The Wonders of Canned Cat Food

"You are what you eat" the old saying goes. Taken literally we can get a little carried away. After all, I am not a 5'5" chunk of string cheese (much to my husband's disappointment). Of course, we all know it means our bodies will be healthier if we fuel them with health food rather than junk food.

Pet owners have become extremely health conscious on behalf of their cats and dogs. They realize that the food Fluffy and Fido eat day in and day out must be nutritious and wholesome. Sometimes the adage "you get what you pay for" applies to pet foods but sometimes it does not. Consumers will be wise to remember that all pet food companies aim to make a profit through selling their product. Pet food marketing strategically plays upon our emotions as animal lovers. We want to feel we are doing everything possible to provide a safe and satisfying life for our pets.

Rather than take out a second mortgage on your home to buy that premium bag of dry cat food, please take a moment to read about a "revolutionary" approach to feeding felines. An approach that may reverse feline diabetes, reduce the incidence of urinary crystals and kidney disease, decrease food-related vomiting and allergies, and keep your cat lean and playful into old age.

The answer to your cat's prayers (even if he doesn't know it yet) is canned cat food. When I said this was a "revolutionary" approach I was being ironic. Canned cat food more closely mimics the diet felines evolved to eat--mice.

A mouse is a high protein, high moisture, low carbohydrate meal. Dry cat chow is a low protein (or mostly plant-based protein), low moisture, and through-the-roof-high carbohydrate meal. Eating an exclusive diet of dry cat kibble leaves the modern cat morbidly obese and chronically dehydrated. Obesity leads to diabetes, cancer, arthritis, skin problems, and more. Chronic dehydration assaults the kidneys, and triggers bladder diseases ranging from infection to crystals/stones to sterile cystitis. Poor quality or species-inappropriate proteins are claimed to trigger skin allergies and gastrointestinal inflammation ("puking cats"). Quality of life suffers as cats put up with discomfort on these many levels. Is it unlikely that some of this angst shows up as "bad" behavior?

I do not believe dry cat food is evil personified. However, kibble is just not perfect nutrition for the mighty feline hunter. It is a myth that dry cat food helps keep a cat's teeth clean. If you ate nothing but granola, never brushed your teeth and never visited a dentist...I shudder at the thought.

You may argue that canned food gives your cat the runs or makes him puke (this is usually a temporary problem during transition). Or worse that he doesn't like to eat it at all. Unfortunately, switching from highly-addictive carb-rich dry food to high-protein wet food is not always a simple task. Is it always easy to put down the bag of nachos and pick up a stalk of celery instead? Dry cat food is coated in a highly appetizing animal digest that makes kibble as tasty to most kitties as fast food is to most Americans (hmmm, is there a correlation?) It can take months to convince some cats that canned food is...well, the cat's meow. It took eight months and untold patience on his caregiver's part before my diabetic patient Tucker relinquished his dry food in favor of the canned variety. Lo and behold his diabetes improved practically overnight! Dr. Lisa Pierson, DVM's handout "Transitioning Feline Dry Food Addicts to Canned Food" is an amazing how-to manual on teaching cats to love canned diets.


Ounce for ounce canned food is more expensive than dry kibble. For those cat owners who spare no expense, it may be a small thing to re-allocate the money spent on the premium dry food to cans instead. For those of us who operate on a tighter budget, we can certainly compromise. Is it affordable and practical for you to feed one moist meal a day? Even just several canned food meals a week can improve the overall health, activity and attitude of your feline friend.

Some tasty tidbits:
1) Normal cat poop is not voluminous and stinky. Cats that eat quality animal-protein moist foods exclusively pass smaller, firmer, less odorous stools. If you've even seen coyote or raccoon scat in the woods, you'll understand what a predator's waste should look like -- including your cat's.
2) Cats did not evolve eating fish. They evolved eating rodents and birds. While most cats like the taste of fishy cat foods, try not to feed fish varieties exclusively. I haven't seen "mouse" or "sparrow" flavored canned foods in the pet store yet, so you will have to stick to "beef" and "chicken" for now. (Yes, there are frozen raw food diets out there that more closely mimic a cat's wild diet...more on this later.)
3) If your cat gets on board with you and eats nothing but canned food from here on out, make sure it is "complete and balanced". Canned foods labeled "for intermittent or supplemental feeding only" are missing essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids -- fine as a snack, not for a lifetime.
4) Wet food diets do present very real challenges in the mechanics of feeding. We have become so used to shoveling dry food into our cats' bowls that it seems like the natural thing to do. It takes more thought and care to keep moist food fresh and appetizing. One suggestion is to freeze several meals and put out two meals each day--one meal warmed to "mouse body" temperature and the second left frozen to thaw throughout the day.
5) A mouse is approximately 30 calories. Cool factoid, huh? The average wild cat eats 7-10 mice per day, which is the equivalent of 210-300 calories. And they burn a lot of calories actually catching, killing and eating that mouse! (Oh yes, cats that eat wild meals like mice should be dewormed regularly...just because something is all natural does not mean it is completely without negative side effects.) Check to see how many calories are in a single 8 ounce cup of your cat food...

Happy Birthday, Kitty!

People always want to know how old their dog or cat is in human terms. The rule of thumb for dogs has been one dog year equals seven human years, but we know that it not exactly right. Little dogs like Bichons tend to live longer than big dogs like Newfoundlands. Also the first few years of a dog's life are accelerated. A one-year-old dog is capable of reproducing and so it is definitely not the equivalent of a seven-year-old human (unless you believe those crazy tabloids)!

Unlike dogs, after the first few formative years of life, the ratio of cat years to human is about 1:4. As you can see, a feline surpassing 20+ years is deserving of a Willard Scott-esque birthday celebration!

Cat's Age               Equivalent Human Years
 1 year                    15-18 years
 2 years                   21-24 years
 3 years                        28 years
 4 years                        32 years
 5 years                        36 years
 6 years                        40 years
 7 years                        44 years
 8 years                        48 years
 9 years                        52 years
10 years                       56 years
11 years                       60 years
12 years                       64 years
13 years                       68 years
14 years                       72 years
15 years                       76 years
16 years                       80 years
17 years                       84 years
18 years                       88 years
19 years                       92 years
20 years                       96 years
Adapted from Think Like a Cat: How to raise a well-adjusted cat -- not a sour puss by Pam Johnson-Bennett


Here are some tips for helping your kitty reach his or her "centennial" celebration.

1. Schedule annual wellness exams with your cat's veterinarian even though vaccines are not due. Most progressive veterinary clinics now booster feline vaccines only every three years. That's the equivalent of 12 years between doctor visits in human terms! Screening bloodwork should be performed periodically (and at least annually in senior cats) to catch certain diseases early. Early detection allows for easier management and a longer, happier life.
2. Spay or neuter your kitty to avoid medical and behavioral problems that may result in accidental death, illness or euthanasia.  
3. Feed your cat a high quality cat food but limit portions! Obesity is a huge problem in felines leading to diabetes, arthritis, heart disease, and skin problems from inability to groom. Most cats do not get enough moisture in their diets and suffer from GI and urinary problems as a result. Train your kitty early on to enjoy quality canned or moist foods. Dry food does not -- I repeat, does not -- prevent dental disease.
4. Dental disease is a common and painful condition in many cats, and it negatively affects their overall health. Ask your veterinarian for advice on how to prevent and manage dental disease in your cat. Just like people, most pets should have their teeth professionally cleaned (i.e., by their veterinarian) periodically.
5. Know what plants and household items are potentially toxic for your cat to avoid tragic illness or death. Also, PLEASE remember very few human medications are safe for cats. Some over-the-counter flea and tick treatments are OK for dogs but are deadly for cats!
6. Environmental enrichment can improve the quality and length of your cat's life. Many feline diseases are linked to stress. Learn as much as you can about feline behavior and play with your kitty every day. Especially in multi-cat households, make sure you have provided the proper resources for cats that may not get along all the time. A rule of thumb for litter boxes is "1 per cat plus 1." That means if you have three cats, you should have four litter boxes. Also properly placed scratching posts may eliminate the supposed need for declawing. By "properly placed" I mean in highly visible areas the cat has chosen, not the owner!  

Sadly, even with proper care and the best intentions some cats do not live to ripe old age. It is no different with us humans (I'm thinking of the fit and trim 30-somethings who die tragically from cancer or accidents). However, cats who receive proper exercise and nutrition, regular medical and dental care, and environmental enrichment will have an improved quality of life no matter how many candles are on their tuna cake.