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Wet vs dry cat food, from the label.

The numbers on a cat food bag and a can are not on the same scale. Here is how the two formats differ across 57 dry and 17 wet cat foods in our catalog, once the water is taken out of the sum.

The same facts, side by side

Medians with the lowest and highest recorded value. Only foods that state a value are counted.

Label fact

Dry57 foods

Wet17 foods

Moisture (max)As fed. This is the main reason wet and dry foods read differently.

9%range 7.5–12% · 57 foods

82%range 78–84% · 17 foods

Protein (min), as fedMisleading across formats because wet food is mostly water.

36%range 27–47% · 57 foods

11%range 8–12% · 17 foods

Protein (min), dry matterCalculated from label values; not stated on the label.

40%range 29.3–52.2% · 57 foods

50%range 40.9–68.8% · 17 foods

Fat (min), dry matterCalculated from label values; not stated on the label.

17.8%range 10.2–24.7% · 57 foods

17.6%range 12.5–45.5% · 17 foods

Calories per 100 g, as fedFrom the label's recorded calories per kg.

384 kcalrange 326–451 kcal · 53 foods

87 kcalrange 74–155 kcal · 17 foods

Protein per 100 kcal (min)Grams of protein for every 100 calories. Puts wet and dry foods on one scale. Calculated from label values; not stated on the label.

9.4 grange 7–12.5 g · 53 foods

9.8 grange 6.4–15.6 g · 17 foods

Dry matter values use each label's own moisture maximum. Calorie rows use the calories per kg recorded from each label; a food without a recorded calorie value is left out of those rows (Not verified yet).

Why as-fed numbers mislead

A wet food can list 8% protein and a dry food 34%, which looks like a big gap. Wet food is often around 75–80% water, so most of its weight is not nutrient at all. Converting both to a dry matter basis removes the water and puts them on one scale. The table above does that for you.

What the label cannot tell you

A label shows minimums and maximums, not how much your pet will eat, how well a food is digested, or whether it suits a health condition. Hydration, dental health, weight, and any medical need are questions for your veterinarian. Ask your veterinarian before changing a pet's diet.

Examples from the catalog

One food per brand, listed alphabetically. Open any food to see its full label facts and source.

Dry cat food

Wet cat food

Compare one dry and one wet food side by side