Wet food as part of diet
At least 80% of the 20+ year-old cats in my survey had wet food as a regular
part of their diet.
They ate it several times per week, though not necessarily exclusively. Many
had dry food in addition to wet food.
Considering that most people feed their cats dry food almost all the time--and
most vets are still in the habit of encouraging dry food--this high percentage of
long-living cats eating wet food strikes me as significant.
Why would wet food promote longevity?
I believe wet food, whether canned, homemade, or raw, is longevity-promoting
because it helps prevent kidney problems (CRF), urinary tract disease
(FLUTD), and diabetes. Each of these conditions can shorten a cat’s life.
Cats don’t eat anything dry in nature. Even the grass they chew has a lot of
moisture in it.
Plus, 75% of kidney function has to be lost before serious abnormalities even
show up on blood tests. By the time you find out, a lot of damage is already
done. But there’s a bright side to being aware of this. It means that, even if
our cat is prone to kidney disease for a non-diet reason, it’s never too early for
us to take measures to prolong the onset of the disease.
Compelling expert statements on how wet food helps prevent
diseases
