Cats Prefer Cultivated Meat Over Chicken in First Published Feline Feeding Trial

A study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science found that domestic cats accepted a diet containing cultivated hamster cell biomass as well as one based on conventional chicken breast. The cultivated meat diet actually generated fewer leftovers despite containing less palatability enhancer. This marks the first published in vivo assessment of cultivated meat digestibility in cats and shows promising results for the potential use of cultivated meat in pet nutrition.

The study, conducted by researchers at Ghent University and BeneMeat, involved ten adult European shorthair cats in a two-day acceptance test followed by a five-day digestibility trial. While the control diet based on chicken breast had slightly higher protein absorption, overall digestibility was broadly comparable between the two diets. The authors noted the limitations of the trial, including the use of a novel ingredient and short trial periods, but the results are encouraging and suggest the potential of cultivated meat for pet food applications.