Pet Food Processing - January 2024 - 18

TRENDS
" Generally, cats are more discriminating than dogs, "
said Dan Su, DVM, board-certified veterinary nutritionist
and manager of nutrition services for BSM Partners,
Bentonville, Ark. " Cats are also more sensitive to texture,
so formulators have to take that into consideration as
well. An example of this is the numerous textures available
in wet foods with products such as pate, chunks and
gravy, minced, etc. to satisfy differing cat preferences. In
fresh formulations, dogs will eat most ingredients that
are used in the formulation, but cats may not eat even
an all-meat diet if the smell, flavor or texture is not to
their liking. "
Cat-specific challenges
Aside from their differing sensory perceptions, many
other challenges arise when creating cat-specific nutrition,
from the right ingredients to supply chain and sustainability
issues.
Regarding ingredients, it's imperative that both
suppliers and manufacturers understand the differWe
found that many cat
parents are tired of not being
able to get nutrition and care
products tailored for their
best friends. "
Rachit Shadra, The Better Cat
Top: To address
increasing consumer
demand for sustainability,
The Better
Cat's formulas are
made with algae oil
instead of salmon oil.
The Healthy Pet Co. GmbH
Bottom: Companies
like The Better Cat
are aiming to fulfill a
gap in the pet food
market by focusing
exclusively on cat
nutrition.
The Healthy Pet Co. GmbH
we may be inferring disinterest or dislike when they like
the food just fine, but just don't feel like eating when you
want them to or aren't communicating their interest in a
way that we expect or would like, " she added.
As explained by Rawson, cats' taste receptors are
much different compared to those in dogs. For one
thing, a cat's sugar taste receptor has mutated to be
nonfunctional, meaning felines cannot taste sweet flavors.
Secondly, their umami taste receptor responds
more strongly to amino acids like aspartate. Also, cats'
bitter taste receptors are much smaller than those in
dogs and humans.
Not only do cat's taste receptors differ - so does their
eating style. Unlike dogs, cats do not chew their food, preferring
instead to swallow it whole. This makes selecting
the right texture and shape imperative when formulating,
as a cat relies on a lengthier decision process to fully understand
their food before they're willing take it down.
18 PET FOOD PROCESSING | January 2024 | www.petfoodprocessing.net
ences for cats. Since felines and canines are not the
same species, adjusting a dog food formula to suit cats
may not be the best approach as many ingredients
have differing toxicity levels and health impacts. For
instance, different phosphate sources impact felines
differently than canines.
" Not all phosphate sources are created equal, " Su explained.
" Research shows that inorganic phosphates
from supplemental phosphorus sources/acidifiers like
phosphoric acid, but not organic sources from meat
and bone, can contribute to long term kidney damage
in cats. Because of this, the industry is going to have to
shift formulation strategy and infrastructure to accommodate
for using other ingredients that don't contribute
more inorganic phosphorus to feline diets. "
Issues with proteins are rising too. Since cats are obligate
carnivores and find proteins to be extremely palatable,
feline-only pet food manufacturers are demanding
even more from an already strained protein supply
chain. Additionally, cat parents are becoming more
aware of their felines' environmental paw-print. As cultured
meat, plant-based proteins and insects proliferate
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