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Is it "inhumane" to feed cats (or other animals) the same thing every day? Should one try to give them as much variety as humans prefer? I've given my cats the

Is it "inhumane" to feed cats (or other animals) the same thing every day? Should one try to give them as much variety as humans prefer? I've given my cats the same food for years. I don't think that's abnormal, but I don't think I would enjoy being fed the same thing (aside from occasional treats) for my entire life.

JumpCrisscross 2y ago
> Is it "inhumane" to feed cats (or other animals) the same thing every day? Plenty of people eat the same thing every day. If your cat is fine with it and you’re fine with it I don’t see the issue. (I say this as someone who loves food, eats a variety of it, and so does my cat and did my dog.)
- blitzar 2y ago
  My cat ate fillet steak for dinner every night, the only complaint would be if it was not chopped fine enough and he would send it back with orders to try again.
- shepherdjerred 2y ago
  Are there really people that eat the same meal, breakfast/lunch/dinner, for the vast majority of their lives? I don't think anyone would choose that, though I'm sure one could do it if the circumstances demanded it, e.g. due to poverty or being Dr. Mark Watney. > If your cat is fine with it How would one know? My cat's options are to: * Eat what's available * Starve
ajb 2y ago
They do like variety. But if they get the same food every day for a long time, they may be unable to accept other food, which could be a problem if you need to change their diet due to a health condition. (But this is from a book I read 30 years ago so there is likely more recent advice) Do you give them a food which has different flavours? That might be enough. I tend to switch mine occasionally.
- shepherdjerred 2y ago
  I feed them a fairly nice brand that's kibble + freeze dried chicken. They do seem to like it. I just can't help but think I'd hate my life if I ate the same thing day in and day out. Being an (indoor) cat sounds really boring -- eating the same thing every day, sleeping 16 hours a day, and being unable to mate or hunt. I wonder if animals feel the need for a sense of purpose like humans do.
  - ajb 2y ago
    If there's no health reason not to, try a different food. A fish based one maybe. Give a little bit at first to avoid upsets. If you keep two types in stock you can switch frequently rather than just feeding the same one and switching when the bag is empty. They probably don't have the abstract concept of purpose, but they have various drives, like we do, some of which may be unsatisfied. May be worth reading a few books. Catwatching by Desmond Morris is good, but quite old now. However I think even the wild cousins sleep 16 hours.
bradknowles 2y ago
In my experience, it depends on the cat(s). Many cats prefer stability, so the same food all the time is what they would prefer. But some cats seem to prefer variety. I don’t know if this comes from us trying out various different things to see what they like best, and they decide what they like best is the variety of trying different things, or what. But, based on my personal experience, you need to be able to know and understand your cat.

JumpCrisscross 2y ago

> Is it "inhumane" to feed cats (or other animals) the same thing every day? Plenty of people eat the same thing every day. If your cat is fine with it and you’re fine with it I don’t see the issue. (I say this as someone who loves food, eats a variety of it, and so does my cat and did my dog.)

blitzar 2y ago
My cat ate fillet steak for dinner every night, the only complaint would be if it was not chopped fine enough and he would send it back with orders to try again.
shepherdjerred 2y ago
Are there really people that eat the same meal, breakfast/lunch/dinner, for the vast majority of their lives? I don't think anyone would choose that, though I'm sure one could do it if the circumstances demanded it, e.g. due to poverty or being Dr. Mark Watney. > If your cat is fine with it How would one know? My cat's options are to: * Eat what's available * Starve

ajb 2y ago

They do like variety. But if they get the same food every day for a long time, they may be unable to accept other food, which could be a problem if you need to change their diet due to a health condition. (But this is from a book I read 30 years ago so there is likely more recent advice) Do you give them a food which has different flavours? That might be enough. I tend to switch mine occasionally.

shepherdjerred 2y ago
I feed them a fairly nice brand that's kibble + freeze dried chicken. They do seem to like it. I just can't help but think I'd hate my life if I ate the same thing day in and day out. Being an (indoor) cat sounds really boring -- eating the same thing every day, sleeping 16 hours a day, and being unable to mate or hunt. I wonder if animals feel the need for a sense of purpose like humans do.
- ajb 2y ago
  If there's no health reason not to, try a different food. A fish based one maybe. Give a little bit at first to avoid upsets. If you keep two types in stock you can switch frequently rather than just feeding the same one and switching when the bag is empty. They probably don't have the abstract concept of purpose, but they have various drives, like we do, some of which may be unsatisfied. May be worth reading a few books. Catwatching by Desmond Morris is good, but quite old now. However I think even the wild cousins sleep 16 hours.

bradknowles 2y ago

In my experience, it depends on the cat(s). Many cats prefer stability, so the same food all the time is what they would prefer. But some cats seem to prefer variety. I don’t know if this comes from us trying out various different things to see what they like best, and they decide what they like best is the variety of trying different things, or what. But, based on my personal experience, you need to be able to know and understand your cat.