Can Ferrets Eat Wet Cat Food?

If you’re out of ferret food but you have other pets, you might find yourself tempted to feed your ferret some of their food. But despite the fact that ferrets are often compared to cats, their diets are not similar. This means they can only eat a little bit of wet cat food, from time to time, as a treat. In this article, we’ll talk about what kind of cat food ferrets can eat and what foods they should never eat.

Ferret female eating meat
Source: Adobe Stock

Can ferrets eat wet cat food? How often?

If you ever owned a cat from a very young age you probably already know that kitten food is always more expensive than cat food. This is because it’s a lot richer in meat and other nutrients your small feline needs. When your cat reaches adulthood, her diet changes as well.

Ferrets need raw meat to remain healthy and happy, and kitten food has a high meat protein content. This is why if you’re even in need of a quick meal replacement for your ferret it’s best to give it kitten food and not cat food.

Cat food doesn’t contain the same levels of protein, which makes it a lot less beneficial for your little furry friend. Ferrets are picky eaters and when you run out of ferret food you might be tempted to get creative. But you need to be very careful of what you feed your ferret as many foods can harm them.

You should also be very careful how much you feed your ferret as they’re known to be hoarders. If you happen to overfeed them, they will be tempted to take the remaining wet food or chunks of meat off the tray and hide them away for later.

If the food stays hidden way too long it will inevitably go bad and cause food poisoning when your ferret finally gets around eating it. You should take your time and invest as much as you can in your little friend’s diet as it’s a very picky animal.

Is Premium Kitten Kibble Better Than Wet Cat Food?

Dry Kibble
Photo by pzbasnik on Pixabay

When you need to feed your ferret cat food you’ll have to make sure you got the best cat food you can afford. The food already doesn’t have all the nutrients your ferret needs, so it’s best to ensure it has as few harmful ingredients as possible.

Kitten food contains a lot more meat protein than cat food, and this also includes their kibble. It’s best to opt for premium kitten kibble than wet cat food. But don’t make it its diet. You should only use kitten kibble as a substitute in case you’re out of ferret food, or as treats from time to time.

When you’re trying to find out what type of pet ferrets are, you’ll often hear that they’re very similar to cats. But this only refers to their behavior, not their dietary needs. One thing they do have in common is that ferrets can eat whole prey as well. This includes mice, rats, and even chicks.

If you think that the food a ferret needs is a little too expensive, you might want to look for another pet. Ferrets are very sensitive and they can’t eat whatever you offer them like your dog does when you can’t afford their regular food.

Commercial Cat Food Ingredients – Which Ones are Good For Ferrets?

Cats can eat a lot more types of food than ferrets can. This is why you can find a very wide range of ingredients in your cat’s commercial food. This is why it’s very important to pay a lot of attention to what you get for your ferret.

If it’s an emergency or if you’re looking for something special to treat your furry friend from time to time, there are a few ingredients that your ferret will love. This includes wet cat chicken food. Ferrets absolutely love chicken and it’s highly recommended to introduce chunks of raw chicken in their diet.

The older ferrets get, the more used they get to their food and start becoming pickier. If you’re out of ferret food you could convince your ferret to eat wet cat food if it has chicken, turkey, rabbit, beef, and lamb. They might scrunch their noses at first as they’re not used to that type of food, but they might eventually eat.

One thing you should keep in mind is that wet cat food that contains fish should never be an option. It won’t hurt your pet ferret but it won’t provide any nutrients either. It might even cause blocked digestion. Fish are not a natural food for ferrets so their bodies are not designed to digest it properly.

The Ferret Diet – What Should It Include?

Sable Ferret Polecat

Ferrets are new house pets and they are not used to human food at all. Their diet needs to be balanced and designed for their body autonomy. More specifically, your ferret’s diet should consist of between 32 to 38% protein and between 15 to 20% fat.

You can feed your ferret various types of raw meat, including chicken wings and stripped carcasses, turkey necks, pigeon, rabbit, beef, lamb, and raw animal bones for calcium and for cleaning your ferret’s teeth. If you want to introduce a new type of food, it’s best to ask your vet first.

Ferrets also love whole prey, including mice, rats, and chicks. You might not like the idea but it’s important to keep them healthy and happy. You should find a local retailer that’s well-known and trusted to get the whole pray from.

One thing you should absolutely avoid is trying to catch mice and rats all by yourself. Wild whole pray can contain all kinds of diseases and parasites. You won’t want that anywhere around your pet and your home. Even if you find mice in the attic, avoid feeding them to your ferret.

FAQ – Frequently Asked Questions

What kitten food is best for ferrets?

An excellent protein-rich substitute for your ferret’s food is the Wellness CORE Natural Grain-Free Dry Cat Food. It doesn’t contain any grains that are undesirable in a ferret diet (especially corn). This cat food contains 45% protein and 18% fat. And the carbohydrates are less than 3%, which is acceptable.

What human food can Ferrets eat?

Their diet should always contain raw meat. But you can also feed them from time to time a well-cooked egg. It should only be offered as a treat and not more often than once a week. On the other hand, you should keep your ferret as far away as possible from fruits, vegetables, potato chips, peanut butter, ice cream, etc.