Is it okay to feed my kitten both wet and dry food long-term?

I typically recommend wet food with some dry food mixed in or given as treats, depending on Arabella's weight. Wet food helps maintain adequate hydration which can be beneficial for their kidneys and urinary system. It also has built in portion control and can help with maintaining a normal weight. I would talk to your vet about the proper amounts to feed Arabella but most cats are going to need about 200 calories per day.

It certainly doesn't hurt Her Khan to eat both diets. I do shy away from using any exotic meats such as rabbit or venison, just in case he were to develop IBD as an older cat. I think sticking to 'normal' proteins is just fine. I hope this is helpful and please feel free to post any additional questions

There are many different opinions about pet food, even in the veterinary community. I think it is fine to offer canned and dry food to cats. Most people will leave dry food out and will offer the canned food once to twice a day but don’t leave that out as it will spoil. If the cats are heavy, look for low-calorie foods. Dry food isn’t that good for the teeth unless it is a special dental formula. These formulas have kibble that will not break until the tooth is fully engaged into the kibble. Otherwise kibble only helps to keep the tips of the teeth clean and not the gumline. Kibble is however not bad for the kidneys. Canned food is better for the kidneys because of the water content but if kidney disease does develop, cats will need a special diet for kidney disease. I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions about Moe and Mac.

I wouldn't worry about dry food being left out unless it's not being finished in a couple of days. Your vet may carry Virbac Dental treats or Greenies for cats, either one of those should help keep her teeth clean and be a tasty treat.

It is a common misconception that dry food is better for teeth than wet foods. Once a cat takes a bite of the kibble and crunches it, there is no advantage in mechanically or abrasively cleaning the teeth. Exceptions come into play with certain prescription diets, such as Hill’s t/d, which have been proven to mechanically clean the teeth. The Veterinary Oral Health Council (www.vohc.org) rates the variety of dental diets and treats on the market with respect to their efficacy in controlling plaque and/or tartar. At the end of the day, daily tooth brushing is the best preventative measure for keeping a cat’s teeth healthy.

Some cats prefer one type of food over another. I would just leave dry food out for him to nibble on and then feed him small amounts of canned food twice a day. He has plenty of teeth that he should be able to chew small kibble. He will begin to eat more dry as he continues to get older and gets hungrier. I hope this helps!

Cats don't need dry food if you are providing wet cat food. The reason dry food is best is that most cats graze. You can leave the dry food out. Also, it helps with their teeth. I would not add any meat or anything else into a cat's diet. Just wet and/or dry cat food. Or as in Alice's case kitten food. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.