Wet food or kibble for your cat? How to combine dry and wet food

"Dry or wet?" is the most common question in the cat food aisle. The honest answer: both have their place, and many cats thrive on a mixed diet. This guide explains what each form offers, how to combine them without overfeeding, and what it costs.

1. What Moisture Brings

Wet food contains approximately 75 to 80% water, compared to 8 to 10% for dry food. Cats are naturally low drinkers, so adding wet food to their diet significantly increases their water intake, which is often desirable for indoor cats, neutered cats, and senior cats. Wet food is also more palatable, which is helpful for picky eaters or cats recovering from illness. The cat wet food section includes pouches, cans, mousses, and terrines.

2. What Kibble Provides

They keep for weeks once the bag is opened, can be measured out to the gram, cost less per meal, and don't go off when left out. They also allow the use of dispensers and enrichment toys. See the cat food section.

3. The Mixed Diet, Without Overdoing It

The classic mistake: adding wet food "on top" of regular kibble without removing anything. Result: an overweight cat. The rule is simple: wet food replaces part of the kibble. Packaging usually provides an equivalent; if not, an 85 g pouch roughly replaces 20 to 25 g of kibble depending on the nutritional density of both foods. Weigh at first, then adjust based on your cat's body condition.

A common routine: measured kibble in the morning (or via a feeder), wet food in the evening. Stick to the same age range (kitten, adult, neutered) for both types.

4. Storage and hygiene

An opened sachet or box should be kept in the refrigerator for 24 to 48 hours in a sealed container, and served at room temperature (cats often refuse cold food). The wet food bowl should be washed after each meal. Kibble should be stored in a sealed bag or airtight container, away from heat.

5. The budget in dinars

Wet food is more expensive per meal: on the marketplace, a pouch or can ranges from one to a few dinars per unit depending on the brand and size, while a large bag of kibble brings the cost per meal down to a few hundred millimes. A reasonable mixed diet (one portion of wet food per day) remains affordable and is easy to compare: check the price per kilo for dry food and the price per unit for wet food.

6. When to Ask Your Veterinarian

A cat with a history of urinary, kidney or weight issues, or one following a veterinary diet, should not change food type or product range without advice: the TunisieVet directory helps you find a clinic near you. Any diet change should be made gradually over one week.

In summary

• Wet food provides moisture and palatability; dry food provides convenience and budget-friendliness.
• Wet food replaces part of the kibble, it is not added on top.
• Same age range for both forms; transition over one week.
• Compare to the price per kilo (dry) and per unit (wet); see the full cat products section.