- Wet food has about 110 kcal per 100 g for dogs and 87 kcal for cats, about a quarter of dry food.
- Feed by calories, not by volume: the label figure for your food beats any chart.
- Only "complete" wet food can be the whole diet. "Complementary" cans are toppers.
- Mixing? Each 100 g of wet food replaces roughly 25 to 30 g of dry.
On this page
Wet food for dogs
A neutered adult dog needs about 1.6 times its resting energy. At 110 kcal per 100 g (the middle of the complete wet foods we stock):
| Dog's weight | Calories a day | Wet food a day | 375 g trays |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 kg | 374 kcal | 340 g | 0.9 |
| 10 kg | 630 kcal | 573 g | 1.5 |
| 15 kg | 854 kcal | 776 g | 2.1 |
| 20 kg | 1,059 kcal | 963 g | 2.6 |
| 30 kg | 1,436 kcal | 1,305 g | 3.5 |
For a large dog, wet food alone means a lot of trays. Most owners of big dogs use wet food as part of the meal.
Wet food for cats
A neutered adult cat needs about 1.2 times its resting energy. At 87 kcal per 100 g:
| Cat's weight | Calories a day | Wet food a day | 85 g pouches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 kg | 191 kcal | 221 g | 2.6 |
| 4 kg | 238 kcal | 274 g | 3.2 |
| 5 kg | 281 kcal | 324 g | 3.8 |
| 6 kg | 322 kcal | 371 g | 4.4 |
Wet food is a simple way to get more water into cats, many of whom drink little.
Mixing wet and dry
Decide the share of calories from each, then work out the grams. A common split is a quarter of the calories from wet food. Our wet vs dry guide has a calculator.
Check and adjust
Complete wet foods in our range
Gosbi FreskoStarter Puppy (tray)From $5.00$4.50 on subscription
Gosbi FreskoLight Adult (tray)From $4.00$3.60 on subscription
Gosbi FreskoFish & Fruits (tray)From $4.00$3.60 on subscription
Gosbi DelicatKitten Chicken (pouch)From $1.75$1.57 on subscription
Gosbi DelicatKitten Chicken with Lamb (pouch)From $1.75$1.57 on subscription
Gosbi DelicatAdult Chicken & Salmon (pouch)From $1.75$1.57 on subscriptionQuestions
Is wet food enough on its own?
Yes, if the label says complete. Complementary foods lack some nutrients and should be mixed with a complete food.
How long can wet food stay in the bowl?
About 30 minutes at room temperature. Cover opened food and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 days.
Should I warm wet food?
Serving it at room temperature makes it smell stronger, which helps picky eaters. Never serve it hot.
This guide is general information for healthy pets, not veterinary advice. If your pet has a health condition, is pregnant, or is losing or gaining weight unexpectedly, talk to your vet.