A survey of cat guardians is prone to generate loads of debate after it introduced those that fed their pets vegan diets report more healthy outcomes.
While the outcomes, revealed in PLOS One, aren’t statistically important, they do signify the most important research of its sort up to now on cats and vegan diets. But, as they’re based mostly on survey information, impartial researchers warning in opposition to contemplating the outcomes conclusive.
The research was funded by organisation Proveg International, which goals to exchange 50% of animal merchandise globally with plant-based and cultivated meals by 2040.
“This offers exciting potential to improve not only feline health, but also to address the very significant environmental impacts of the livestock sector created through pet food production,” says lead writer Professor Andrew Knight, an adjunct at Griffith University, in Brisbane, Australia.
“However, to safeguard the health of our feline friends, it is important that pet guardians feed only commercial vegan pet foods labelled as nutritionally complete, produced by reputable companies with good standards.”
The researchers collected data from 1,369 cat house owners in a web-based survey. Respondents had been requested in regards to the common well being, after which the diets, of 1 cat dwelling with them for at the very least a 12 months.
Among the respondents, 1,242 (91%) fed their cats meat-based diets, whereas 127 (9%) fed them vegan diets.
After controlling for a variety of things like age and intercourse, the researchers examined 7 indicators of common well being reported by the cat house owners.
They discovered that vegan cats had been reported as more healthy on all 7 outcomes: veterinary visits; treatment use; therapeutic diets; reported veterinary evaluation of being unwell; reported veterinary evaluation of extra extreme sickness; the proprietor’s opinion of extra extreme sickness; and variety of well being problems per unwell cat.
None of the reductions had been statistically important, which means it’s potential these reductions occurred by likelihood, though the researchers say the developments are nonetheless “clear and consistent”.
“As our environment and food ability changes, it is important to investigate alternative options for ourselves and our animals. Currently there is limited information on the safety of alternative diets for cats, who struggle to meet their nutritional needs without a high percentage of meat in their diet,” says Julia Henning, a PhD candidate on the University of Adelaide, who wasn’t concerned within the analysis.
“Without ample supplementation of vitamins comparable to taurine, cats might undergo from severe well being circumstances comparable to liver and coronary heart issues.
“Cat studies are prone to methodology issues due to a cat’s ability to come and go as they please. It is likely that some of the ‘vegan’ cats included in this study may actually be supplementing their diet outside the home,” Henning provides.
Knight says that the researchers managed for this by together with major location (out of doors versus indoor cat) of their regression fashions.
“The study relied on surveys, which are subjective and can be prone to bias,” factors out Dr Alex Whittaker, a senior lecturer in animal welfare and regulation on the University of Adelaide’s School of Animal and Veterinary Sciences, who additionally was not concerned with the analysis.
“Additionally, the length of time the cats had been on these diets stays unclear, and it’s recognized that deficiencies do take a number of months to develop. In an excellent world, scientists would conduct medical trials involving a big cat inhabitants, straight measuring well being by veterinary exams and lab checks.
“Nevertheless, this study adds to a growing body of evidence suggesting that vegan diets for cats might not be as harmful as once believed. It challenges conventional wisdom and prompts further research into the matter,” says Whittaker.
In their paper, the researchers acknowledge that – being survey-based – their outcomes may very well be susceptible to participant bias.
“Large-scale cross-sectional or ideally, longitudinal studies of cats maintained on different diets, utilising objective data, such as results of veterinary clinical examinations and laboratory data, as well as veterinary medical histories, should yield results of greater reliability,” they write of their paper.
Knight tells Cosmos that such research are very tough to fund.
“Because of their cost, when they do occur, only small numbers of animals are normally included, which limits their statistical validity, and their generalisability to the wider cat population,” he says.
“I would caution that just as you would not base your own diet on a survey of other people, it’s best not to base your cat’s diet on the results of this survey. As always, it’s best to consult a veterinarian if you are concerned about your cat’s diet,” says Henning.
