Scientists have been able to explain why many cats are too picky with food.
Scientists say that in choosing products, cats are not just capricious in rejecting it or other refreshments, and try to stick to a healthy diet.
The highly selective attitude to food is inherent to many cats is usually associated with the “wrong” ratio of protein and fat to offer them the products, experts say. While smell, taste and texture of food for these animals is not so important.
A group of scientists from the UK and Australia have found that the evolution of cats associated with eating foods with certain ratio of protein and fat. The preferred ratio of protein to fat is 1 to 0,4. A complete study on the dietary preferences of cats published in Royal Society Open Science.
Besides the fact that cats try to adhere to a balanced diet, their picky eating can be explained by neophobia. “This means that cats don’t want to try products that are new or different from the usual food,” says the study’s lead author, Adrian Hewson-Hughes of the nutrition Center for Pets in Leicestershire (UK).
To explore factors influencing food choices, the researchers conducted a series of experiments. Cats were offered a choice of different products. Noted that each time the animals chose food with a certain ratio of nutrients.
The taste, smell and texture of the animals were hardly taken into account: the cats were even ready to eat food with orange flavor, if the quantity of protein, fat and carbohydrates to meet their needs.
Selectivity in nutrition is justified from the point of view of evolution: in the wild a new food can cause illness or death of the animal. Neophobia relevant to modern cats, which one day may be beyond safe home environment.
Scientists have noted that foods with a balanced composition, cats not just capricious in rejecting it or other refreshments, and try to stick to a healthy diet.
But do not forget that a change in eating behavior may indicate discomfort. The main symptoms of the disease include, among others, avoidance of bright light, growling, moaning and closing your eyes
