With so much choice available for your pet, it’s hard to find what’s best for them. From dry food designed for specific breeds to wet food that caters to a cat’s particular diet, which do you choose? We’re here today to give you some advice on which is best for your pet. Let’s jump in!
Always check the label
Thanks to European regulations and our own laws here in Ireland, pet food manufacturers must include appropriate dietary information on all packs of food sold in stores and online. This information specifically references the ingredients used, the analytical constituents, the grade of meat used, the freshness of meat (if any), the manufacturer’s recommended feeding amount, the specific pet it’s designed for and a whole range of other useful information.
There’s been debate in recent years that choosing foods with high a meat content is better than choosing foods with a high amount of carbs; foods that use rice, brown rice or meal would be considered quite carb-y. In truth it depends on your pet and their requirements. Some foods will not agree with your pet, or may produce allergic reactions, so it’s really a case of trial and error, especially when concerning picky cats.
Wet Food
For cats, wet food is a staple of their diet in most Irish homes. Wet food is considered to be more easily digestible and a tastier alternative to dry nuts or nuggets and can also be a good way of getting water or moisture into your pet if they’re not big drinkers. Some owners (such as my Dad) prefer to give their cats a mixture of wet and dry and, sometimes, just wet food as a treat.
The main drawback of wet food is having to store it; it usually can’t be stocked in bulk as it has a shorter expiry when compared to dry foods. There can also be a price difference when compared to the amount bought at any given time; for example, a bag of dry food that lasts a month might be €30, but one week’s supply of wet food might be €9 – costing you more in the long run.
Dry Food
The mainstay of many diets, dry food is a dependable and wholesome feed that is suited to many pets. Good dry foods are often packed with added botanicals that will support different aspects of your pet’s life such as their sight, joints and muscles. If nothing else, a decent dry food will give your pet boundless energy and a soft, sleek coat. Dry foods usually have variations in flavour and composition that are suited to pets with allergies or specific dietary requirements, making them the ideal choice for pets that need it.
The Conclusion
The reality of choosing a food for your pet is that half the battle is trying a food, the other half is hoping that they’ll take to it. It can be a process of trial and error to find a food that your pet actually enjoys, but once you do that’s it, you can think about changing it later when the time is right or when their needs shift.
We can offer you dietary advice, consultations on how to improve your pet’s health or how to choose a better food based on our extensive knowledge. You and your pet are in safe hands with us.
For now pet-pals, we say goodbye!