Do Some Cats Just Prefer Soft Food?

Cats have individualized tastes just like humans do, with some of them preferring the crunchy texture of dry food, while others enjoy the soft texture of canned, raw or prepared food.All of these will provide your cat with adequate nutrition if planned according to the manufacturer's guidelines, so it's really up to you and your feline friend's preferences to determine which one you want to feed to him regularly.

  1. Scent-Sational Aroma

    • Your cat's dietary preferences are primarily based on his sense of smell. This is why his appetite tends to wane when he can't smell his food. Canned food has a much more potent and appetizing aroma than dry food, making it more desirable to most cats. This is especially true for senior cats whose sense of smell diminishes as they age. If your cat isn't eating his dry kibble, try offering him some wet food to see if he'll prefer that. Tempt sick kitties to eat by heating the canned food for a few seconds in the microwave before serving, which enhances its aroma.

    The Texture

    • Dry cat kibble has a crunchy texture that your feline friend must chew much more than he would a soft, canned food. Young kittens, between four and five weeks of age, are just starting to eat solid foods. These little ones haven't adjusted to chewing their food, which is why they prefer the soft texture of canned food. Soft food is also easier for the growing bodies of young kittens to process. On the other end of the age spectrum, kitties older than 7 years of age may also prefer the soft texture of canned food because they tend to suffer from painful dental and gastrointestinal issues. Canned food is easier than dry food for your senior cat to chew and digest.

    Ingredients

    • Most cats prefer canned food because it generally contains higher amounts of animal-based proteins than dry foods do. Your cat is an obligate carnivore who must eat a diet primarily made up of animal-based proteins, not vegetable-based ones. Canned foods also contain much more water than dry foods, around 78 percent, which is closer to the water content of their natural prey, like mice, which are around 70 percent water. Dry food only contains around ten percent water, meaning that your cat would have to drink more water to stay hydrated, something that many felines may not want to do.

    Considerations

    • The crunchy texture of dry kibble may improve your cat's dental health. Many cats who enjoy canned food will actually eat a combination of wet and dry foods, giving them the best of both worlds. Mix the two types of food together so that the kibble will smell better to your cat and soften a bit. The dry food will still remain hard enough to scrape his teeth but not enough that it's uncomfortable for him to chew. Another option is to soak dry kibble in low-sodium chicken or beef broth to soften it up and make it smell appealing to your finicky feline.