Introduction
Are you a cat parent who adores your cat and wishes to provide it with the best diet possible? Is your cat getting too old to eat hard traditional cat food? If yes, then you might want to consider switching to a soft dry cat food diet.
One of the most challenging aspects of being a cat parent is ensuring that your cat gets proper nutrition. Feeding dry cat food to cats, mainly when they are old and have difficulty chewing, can be a considerable challenge. As a result, it is critical to obtain soft dry cat food for such cats, as it contains all the necessary nutrients.
With so many cat food brands and formulas, finding the right soft dry cat food for your cat can be difficult. Fortunately, we have assembled a list of the top 5 best soft dry cat food options for your furry friend that you should consider today. So, keep reading because we’ve also highlighted the difference between soft dry, and wet food and the health benefits your cat will receive from them.
What is Soft Dry Cat Food?
Soft dry cat food is known to be higher watery content than other dry food for cats. These substitute foods frequently include chewier outer layers or soft interiors to relieve some of the pressure on your cat’s teeth.
Adult cats can eat these soft replacements, balanced meals replicating the taste and texture of real chicken or raw ground beef. Even if your cat has terrible teeth, the availability of canned food, dehydrated kibble, wet meat, and meat by-products has made it feasible for your cat to acquire the necessary nutrients and satisfaction from pre-packaged food.
Once poured into the cat’s bowl, these have a smooth texture, are simple to chew, and are prepared for consumption. It’s critical to check the ingredients, nutritional values, and suitability of these soft dry foods when purchasing them for your cat.
What are the Types of Soft Kibble Cat Food?
The percentage of water content in each food type is the primary defining factor for the different kinds of soft cat food.
Wet soft and dry soft food are the two types of soft cat food that are commonly available.
Dry Cat Food
Soft dry cat food includes less water, often around 7-10% moisture. Dry food, also known as dry kibble, is typically considered a healthier choice for cats’ molars due to its bone-dry and crunchy nature.
The starches are made more palatable by adding meats, nutrients, minerals, and lipids before boiling the mixture at a high temperature and pressure. It is straightforward to offer to your kitties. It is also possible to leave the food in the cat’s bowl indefinitely to eat whenever it feels hungry.
Although you may be inclined to store your dry cat food in a plastic tub, keeping it in the original bag with a special lining that keeps the food fresh is best.
Wet Cat Food
Dry food is an excellent choice for your cats. It’s reasonably priced, convenient, and simple to store. However, some cats have difficulty munching dry foods. Kittens with developing teeth, seniors who have lost a few teeth or have gum problems, or even cats with dental issues can benefit from softer, more tolerable food. For such cats comes in soft wet food.
Wet cat foods typically contain fresh or frozen meats and a protein source derived from granules. The meats mixed with water, fats, and vitamins go through a heat treatment, which destroys microbial contamination.
The high moisture in wet food is another advantage, at least for pets with certain health conditions. Because cats are obligate carnivores, higher protein and fat proportions relative to carbohydrates may also be beneficial.
5 Best Soft Dry Cat Foods
Here is a list of the five best soft dry cat food choices that your cat would love to eat.
ZIWI Peak Air-Dried Cat Food
Ziwi Peak Cat Food is a New Zealand-based premium animal food brand. It is an exceptional “air-dried” cat food that is more related to a raw diet than a dry kibble meal. When cooking normal kibble, some nutrient content is lost during the process, which won’t be the case with this air-dried cat food.
It comprises 96% chicken, organs, and tendons and the wonderful New Zealand eco-friendly mussels. It is designed precisely in accordance with feline nutrition, with no cost-cutting measures.
Another advantage is that the food retains more moisture, which is critical for cats who may neglect their water intake. It’s simply impossible to find cat food with such a high meat material in kibble form. This food contains almost no carbohydrates. There are no grains or fillers.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ A grain-free formula with few ingredients | ❌ Expensive product |
| ✔️ Chicken, organs, and green mussels account for 96% of the total. | |
| ✔️ Low-calorie content to aid in weight loss | |
| ✔️ Healthy crude protein-to-carbohydrate ratio |
Tender & True Organic Chicken & Liver Recipe Grain-Free Dry Cat Food
Tender & True was the first to produce USDA organically certified, humanely raised pet food. Tender and True organic chicken and liver recipe grain-free dry cat food comes from organically grown chicken in the United States. It combines natural foods, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals precisely blended for optimal nutrition. And has no artificial flavors, colors, preservatives, or hormones.
The most abundant ingredient in Tender & True Organic Chicken & Liver is organic chicken, a high-quality protein source. It also contains organic chicken liver, which is another protein-rich source.
It also has organic pea flour as a top ingredient. These ingredients commonly act as bulking agents and are not required in your cat’s diet.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ The main ingredient is cage-free chicken | ❌ High in carbohydrates |
| ✔️ Formula without corn, soy, wheat, or grains | |
| ✔️ Useable for cats of all breeds and ages | |
| ✔️ Available at a reasonable cost |
Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend Adult Dry Cat Food
Purina ONE Tender Selects Blend Adult Dry Cat Food includes crunchy kibble and meaty, tender morsels. An essential component is chicken, but with rice flour and corn gluten meal as the following two ingredients, this does not appear to be meat-based.
The food also has a chicken by-product meal as an additional source of animal protein which helps give your cat the protein needed to support big muscles. This cat food is without artificial flavors or preservatives, using only natural ingredients like carrots and peas.
Moreover, it also contains omega-6 fatty acids, which help nourish and keep healthy skin. This meal not only tastes great, but it also provides 100% complete and well-balanced nutrition for adult cats. The antioxidant-rich blend in this formula promotes a healthy immune system.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ Well-balanced crude protein and fat levels | ❌ Controversial ingredients might be present |
| ✔️ Low cost | |
| ✔️ Contains animal-sourced fat | |
| ✔️ Various sizes are available |
Stella & Chewy’s Freeze-Dried Raw Yummy Lickin’ Salmon & Chicken
This tasty cat food is produced in small packets in their USA kitchen to provide your cat with premium protein-rich meat and quality grain-free nutrients.
Its all-natural list of ingredients makes it simple to feed your kitty only the best. This recipe, made from 100 % sustainable ingredients and raw single-source protein, begins with 98% wild fish and farm-raised chicken, including organs, bone, and healthy pumpkin seeds.
It combines the perks of raw food nutrition with the ease of freeze-dried preparation. This produces the highest level of quality.
Furthermore, they are all organic and minimally processed. As a result, no hormones, antibiotics, grain products, or fillers are in Stella & Chewy’s recipes.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ Animal proteins are abundant | ❌ Expensive |
| ✔️ Free-range chicken and wild-caught salmon | |
| ✔️ Fruits and vegetables are grown organically | |
| ✔️ Ingredients specific to species |
Friskies Tender & Crunchy Combo Adult Dry Cat Food
Friskies Tender & Crunchy Combo Adult Dry Cat Food provides more reasons for your cat to enjoy her mealtime. This cat food contains authentic chicken flavors, so you can feel great about feeding your cat a high-quality meal. The combination of chicken and beef flavors combined with garden vegetables provides the taste that the cat desires.
It provides all the nutrition needed for her exploratory adult years, thanks to a formula that offers 100% complete and balanced food for adult cats. The fun shapes alert her that tasty goodness is just around the corner. The vital vitamins and minerals in each serving make you feel good about stuffing your cats dish.
Lastly, this delicious cat food comes from the United States, so you can relax knowing where your cat’s meals are coming from. Each batch is subjected to strict safety and quality checks, giving you peace of mind every time you serve this cat food.
| Pros | Cons |
| ✔️ Inexpensive | ❌ It’s possible to use low-quality |
| ✔️ There are numerous recipes available | |
| ✔️ Added minerals and vitamins | |
| ✔️ Made in the United States |
7 Health Benefits of a Soft Kibble Diet
Soft dry cat food is appropriate for your cat because it is soft and does not have to be crispy like other types of dry foods.
Soft dry kibble food has several advantages. For example, they are full of fiber, which reduces chasms by providing less sugar. They are also high in protein and other essential nutrients for your cat.
Here are seven benefits of soft dry kibble cat food that you should read to understand why this diet is the best choice for your cat.
- Improved Overall Hydration
Cats ignore standing water because it is a source of bacteria and insects. As a result, they may prefer not to drink from a cat bowl or dish. Despite this, water is essential for chemical reactions, temperature regulation, bone health, and mobility in the body. It accounts for roughly 60% of your cat’s body weight, so maintaining proper hydration through adequate water intake is critical.
Soft wet cat food is the best way to supplement cats water intake. While it cannot completely replace water, it does help to improve her overall hydration.
- Increases the variety of food
Cats, like many people, can become frustrated with their food after eating it daily. Some cats crave variety, not just like it. Dry food alone might not always fulfill this craving. You can satisfy your cat’s desire for new and exciting tastes and aromas by including more wet food in her diet. Because soft wet food cans are small, it’s simple to buy a variety to see what your cat prefers.
With so many different flavors and textures to try, each meal will be an exciting ride for your cat. Whether she prefers seafood flavors in a sweet sauce, more classical chicken pate, or food in a flavorful gravy, feeding wet food will satisfy her desire for variety.
- Better for sensitive digestion
Soft dry cat food reduces the initial workload of digestive enzymes, which are worse during illness or recovery.
It is also gentler on the esophagus, which may be enlarged and irritated in a dog or cat suffering from acid reflux or recovering from diarrhea episodes.
- Easier brand Switching
Not only will the kibble food help to disguise any differences, but the change in nutrient content will also be gentler for the digestive tract.
It is always better to gradually switch between cat food brands or recipes over several days, whether you feed wet, dry, or both.
- Promotes Dental Health
Chewing soft kibble may aid in the prevention of teeth damage to your senior cat.
However, whether you feed wet or dry food, regular dental checkups by your veterinarian can help keep your cat’s dental health in check.
- Simple and inexpensive
A bag of soft kibble food is typically less expensive than the equivalent number of meals in dry food. And one bag can last a long time.
As a result, it may be a viable option for cat parents on a tight budget.
- Increases lean body mass
Soft wet cat food contains a lot of protein, which helps you build strong muscles. It also aids in the maintenance of muscle mass throughout adulthood and into a cat’s elderly years.
Cats naturally lose LBM as they age. Soft wet cat food with a high amount of protein can help cats retain their LBM as they age.
Conclusion
As cat owners, we are always looking for the best healthy food for our cats, and as they get older, finding the best soft dry cat food can be tricky.
This article has discussed the top 5 soft dry cat foods. These high-quality premium products will ensure that your pet gets all of the nutrients your cat needs, regardless of age or dental issues.
We hope this article has helped you find the best food for your feline companion. Remember to take your time and research before deciding on a brand of cat food to purchase.