Cats Should Eat Only Canned Food

Dr. Debra Greco, internal medicine feline specialist formerly from Colorado State University, and currently on staff at Animal Medical Center in New York, has done research regarding the appropriate diet for cats. She has found that over the last 25+ years there has been an increase in sugar diabetes (diabetes mellitus), and other disease in domestic cats. She feels that many of these maladies have been precipitated by the change in feeding cats, from canned to dry food.

Our domestic cats are related to wild cats (lion, tiger, cougar, etc). Although wild dogs eat both meat and carbohydrates (berries, roots, etc.), wild cats are fed MEAT.

Dr. Greco feels that carbohydrates (vegetation) are actually "toxic" to cats, causing them to form a special scar tissue (amylin) in their pancrease. This predisposes them to pancreatitis and ultimately to possible diabetes. She feels other maladies are also precipitated, in some cats, by the feeding of dry food. To be extruded as "dry" food, a large amount of carbohydrates need to be in the product.

 At Morris Hospital we have seen many cats diagnosed with inflammatory bowel disease, chronic hairball vomiting, chronic skin or urinary problems and chronic pancreatitis, whose "attacks" of illness were either minimized or TOTALLY eliminated, by stopping dry food.

Although the most expensive canned foods are good, Dr. Greco feels that the less expensive national brands such as Fancy Feast, Friskies, etc. are just as good. We advise NOT feeding generic or store brand diets, as they are not as strictly monitored as to the quality and consistency as the better known brands.

Another misconception, brought on by the ad agencies, is that cats need to have the opportunity to eat "all day long". Cats, just as dogs, can eat 2-3 times daily. Allowing free access only encourages obesity.

Yes, there are many cats that have lived a very long life while eating dry food. Occasionally, there are a few cats who are so used to dry food that they cannot be switched over to canned food. Do not just withhold food from a cat to try to force them to eat canned food. If a cat doesn't eat for as little as 3 days, liver disease can develop and become life threatening. We will offer advice on the best way to switch your cat to canned food.