WINCHESTER, ENGLAND / ACCESSWIRE / September 14, 2023 / Cats is probably not fairly as carnivorous as as soon as thought. Whilst biologically carnivorous, cats are more and more being fed vegan diets – and thriving! In reality, a ground-breaking new examine has simply discovered that cats are more healthy, when fed vegan diets. The study, simply revealed in main scientific journal PLOS ONE, is the biggest such examine so far. It resulted from a global collaboration led by veterinary Professor Andrew Knight (UK) and co-authored by statisticians Dr Alexander Bauer (Germany) and Hazel Brown (UK). It studied 1,369 cats fed vegan or meat-based pet meals, for a minimum of one yr. Cats fed vegan diets had higher well being outcomes for every of seven common well being indicators studied.
Average cats fed vegan diets had a 15% lowered threat of needing remedy, and have been 7% much less more likely to go to vets extra typically, which might point out sickness. Forty two % of cats fed meat suffered from a minimum of one well being dysfunction, whereas this fell to 37% amongst vegan cats. Of the 22 commonest well being problems, 15 have been commonest in cats fed meat, and 7 commonest in these fed vegan diets. Although these reductions weren’t statistically important, collectively they reveal a powerful pattern. They additionally translate into cost financial savings for pet guardians, which can be appreciable over the lifetime of a cat, given the prices of sickness and veterinary care. Vegan pet meals additionally supply significant environmental benefits.
Stated Andrew Knight, a Veterinary Professor of Animal Welfare and the examine chief:
“For each single common well being indicator studied, these cats had higher well being outcomes when fed vegan diets. This represents a powerful and constant pattern. It signifies that pet meals producers are actually designing and creating vegan pet meals to incorporate all needed vitamins, however with fewer of the dietary hazards which can be prevalent inside meat-based pet meals. Cats consuming vegan diets have higher well being outcomes, in consequence.”
These outcomes concur with these of different, recent research. In 2021, main veterinary nutritionist Dr Sarah Dodd and colleagues revealed a examine of 1,026 cats, of whom 187 have been fed vegan diets. Cats fed vegan diets have been extra continuously reported by their guardians to be in superb well being. They had extra superb physique situation scores, and have been much less more likely to undergo from gastrointestinal and liver problems, than cats fed meat. No well being problems have been extra seemingly, for cats fed vegan diets. These research are available through www.SustainablePetFood.info > well being.
Prof. Knight said:
“This affords thrilling potential to enhance not solely feline well being, but additionally to handle the very important environmental impacts of the livestock sector created by pet meals manufacturing. However, to safeguard the well being of our feline mates, it will be significant that pet guardians feed solely industrial vegan pet meals labelled as nutritionally full, produced by respected corporations with good requirements.”
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Contact Information
Andrew Knight
Veterinary Professor of Animal Welfare
[email protected]
SOURCE: Prof. Andrew Knight
