I have always considered myself a dog person rather than a cat person. However, a recent discovery has me rethinking this position. I will always love dogs, but my affection for cats may have grown due to the results of a study I saw.
A total of 355 domestic cats from 219 homes known to bring back kill in England were recruited for the experiment. All cats were observed in their natural settings for seven weeks before any modifications to daily activity or their diet occurred, reports Gizmodo. These initial observations provided baseline data for how frequently each kitty brought home prey. Then, the researchers introduced one group of cats to a grain-free, high-meat diet. Meanwhile, another group got an extra five to ten minutes of play each day or a puzzle feeder enrichment toy meant to stimulate the feline’s mind, Science News reports. The researchers also tested brightly-colored collars and bells to see if these devices deterred feline prey, reports Jack Guy for CNN.
Cats with the grain-free, protein-rich diet brought home 36 percent fewer dead animals than cats with unchanged diets, reports Layal Liverpool for the New Scientist.
Gamillo, Elizabeth. “To Protect Local Wildlife, Feed Your Cat Meatier Meals.” Smitsonian Magazine, 17 Feb. 2021, http://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/meat-dense-diet-and-increased-playtime-shrinks-felines-urge-hunt-180977016., Smithsonian Magazine
So it turns out cats are pretty cool. They are adept hunters, however, it is not necessarily their desire to kill, rather their insatiable appetite for meat. Now that is something I can relate to. As someone who is fairly carnivorous, I have gained a new appreciation of cats.
Most cat foods contain high-quality proteins. However, they’re often plant-based and may send cats in search of micronutrients missing from their cat food, Gizmodo reports.
And cats eat meat because they know it is good for them! While this may be at odds with a number of plant-based cat owners, cats seem to know what is best for them. The plant-based crowd may refute this, but the choice is theirs. Feed their cat(s) meat or have more dead animals.
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