i have a 23 week old kitten. he's very healthy and active. he's been neutered, vaccinated (i only use the intranasal kind because i'm worried about possible kidney problems and injection site carcinoma from traditional vaccines) and microchipped. i'm very protective of my cat, and want to give him the best care i can.

that being said, how essential is it to feed him wet food? he eats plenty of high quality dry food (either wellness when i can find the kitten food, or nutro max cat kitten). i have been feeding him wet food (also high quality) in addition as i know it's supposed to be better for them. i tried the nutro max cat kitten, and i've recently tried merrick.

the problem is, even when he's been eating the same kind of wet food for a few weeks, if i give him more than about 1/4 of a can at any meal, he gets diarrhea. i know that wet food is supposed to account for most of their diet, and the dry food is supposed to be given almost as a snack, but he drinks plenty of water, and there is a decent amount of protein and a fairly low ash content of the dry food i feed him.

should i keep trying different brands of wet food? should i just start cooking chicken and rice for him (i'm a vegetarian, and don't really like the idea of handling raw chicken, but i will for his sake if that's the best thing for him.) the vet said he seemed healthy but encouraged me to up his intake of wet food when i told him how i feed him less wet food than dry food. it's not like he's underweight at all. he's actually a pretty heavy little cat (not really fat by any stretch, but really solid and muscular.)

can a cat be really healthy living on a diet that's more dry food than wet?

I wouldn't listen to people who say dry food is better. When I got my kitten, I did a lot of research and found the opposite, so your vet is right about wet being better. The whole "dry food cleans their teeth" thing is a myth. The key to keeping your cats teeth clean is good dental care i.e. brushing your cat's teeth on a regular basis and getting regular cleanings at the vet. Wet food is also where they get all their water intake, since cats naturally do not drink very much water on their own. With that being said, I would definitely keep trying to make the wet food diet work for him. I would just keep experimenting with different foods and see what works for him. In my case, my kitten would also get diarrhea after I tried putting him on an all wet food grain-free diet, and I found that switching him to a wet food that had some grain in it (rice) worked very well for him, and giving him a little dry (Wellness) occasionally has helped as well. You may just have to feed him a little more dry with the wet to try and prevent the diarrhea. As long as it's the Wellness it shouldn't be too bad if you feed him dry on a regular basis, but I would also include wet as well. Good luck!

Maybe try Evo or Wellness or another brand w/o grains? I have heard some cats cannot tolerate that. Has your cat been tested for parasites? Maybe that is causing the diarreah. Maybe with this cat you have to slowly build his system up to the wet. Good luck!

I Know Why Hes Only A Kitten Hes Not Supposed To Get That Much Can Food Daily I Give my Cat 2 Tablespoons Because She Is Staying On A Balanced Diet.

I Read A Feeding Chart For Kittens

Your vet has no idea what he's doing. Wet food has tons of empty calories that will do nothing but fatten your cat up. Cats are supposed to eat dry food as their regular diet, with wet food as a once in a while treat. Once every other day or so. Wet food is bad for their teeth and their overall health. Also, switching brands can be bad for them too. Cats are very opposed to change and they like to stick with the same food consistently.

My mother is a veterinary technician, medical school and all.

I dont know why your vet is recommended wet food for him. Most vets I have worked with have said that you should only feed them wet food if you have a picky eater, a old cat with bad teeth, or a cat with stomach issues. Wet food has alot of water in it, so feeding him only dry food will help keep his stools firm and also help keep his teeth clean. So its the other way around than you think. Dry food 90% of the time and wet food as a snack. Also, try the same brands, switching brands and food around causes diarrhea also.

Certified Veterinarian Assistant

How very odd. My vet says the exact opposite...feed them dry food all the time and only give them wet food as a treat...and consider the wet food to be junk food - kind of like Jack in the Box for cats.

The dry food helps keep their teeth clean and their gums healthy, while wet food has the opposite effect on their dentifrice.

I have two cats I raised from kittens: one is 17yo (9 lbs.) and one is 16yo (18 lbs. - he's a monster!). My vet tells me they are both perfectly healthy and the appropriate weight. This is the same vet who advised me to feed them high quality kibble, with very little wet food...advice I have followed.

So yes, a cat can be really healthy living on a diet of almost exclusively dry food - my guys are proof ot that.

Edit: you said it yourself, "if i don't feed him any wet food (or only in very small amounts) he doesn't seem to have stomach troubles."

Sounds like that's the answer.

Feeding an entirely wet diet is one of the most important things you can do for your cat.

Try feeding your kitten smaller more frequent meals. At under 6 months he is still small and might not tolerate larger meals. Also try different brands. You may have to try a few. Wellness and Evo are very good brands. Abrupt diet canges can also cause diarrhea. You may want to stick with a brand for a few feedings to see if stools improve.

I assume you already know all the health benefits of wet. Stick with your guns.