Fresh meat takes biscuit in a healthy cat's diet

A fat cat is not a happy cat and pet owners need to feed their feline friends fresh meat as well as dry cat food, a Massey University scientist says.

The director of animal nutrition and physiology at Massey University, Wouter Hendriks, said cats were like small lions.

"Like their lion relatives, cats are carnivores, too, which means they get most of their fluid intake from the food they eat, rather than by drinking water," Dr Hendriks said.

A Massey University study had shown cats fed a diet of 100 per cent canned cat food consumed more moisture overall than those fed other types of food.

"Other types of cat food such as dry biscuits are processed to remove water and are more energy-dense than wet food," Dr Hendriks said.

"This can affect a cat's ability to know when it is full and may lead to over-eating, with its associated health problems."

Cat-food manufacturer Chef's marketing manager, Glenys Henry, said modern cats' lifestyles were mimicking their owners' lives, eating more and exercising less.

"While dry biscuits are quick and have their place in a cat's diet, owners need to realise that cats really benefit from wet food such as fresh meat or canned cat food."

- NZPA