There’s no denying that you love your cat if you have one. But although many of us love these wonderful furry creatures that God has given to the world, we might be making a significant mistake when taking care of them. According to a new study from the University of Guelph’s Ontario Veterinary College and Agricultural College, the simple act of feeding a cat more than once a day could jeopardize its health condition.
What happens is that the cat’s amino acid levels and appetite hormones are being obstructed, which leads to obesity development. Animal nutrition specialists suggest that it’s better to feed a cat one large meal a day rather than giving the animal smaller meals throughout the day.
One meal per day results in an appetite decrease
The new study done by animal nutrition specialists reveals that one meal a day means a decrease in the animal’s appetite, as well as less begging for food. The results are significantly less in favor of the cat it it’s being fed multiple times per day. If you have a cat, certainly you wouldn’t want it to become obese, as that’s the portal towards diabetes and other conditions associated with metabolic dysfunction.
The study involved eight indoor cats that are under the age of five and featuring healthy bodyweights. The animals received one meal a day for three weeks, and the next step was to receive the same amount of food for over four meals per day. The researchers concluded with the help of activity monitors that the animals maintained the same body weight. The cats that were fed one meal per day also experienced a boost in blood amino acid levels, which suggests that this feeding pattern can help them maintain muscle mass.
The research was co-authored by Anna Kate Shoveller, PhD, and it was published in PLOS One.
