Wet vs dry cat food cost comparison for moggies

You're doing the right maths here — wet twice daily versus dry free-feeding is one of the most common cost dilemmas cat owners face, and the answer isn't always what people expect. Honestly, wet food is the better choice for most cats: it keeps them hydrated, more satisfied, and it's closer to what a cat's body is designed to eat. Dry free-feeding often leads to overeating and weight creep over time, which creates vet costs down the line. That said, cost is real and worth taking seriously. To give you an actual comparison: how old is your cat, any health issues I should know about, and are you currently feeding dry, wet, or a mix?

Good news: at 5 with no health conditions, she's in the easiest category to cater for. And the cost gap is probably smaller than you think. A healthy adult moggy needs roughly 150–200g of wet food per day split across two meals. If you're buying in bulk from a decent mid-range brand, you're looking at around £1.00–£1.40 a day. Dry free-feeding sounds cheap, but cats tend to overconsume it, so you're often spending more than you realise and setting up future weight issues. What's her current weight and build — is she lean, average, or carrying a bit extra?

That's actually a really strong reason to make the switch now. Free-feeding dry is almost certainly why she's carrying extra weight — it's very hard for cats to self-regulate with dry food available all day. Wet food twice daily naturally controls portions and the higher protein and moisture content keeps her fuller on fewer calories. My recommendation for your situation is Sheba Perfect Portions — the pâté variety in the multipack trays. It's widely available on Amazon UK, reasonably priced at around £12–£14 for a 24-pack, it's a complete food, and the single-serving tray format means no leftovers and no overfeeding. Two trays a day keeps it simple and the cost works out around £1.00–£1.20 per day. For a slightly chunkier cat you'd start at two trays and monitor her weight over 6–8 weeks.

She might kick off a bit — cats that have grazed on dry their whole lives can be stubborn about change. The trick is to transition gradually over 7–10 days: start by offering wet at mealtimes alongside a reducing amount of dry, rather than going cold turkey. If she turns her nose up at the pâté texture, Sheba also does a fine flakes version in the same range which some cats prefer. The key is to not cave and put the dry bowl back down — she'll adjust within a week or two once she realises wet is what's on offer. Hunger is a great persuader.

Good call — it's one of the better value complete wet foods on the market and the portion control will genuinely help with her weight over time. If after a month or two you want to introduce a small amount of a high-quality dry as a complement rather than the base of her diet, that's fine — but I'd get her into the wet habit first. Good luck with her.