat (MSM), or mix collagen-rich low-quality pieces.
These protein sources offer cats no nutritional benefits. As explained in our article on proteins in a cat’s diet, your furry friend won't metabolize them. Amino acids provided by these proteins will be passed through urine, weakening their kidneys in the long run.
In short, to keep your cat healthy, opt for a complete wet food rich in premium proteins!
Ziggy’s extra Tip: How to know which proteins are premium
To check if the proteins used are premium, please refer to the PPR (protein-phosphoric ratio). It gives you the share of protein to phosphorus in the food. And the higher it is (above 25), the better!
Phosphorus is mainly found in carcass scraps and bones. If the PPR is below 25, it means your cat's wet food likely contains carcass scraps or bone residue.
The PPR isn't always indicated on the packaging. However, you can work it out yourself by dividing the crude protein content by the phosphorus content. For instance, if your cat's terrine or mousse shows 10% crude protein and 0.41% phosphorus, its PPR is 24.3. Not great...
At Ziggy, we don’t use reconstituted meat or animal meal in our wet foods. We only use muscle meat and premium organ meats (hearts, livers, lung lobes) that are highly nutritious and easily digested by cats.
All our wet food has a high PPR. For example, our wet food with salmon presents a whopping PPR of 109.6.
3/ A wet food that meets your cat's protein needs
As we saw above, your cat's food must be rich in premium proteins and cover all his protein needs.
To maintain the lean mass of an adult cat, we estimate between 5.2 and 6 grams of protein per kg per day calculated on their optimal weight.
Otherwise, your furry friend might catabolise, or break down, his own muscle mass, and lose a lot of weight. Excessive weight loss can lead to an increase in creatinine in his body, which must then be 'flushed' by the kidneys. And, you guessed it, overworked kidneys get weakened which can lead to chronic kidney impairment.
Your cat's wet food must meet his needs.
How to make sure of this?
Another indicator can help: the PCR of the Protein-to-Calorie Ratio. This gives you the precise amount of protein ingested during a meal. It should ideally be above:
- 75 g/mCal for a non-neutered (active) cat
- 87 g/mCal for a neutered or sedentary cat
- 100 g/mCal for a neutered and sedentary cat
If it's not displayed on the packaging, do this simple maths: % of crude protein / Metabolisable Energy (ME) x 1000
At Ziggy, our wet food perfectly meets your little cat's needs. Our wet food for neutered adult cats with chicken and salmon shows a PCR of 109.8 g/mCal. And the wet food for non-neutered adult cats has a PCR of 83.3 g/mCal.
4/ A wet food for cats without starch
Starch is a carb primarily found in grains (rice, wheat, corn). These ingredients end up being mainly used in wet food for cats.
Many cats, especially Sphynx and Bengals, tend to have trouble digesting starch. And excessive consumption can lead to digestive problems, such as diarrhoea, constipation, or even bad breath which usually occure when food isn't properly digested.
Poorly digestible, starch is not considered an essential nutrition for cats. Our furry friends don’t require carbohydrates, including starch, in their diet since they can synthesise glucose directly from amino acids released by animal proteins digested in their digestive tract.
"Grain-free" doesn’t mean "starch-free!"
Check any grain-free wet food, as grain-free doesn't mean starch-free.
Starch is a carb found in tubers (potatoes, tapioca) and legumes (chickpeas, lentils). Some manufacturers use instead of grain so they can continue to produce wet food high in carbs and label it “grain free”.
Your cat may have trouble digesting them, become overweight and develop obesity.
Cats are strict carnivores whose 'natural' diet is primarily based on protein-rich prey. It's been suggested that high-carb foods could increase insulin secretion and the risk of developing diabetes mellitus (2017 study).
Ziggy, starch-free wet food
At Ziggy, we prefer to keep it simple and healthy, avoiding grains, starches, and legumes in our wet food for cats. No starch, no problem!
Our wet food for cats contains less than 2% carbs. These come naturally from premium organ meats, muscle meats, and vegetables.
5/ A wet food low in phosphorus
Another thing to be aware of when choosing your cat’s food, is that too much phosphorus can damage your cat's kidneys in the long-run.
Several studies, including those by Böswald (2018) and Dobenecker (2018), have shown that foods excessively high in digestible phosphorus can have harmful effects on our felines' kidney function.
To check if your cat's wet food is balanced in phosphorus, check the Ca/P ratio.
For a healthy neutered cat that doesn't suffer from kidney impairment, it should be between 1 and 2.
You can't find it? No worries. Do this simple maths: calcium/phosphorus level.
Note that phosphorus should not be completely removed from your cat's food. Phosphorus is an essential macro-element that helps synthesize amino acids and proteins. It also works in combination with calcium. You need some, but not too much in your cat's food.
Our wet food, as well as our dry food for cats, is low in phosphorus and has a Ca/p of 1.5.
The guide to choosing the right wet food for cats
In this article, we covered 5 essential criteria for choosing healthy wet food for your cat.
But there are also other equally important considerations such as fat content and the crude ash level.
To find out more, download our guide here. We explain absolutely everything!
FAQ – Comment choisir une bonne pâtée pour son chat ?
Quelle est la meilleure pâtée pour un chat ?
La meilleure pâtée pour son chat est :
- Complète
- Riche en protéines animales de qualité
- Adaptée à ses besoins protéiques
- Sans amidon, pauvre en glucides
- Pauvre en phosphore
Pourquoi la pâtée est-elle souvent meilleure que les croquettes ?
Parce qu’elle est plus proche de l'alimentation naturelle du chat et qu'elle est très riche en eau. La pâtée soutient l'hydratation et limite les risques de troubles urinaires. Elle est également moins calorique et permet ainsi de limiter les risques de surpoids et d'obésité.
Peut-on nourrir son chat uniquement avec de la pâtée ?
Oui, à condition qu’elle soit complète et de qualité pour offrir le meilleur chaque jour à son petit compagnon.
