# Twenty-Four-Hour Feeding Patterns of In-Home Healthy Aging Cats Fed Wet, Dry, or a Combination of Wet and Dry Diets Ad Libitum

## TL;DR

Aging cats eat small meals around dawn and dusk, with dry and mixed diets leading to higher calorie intake than wet diets.

## Contribution

This study provides new insights into feeding patterns and caloric intake of aging cats based on diet type.

## Key findings

- Aging cats consume around 6-7 small meals daily, clustered around dawn and dusk.
- Dry and mixed diets result in higher caloric intake compared to wet diets.
- Feeding frequency differs significantly between wet and dry diets.

## Abstract

Pet cats have evolved from the African wildcat, inheriting many of their feeding habits. Studies have shown pet cats eat small frequent meals with feeding peaks around dawn and dusk. Like aging humans, aging cats may eat less and need encouragement to eat enough to maintain their body condition and general health. Little is known about how aging affects daily meal frequency and meal size in cats. Knowledge is also lacking on how feeding wet, dry, or a combination of both wet and dry diets (‘mixed’) affects feeding frequency and daily energy intakes of older cats. A total of 134 in-home healthy aging cats aged 7+ years were given free access to a dry, wet, and mixed diet for 24 h a day using automated weighing feeders. Feeding data for each diet were collected for two days; all cats tested all diets in a randomly allocated predefined order. Cats consumed around 6 (dry) or 7 (wet and mixed) small meals over 24 h, clustered around dusk and dawn. They consumed more calories when fed all-dry and fewest calories overall in an all-wet regimen. The study outputs contribute towards development of scientifically supported feeding guidelines for aging cats.

Domesticated cats have evolved from the obligate carnivore Felis silvestris. The instinct to eat small frequent meals and a crepuscular feeding rhythm was conserved during domestication. Declining senses, cognitive impairment, and poor oral health decrease food intake in aging cats. Combined with metabolic and physiological changes, they are at risk of sarcopenia and general body condition impairment. Aging cats may, therefore, benefit from modified nutritional strategies to achieve their metabolic energy requirements; however, little is known about feeding patterns in aging cats and influence of food format. This in-home study of 134 aging cats (≥7 years) assessed ad libitum dry, wet, and wet/dry (‘mixed’) feeding regimens to compare 24 h feeding frequency and caloric intakes. Feeding frequency was significantly different between wet and dry (p = 0.02) and mixed and dry diets (p < 0.001), with cats consuming 6.0 (dry), 6.9 (wet), or 7.2 meals (mixed) per day. Mean caloric intakes were significantly higher for dry (262.6 kcal/d) and mixed (222.6 kcal/d) regimens (both p < 0.001) versus wet (138.1 kcal/d). In conclusion, healthy aging cats eat small frequent meals, with feeding frequency and caloric intake influenced by dietary format. These findings support development of evidence-based feeding guidelines for aging cats.