Glossary

Dry food

Cat food baked or extruded into small pieces with about 10 percent water, convenient and shelf-stable but low in moisture.

Also called: kibble, biscuits, dry cat food, dry matter

Dry food, or kibble, is made by cooking a mix of ingredients under heat and pressure, forming it into small pieces and drying it. It holds only about 10 percent water. It keeps well, is easy to measure and store and costs less per serving than wet food.

Because it is so dry, a cat eating only kibble must drink more to make up the difference, and not every cat does, see hydration. Kibble also holds more starch than meat does, and it is dense in calories, so it is easy to overfeed. Free-feeding bowls of dry food are a common route to weight gain, see free feeding.

The idea that kibble cleans teeth is only partly true. Standard pieces do little, though a few diets made for dental health have been tested for this. Brushing, if the cat allows it, and regular dental checks do far more.

Many owners feed a mixture of wet and dry. Use a measuring scoop or scale instead of guessing, and consider a puzzle feeder to slow the cat. Choose a food that is complete and balanced, and ask your vet about the right amount and about a switch for cats with urinary, kidney or weight concerns.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

In the index now

Related terms

Wet food Cat food sold in cans, pouches or trays, containing roughly 70 to 80 percent water, which helps a cat get more fluid. Hydration Keeping a cat's body supplied with enough water, which matters because cats drink little and are prone to urinary and kidney problems. Free feeding Leaving food out all day so a cat can eat when it likes, which suits some cats but often leads to overeating. Puzzle feeder A toy or tray that makes a cat work to get its food, adding exercise and mental effort to mealtimes. Complete and balanced A pet-food label claim that a food supplies all the nutrients a cat needs at a stated life stage, when used as the only diet.

Related guides

Feeding a kitten: food, amounts and timing How to choose kitten food, how often to feed through the first year, wet versus dry, water and weight checks, and the signs that call for a vet. Wet food or dry food for cats What wet and dry cat food each offer, how water intake and weight differ, and how to choose or mix them with your vet's help.