MicrobeWorld

What grows in the gut, for animals and people, is affected by diet. Beginning at birth, gut microbial colonies, known as gut microbiome, start forming. The composition of these colonies plays a big part in how the immune system develops and is linked to the later onset of metabolic diseases such as obesity.

Cats are carnivorous and common wisdom holds that the healthiest diet for them is one of high-protein. A new study from the University of Illinois set out to find out if this common wisdom is true. The results were published online in the British Journal of Nutrition.

“There are a lot of diets now, all natural, that have high protein and fat and not much dietary fiber or carbohydrates,” said animal sciences researcher Kelly Swanson.