there really are only opinions.  Pretty much as it is with human diet as
well.

You are right, there is no definitive answer and EXPERTS seem to disagree.
The brest rule of thumb is a combination of wet and dry food, though not
mixed together. The kidney problem is a very real problem and seems to
affect more neutered males than any other cat. Yes, cats do like meat and
yes, they do need meat. Look on the back of the box or bag of dry food. What
are the first three ingredients listed. Are they meat? Also, if you feed
them "people" food, make sure that the meat is cooked. Wild cats are used to
eating raw meat. House cats lose many of the antibodies that are built up
and cannot tolerate raw meat. Obviously, chicken bones are a no-no just as
they are with dogs.

Lastly, to avoid any kidney problems make sure that your cat has access to
plenty of fresh and clean water. They seem to prefer running water. We use
one of those charcoal filtered running water systems by Petmate.

Cats are obligate carnivores. This means they *have* to eat meat to
survive, since their bodies do not produce certain aminoacids that only
exist in animal protein. Furthermore, cats have evolved to get most of
their water from their food, cats in the wild tend to drink little
water. Cats have absolutely no dietary requirement for carbohydrates.
So, next time you're ready to purchase foods, look at the label. Why are
you feeding corn or rice to a carnivore?