Research reveals why cats are often fussy eaters
New research carried out by scientists from the WALTHAM Centre for Pet Nutrition has revealed that cats choose to combine wet and dry foods to achieve a consistent intake of protein, fat and carbohydrate.
These findings indicate that domestic cats have maintained the capacity to regulate macronutrient intake to closely match the “natural” diet of their wild ancestors. During the research, when offered complex combinations of different foods, cats regularly targeted an intake of protein, fat and carbohydrate that is similar to that of wild cats.
The experiments involved four wet foods and four dry foods which were offered to cats in different combinations across three experiments. The cats achieved the same balance of protein, fat and carbohydrate intake across all experiments. This was despite the differences in the textures, moisture levels and macronutrient content of the foods offered, as well as the large number of bowls of food on offer.
The results from these experiments proved to be in line with previous findings published in the Journal of Experimental Biology in 2011 showing that cats have a dietary macronutrient target of approximately 52% of their daily calorie intake from protein, 36% from fat and 12% from carbohydrate
Dr. Adrian Hewson-Hughes, study author and WALTHAM® scientist, commented on the study: “This research is important for owners as it shows that cats are able to select and combine foods to achieve their target intake of protein, fat and carbohydrate. Providing cats with a combination of both wet and dry food enables cats to not only mix a diet inline with their preferred macronutrient target, but also express their desire to sample different foods.”
The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.
