What is dry matter basis and why does it matter?
Dry matter basis (DMB) removes moisture from the equation so you can compare cat foods fairly - regardless of how they were processed or how much water they contain.
Without converting to dry matter basis, comparing two foods with different moisture levels is like comparing prices without accounting for package size. The numbers look different but don't tell you which is actually better value.
Why moisture makes raw numbers misleading
A food listed as "30% protein" on the label could be nutritionally richer or poorer than another listed at "40% protein" - depending entirely on water content. Dry matter basis strips that water out so what remains is comparable.
How the conversion works
The formula is simple:
DMB % = (Nutrient % ÷ (100 - Moisture %)) × 100
So a food with 30% protein and 10% moisture actually has 33.3% dry matter protein.
What this means for scoring
Every product on Cat Food Central is converted to dry matter basis before any scoring rule is applied. This means every score reflects the actual nutritional content of the food - not an inflated or deflated number caused by moisture differences.
When comparing two foods, always use the dry matter numbers - not the as-fed numbers printed on the bag. The difference can be significant.
Dive Deeper →
Last updated 3 days ago