Study of Preference, Acceptability, and Allergy Reaction in Domestic Cats (Felis catus) to Local Wet Pet Food Formulation

Abstract

The pet food industry in Indonesia is dominated by international brands (95%), with only 5% produced locally. This study examines the potential for developing local wet pet food formulations for domestic cats, utilizing local ingredients such as chicken. The study is based on the issue of the dominance of imported pet food over domestic products. Additionally, Indonesia has an oversupply of chicken meat, leading to low prices for live birds at the farmer level. There is also a lack of publications at both the national and international levels. This study aims to determine the characteristics of pet food and consumption behavior, evaluate palatability, acceptance, and body weight changes on different diets, and assess allergic reactions and blood hematology profiles in three groups of animals. It uses a Randomized Block Design with one factor, three treatments, and seven replications. The control group received commercial wet food, the chicken flavor group (CF) group received chicken protein with chicken flavor, and the fish flavor group (FF) group received chicken protein with fish flavor. A total of 21 cats underwent a two-week adaptation period and received antiparasitic treatment before the study began. Feeding was conducted twice daily (at 08:00 and 17:00). The study assessed feeding behavior (rated on a 1–5 scale), palatability and consumption levels, body weight changes, nutrient consumption analysis (amino acid and fatty acid profiles), hematological evaluation, immunoglobulin E (IgE) total levels as an allergy indicator, and fecal characteristics. The study results showed that fish flavor received the highest palatability score (4.88), followed by chicken flavor (4.71) and control (4.33). Feeding behavior significantly increased with different formulations, indicating enhanced sensory appeal with significant differences (P<0.05). Cats strongly preferred food with fish flavor, confirming previous research on cats' preference for umami taste. Daily dry matter intake followed the same pattern: FF (76.39 gd?¹) > CF (70.77 gd?¹) > control (38.87 gd?¹), as well as protein consumption: FF (54.22 gd?¹) > CF (53.01 gd?¹) > control (19.86 gd?¹) with significant differences among all treatments (P<0.0001). Interestingly, fat intake showed an inverse trend, where the control group consumed the most crude fat (10.89 gd?¹), followed by CF (8.91 gd?¹), and the lowest fat intake was observed in the FF group (8.30 gd?¹). However, all values remained within the acceptable fat intake range for maintenance, and no adverse clinical signs were observed. Carbohydrate intake was also highest in the control group (6.93 gd?¹), compared to FF (5.90 gd?¹) and CF (3.16 gd?¹). In terms of energy intake, total caloric consumption aligned with dry matter and protein trends: FF (351.07 kcal) > CF (306.58 kcal) > control (205.84 kcal), supporting the notion that enhanced palatability also promoted higher energy intake. This translated into significant weight changes over the two-month feeding period. The control group experienced notable weight loss (3.6 kg to 3.0 kg), indicating insufficient energy and protein intake. In contrast, cats fed the flavor-enhanced diets gained significant weight: CF (3.74 kg to 4.47 kg) and FF (3.86 kg to 4.41 kg), suggesting improved nutritional adequacy and positive energy balance (P<0.05). Nutritional analysis showed that CF provided the most balanced amino acid composition with higher consumption levels (P<0.05). The FF diet showed deficiencies in several amino acids, including histidine, phenylalanine, and threonine. Taurine content varied significantly: Control (0 ppm), CF (2,671 ppm), FF (3,340 ppm). Both experimental diets provided adequate essential fatty acids, although the omega-6:omega-3 ratio was higher than the optimal recommendation. Hematological testing showed improvements in blood parameters after treatment in all groups. Platelet counts increased in all groups, with the CF group showing the highest increase. Lymphocyte counts increased significantly in all groups, indicating the presence of infection. Red blood cell counts and hemoglobin levels improved to normal ranges in all groups, with the CF group showing the best results (P<0.05). Allergy assessment showed that total IgE levels remained stable in the control group, while a slight decrease in IgE levels was observed in the CF and FF groups. No allergic reaction symptoms were observed in any of the treatment groups. The decrease in IgE levels in the CF and FF groups may be due to low allergen content and improved nutrition. All treatment groups produced feces with relatively similar characteristics: firm, round, and brown. Fecal moisture content was within the normal range (62%-71%) in all groups. No gastrointestinal symptoms were observed in any of the three treatment groups. This study's results indicate that adding chicken and fish flavors significantly improves palatability and acceptance of the treatment compared to the control diet. The chicken flavor formulation provides the most balanced nutritional profile, meeting the needs of cats as obligate carnivores. The fish flavor diet shows deficiencies in some essential amino acids, requiring reformulation despite being preferred by cats. Both diets resulted in weight gain and improved hematological parameters, indicating better overall health than the control diet. The chicken flavor diet showed the best overall health effects. None of the formulations triggered a cat allergic response, indicating their immunological safety for consumption. All diets maintained normal digestive function, as evidenced by fecal characteristics. The chicken flavor formulation demonstrated the most balanced nutritional profile and positive health effects. These findings contribute to understanding cat feeding behavior and nutritional preferences, particularly for locally formulated wet food in Indonesia. This study highlights the potential for developing high-quality local wet food alternatives to reduce reliance on imported products. Further research could focus on optimizing the amino acid profile of the fish-flavored formulation to address identified nutrient deficiencies while maintaining high palatability levels.