New research suggests it would be better to offer cats just one large meal a day - a better choice for their health
Feeding cats one large meal a day can help them control hunger better than feeding them multiple times a day. This is supported by a new study from the University of Guelph in Canada.
Does your cat always seem hungry to you? Well, you shouldn't give in to the temptation to feed him too often, quite the opposite! On the contrary, a new study conducted in Canada suggests that you should reduce the frequency with which you feed your 4-legged friend.
Animal nutrition specialists from Ontario Veterinary College (OVC) and Ontario Agricultural College (OAC) at the University of Guelph in Canada have found that feeding cats one large meal a day can help better control hunger.
The research, published in the journal PLOS One, revealed that cats who ate only one meal a day were more satisfied and this also involved a less "begging" attitude towards food.
The results also suggest that they reduce the frequency of feeding it could help stave off the risk of obesity controlling cats' appetite and, at least potentially, making them eat less. A finding that may prove important considering that obesity is the most common nutritional problem affecting cats.
“These findings may surprise the veterinary community and many cat owners who have been told their pets need several small meals a day. But these results suggest there are advantages to this approach, ”said study co-author Adronie Verbrugghe, a veterinarian in OVC's Department of Clinical Studies.
Previous research had looked at the effects of meal frequency on cat behavior, but this is the first study to analyze the effects on hormones that suppress appetite, physical activity, energy expenditure and the use of energy sources.
The study involved eight domestic cats of normal weight and under the age of five. Each cat was exposed to two different feeding regimes for a total of three weeks: the diet and the amount of food offered was the same but the first group consumed it in a single meal in the morning while the other in 4 meals. Then the diets of the two groups were reversed.
Food intake was recorded daily and body weight measured weekly. The researchers also measured the cats' metabolism through breath and blood.
What has been noted is that i cats who ate only once per day had higher post-meal levels of three key hormones that regulate appetite, suggesting they were more satisfied. They were the same cats that also exhibited a lower fasting respiratory rate, meaning they were burning their fat stores, which is key to maintaining lean mass.
Cats that ate only one meal a day also had a greater increase in amino acids in their blood, which meant they had more "building blocks" to build protein and consequently muscle. This is important as many cats lose muscle mass as they age.
“Physiologically it makes sense that eating only once a day has benefits. When you look at human research, there is fairly consistent evidence that there are positive health results with intermittent fasting, ”said Anna K. Shoveller, one of the lead authors of the study.
More studies are needed to confirm these results and the researchers are also keen to emphasize that it is always necessary to evaluate the situation of each animal, taking into account the lifestyle of the cat and the owner. So while this approach may be helpful in promoting satiety in some cats, it may not help others.
What do you think? Would your cat appreciate it?
Fonte: Guelph Today / Plos One
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