meat

Cats are meat-eaters - obligate carnivores is the term. From their descendants, the wild cats, they have been hunting for their food. The domesticated wild cats may not hunt as much, but they scavenge remains of bigger predators as their source of food.

While they may be scavengers, cats will not eat decomposing carcasses, or carrion. Unlike other animals like bugs and vultures. Their ability to scavenge, probably explains why they can take to beef and lamb and venison, even though a normal house cat would probably be unable to kill a cow.

What this means is that cats like meat. What sort of meat? If you think back to the kinds of cats there are, all over the world, there really are very little kinds of meat they will not eat. This includes both red and white meat, from poultry to cattle, hooved animals to rodents. In Asia, you will find semi aquatic animals like shrimp and crabs in the padi fields, and you have cats that are able to catch fish from water bodies.

The fact that the meat content in their diet needs to be high means that cat food is more expensive than dog food, which contains more starches or grains.

It is the smell of meat that makes they take to their food. They may enjoy meat even when it is unprocessed, uncooked or without flavouring because the smell of meat appeals to them.

And no, cats cannot be vegetarians. While they enjoy chewing on grass and some may actually like vegetables and fruits (like our Sayang) meat is still the staple ingredient in their diets.

Have a meaty meal with your cat tonight for Christmas!