Dogs and cats prefer protein, right? Not so, says OSU studyJune 6, 2018Dogs prefer foods high in fat while cats are carb lovers, according to study results published in the Journal of Experimental Biology. The study, conducted by Carlson College of Veterinary Medicine at Oregon State University, monitored 17 healthy adult dogs and 27 cats over a 28-day period using four types of foods designed to encourage subjects to make food choices based on what their bodies were telling them they needed—not based on flavor. If palatability isn't balanced between foods, cats prefer to eat high levels of protein and dogs want to eat high levels of fat, according to OSU's Jean Hall, DVM, Ph.D., DACVIM, the study's corresponding author. With the flavor factor removed, the results were "much different than what traditional thinking would have expected," said Dr. Hall. "Some experts have thought cats need diets that are 40 or 50 percent protein," she said. "Our findings are quite different than the numbers used in marketing and are going to really challenge the pet food industry." The dogs and cats in the study had four food choices: high-fat, high-carbohydrate, high-protein, and balanced foods. Dogs had one hour each day to eat all they wanted …
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