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Massey University scientist and director of the university's center for feline nutrition Dr. David Thomas says cats are often not the only ones with an overeating problem: "Obesity levels in companion animals frequently mirror that of their owners." The ease and convenience of dry cat food heightens the risk of owners perpetually overfeeding their pets, Thomas also said. Other studies have esimated that between 25 and 40% of cats worldwide are overwieght.
The study, which was presented at a nutrition conference earlier this month, set out to establish whether there is a link between dry food consumption and weight gain in cats. Thomas found that cats fed solely a dry diet gained weight, but lost weight once they changed to a wet, or canned food, diet. Sixteen adult cats bred at the feline nutrition center and fed canned cat food were split into two groups. After an initial period during which both groups were given just dry food, one group changed to wet food and the other continued the dry diet. Those cats only eating dry food put on weight, while the group fed canned food lost weight.
Thomas also says cats are naturally designed to eat several small, protein-packed meals a day. Cats eat less and feel fuller more quickly eating canned food because it contains more water. Because dry cat food contains more starch and more carbohydrates (between 30 and 40%) than wet cat food, some have argued that a diet containing large amounts of carbohydrates is unnatural for cats.