20 years ago, we thought wet food was a special (expensive) treat to feed our cat clowder. And raw food? Dangerous and disgusting. In our opinion (and that of our kibble addicts), dry food was the most delicious (and affordable) food ever!
Is dry food bad for cats?
For many people, dry food is the only food there is for cats. They’ve never heard of species appropriate diets. They are simply feeding and loving their cat companions to the best of their knowledge and ability – much like we did 20 years ago. We get it. But feeding only dry food upsets many nutritionally minded pet lovers – and some don’t hesitate to say so!
We would have been offended if someone told us we were negligent pet parents because of this. And we would have been shocked if they told us to feed them weird wet or raw food. Likely, we would have politely asked that they stop talking to us.
Fast forward 10 years and we wish we could erase the many years of feeding only kibble to our cats. We’ve seen first hand the impact of a healthy diet and know that many things – some very painful – could have been different. It’s what motivates us to do what we do now…
But know this: We’re not kibble haters.
There, we said it. We understand that there are many people who simply cannot afford to feed their cats a fully balanced, raw diet. It’s not feasible for everyone. We love that your cats are in a safe, stable and loving home. Love is the first – and most important – ingredient every cat needs!
Our motto at The Two Crazy Cat Ladies is: Learn, Share and Grow. We know that once we know better we do better. We’re not here to berate anyone feeding dry food. We want to invite and encourage all cat parents to be the best they can be.
So here’s the skinny on kibble.
Kibble is dead. It’s cooked to death and filled with carbohydrates. These carbohydrates create inflammation in our cats’ bodies because cats can’t properly digest carbs. Over time, inflammation will lead to diabetes, cancer, and many other common ailments that have now been linked to a dry food only diet in cats.
But dry food IS still balanced. Balanced in the sense that your cat is getting the correct amount of the ingredients needed to survive. Notice I didn’t say thrive but survive. Processed foods are lacking a TON of nutrients, enzymes and moisture. These are important elements that will not just keep your cat alive, but increase the overall quality of his life. So is dry food bad for cats?
So, if you’re reading this and you’re someone who cannot afford to feed your cats a healthier cat food, here’s a simple, inexpensive suggestion:
Start adding in some human food to their kibble.
Whatever you can afford. Can you spare a chicken breast tonight? Maybe a tablespoon of your veggies? If so, simply take out a small amount of dry food (it’ll make the bag last longer!) and supplement it with some of your food.
To be clear, I’m referring only to the healthy foods that you eat. If McDonald’s french fries or buttery pasta is the only thing you eat for dinner, maybe you should start by looking at your own diet first. 😉
For most of us this isn’t the case. We try to eat at least a few healthy meals each week. Throw down some salad (no dressing) or meat for your cats on those days. Over time this will add up and give your cat a better quality of life than eating a dry food only diet.
If you’d like to know more about transitioning your cat to a better diet, click here. If you have questions along the way, call us. We’ve been there!
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