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Specific information on nutritional requirements of cats and dogs and the impact on their health and wellbeing.
People are encouraged to include dietary fibre in their diets to promote gut health, and a diet with plenty of vegetables - a natural source of fibre - correlates with better health outcomes. But what does this mean for pets?
Cats are designed to get their nutrition from eating small prey animals. They cannot utilise plant proteins to satisfy their nutrient requirements. In the wild, a cat would be eating a high protein, high moisture content, meat based diet, with moderate fat, and minimal carbohydrate (pre-digested by a herbivore).
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning they have nutritional requirements that can only be met with a diet based on animal tissue. The macronutrient profile for cats is high in protein and fat, consistent with a meat and bone based diet.
Dogs are sometimes referred to as omnivores, because they have the ability to survive on a diet which includes plant material. Cats are usually referred to as 'true' carnivores.
Professor David Raubenheimer is a world-renowned nutritional ecologist (and a Kiwi). He has developed a model investigating the interaction of macro-nutrients (carbohydrate, fat and protein) in various species, including primates and carnivores.
We may suggest higher energy products for super-lean pets who struggle to keep weight on or for high activity and overly energetic dogs. Or leaner products for pets with certain health conditions or need to manage their weight.