55% of Cat Owners Mix Dry and Wet Food; Palatability, Cost-Performance, and Nutrition Rank as Top Priorities

Choosing the Daily Dish: How People Select Cat Food

As the number of households welcoming cats increases, so does the dilemma of what to feed them. Should it be dry food or wet? Should price be the priority, or nutrition? A recent survey conducted in partnership with premium cat food specialist 'tama' investigated these selection criteria with 100 cat owners nationwide.

### Survey Overview - Methodology: Online survey - Period: May 26 – June 2, 2026 - Participants: Nationwide males and females who currently live with a cat - Valid responses: 100 samples

### 55.0% Choose to Mix Dry and Wet Food When asked about the current type of food provided, the most common response was 'mixing dry and wet food' at 55.0%. This was followed by 'dry food only' at 35.0% and 'wet food only' at 8.0%. Many owners seem to combine the benefits of each—such as ease of storage, palatability, and hydration—to suit their cat's needs.

### 38.0% Prioritize 'Palatability' Above All When asked for the most important factor in choosing cat food, 'palatability/willingness to eat' topped the list at 38.0%. This was followed by 'price/cost-performance' (21.0%) and 'nutritional balance/ingredient list' (19.0%). Owners noted that even if a food is nutritionally balanced, it is difficult to continue if the cat refuses to eat it.

### Information Gathering Methods For gathering information on cat food, 'review sites/word-of-mouth platforms' were used by 27.0% of respondents, making them the most popular source. This was followed by 'official manufacturer/brand websites' and 'word-of-mouth from family/friends' (25.0% each), and 'consultations with animal hospitals/veterinarians' (21.0%).