Types of Dry Cat Food

Choosing the right dry cat food is important in ensuring that your cat is as healthy as possible. There are many different formulas, all claiming to promote cat health and nutrition, so how do you know which type of cat food to choose? The best solution is to ask your vet what kind of cat food he or she recommends. Your veterinarian will be able to tell you whether your cat has any specific needs or dietary concerns.

  1. Kitten Kibble

    • While mature cats require about 70 to 80 calories per day, kittens require much more energy: about 250 calories per day. Their nutritional requirements also differ from mature cats' needs. Dry food exclusively for kittens is made with these nutritional demands in mind. Kittens need more fat and protein in their diets than mature cats, so check dry kitten food ingredients for higher percentages of lipids and proteins.

      After newborn kittens are weaned, they should be started on wet or canned cat food. At 8 weeks, you can begin mixing in dry cat food to make the transition to a dry cat food diet.

    Hypoallergenic Food

    • Hypoallergenic dry food is available for cats who have allergies to the ingredients in basic dry cat food formulas. Many cats may develop allergies to their dry food. The best way to check for this is to have your vet perform an allergy test. A cat may develop an allergy after having eaten the same cat food for years.

      Because a drastic change in diet can be harmful to a cat, choose a hypoallergenic formula that has a comparable ratio of nutrients (carbohydrates, lipids and proteins) to your cat's previous dry food. The ingredients of a hypoallergenic formula will offer a different source of these nutrients, but the percentages should be similar so that your cat can more easily make the transition to a new kind of food.

    Grain-free Cat Food

    • According to cathealth.com, the basic brands of dry cat food may not be the best nutrient providers for cats. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they depend on the nutrients found in meat. Most dry cat food delivers protein found in grains, which may be more difficult for cats to digest. Grain-free dry cat foods offer proteins from meat by-products and replicate a more natural and easily digestible raw diet.