I’d like to think that I’m a pretty open-minded person who is willing to try new things without making too much of a stink. Our cats, however, are not people and trying new things is not high on their list of priorities. I’m all for preserving and protecting the Earth, but I’m not sure if our feline friends are on board with conservation or are remotely concerned about their carbon footprint. Cats are cats, natural born predators at heart who are pretty self-involved little beings that we choose to worship and oblige to their daily demands. And because they’re skilled hunters, it’s another reason why so many advocate for keeping cats strictly indoors or strictly in catios or on leashes when outdoors to protect the small animal population.
But you know what’s one thing most cats don’t seem to want to eat? Insects. Sure, a cat might chase that fly or become zoomified at the sight of a bouncing grasshopper, but they probably are not going to eat their kill if they slay an insect. (Although some cats will!)
Purina, which is part of the Nestle family, announced in a press release this week that they’re unveiling a new kind of cat and dog food: one which is sourced from healthy alternative proteins.
We know that our canine companions can safely eat carbs in limited portions, but our feline friends are strictly obligate carnivores and must eat strictly protein in order to survive. A few eco-friendly recipes were announced, and the proteins for those will include: chicken, pig’s liver and millet, while the other recipe uses insect protein, chicken and fava beans. The food will be first sold in Switzerland beginning this month, and plans are to expand its availability based off consumer demand and feedback.
CEO Bernard Meunier for Nestlé Purina Petcare EMENA said in the release that:
“Every ingredient in our food serves a purpose. With our new Beyond Nature’s Protein dry pet food, we are offering a complete nutritious alternative to conventional dog and cat products, while taking care of the planet’s precious resources by diversifying the protein sources. We’re constantly looking at ways in which we can source sustainably for the longer-term while still delivering the high-quality nutrition that pets need today and tomorrow.”
If you’d like to read the press release in its entirety, you can do so here.
Perhaps I can get my cats on board with recycling, because I can’t imagine serving my beloved kitties anything but their favorite seafood flavored cat food they’ve been eating for years. Would you try this for your cats?
