How to Significantly Improve the Palatability of Dry Cat Food

It is well known that cats can be extremely picky, and for cat food manufacturers, concerns about feline palatability never go away.

At the same time, the market is full of cat foods promoted as “tasty,” “appealing,” “flavorful,” or “appetizing.” However, what truly matters is whether cats will actually eat them.

For that reason, manufacturers need to consider many different factors when developing cat food that cats will willingly enjoy—not only the manufacturing process, but also ingredients, composition, nutritional value, kibble characteristics, flavor, and texture.

There is no single winning formula for producing the perfect cat food. Still, there are certainly several important principles and methods that can help manufacturers design dry cat food cats love.

Key Points

Point	Summary
Recipe design	Several elements in a dry cat food formula can improve palatability.
Powder palatants	Powder palatants are essential for creating highly palatable dry cat food.
Liquid palatants	Liquid palatants create a clear trigger that makes cats more eager to eat and are also highly appreciated by pet owners.
Kibble characteristics	Cats prefer high-protein kibble with lower moisture content.
Ingredient selection	The quality and type of ingredients are critical for ensuring palatability.

These findings are based on more than 500 palatability tests conducted by experts at Symrise Pet Food using household cats.

Use Palatants

Palatants are one of the most important factors in improving the palatability of cat food. Without them, it is difficult to get cats to eat dry cat food with real satisfaction.

In fact, compared with kibble that contains no palatant, kibble coated with palatants is preferred by cats in almost 100% of cases.

That is why, when trying to improve the palatability of dry cat food, it is essential to fully understand the different types of palatants and their characteristics.

Powder Palatants

Powder palatants are the most effective type for improving cat food palatability. Because feline palatability depends heavily on taste, powder palatants—rich in concentrated umami—are said to be highly effective at strongly stimulating a cat’s sense of taste.

For example, one study found that increasing the inclusion level of powder palatants from 1% to 2% significantly improved palatability in 90% of cases.

Liquid Palatants

When liquid palatants are used, the improvement in appetite can be visibly noticeable. When dry cat food contains liquid palatants in addition to powder palatants, cats may come running to the food bowl at full speed.

This is because liquid palatants greatly enhance aroma, stimulating a cat’s appetite before it even starts eating and making the food more attractive overall. As a result, the product is also more likely to be perceived positively by pet owners.

Note:
Choosing the right palatant is important, but using it correctly is equally important.
When the palatant is coated evenly across the kibble, its effect can be maximized.

Dry the Kibble Thoroughly

The moisture content of kibble is a key factor in determining cat food palatability. In super-premium cat food, kibble moisture content typically ranges from 5.5% to 6.5%, whereas in premium cat food it is around 7.5%.

Given a choice, cats consistently prefer kibble with lower moisture content. Cats are said to detect even a 0.5% difference in moisture, and palatability reportedly increases significantly when moisture content is reduced by 2.0%. In other words, when it comes to moisture content, lower is generally considered better.

Increase the Protein Level

Of course, protein content in kibble is also extremely important from a nutritional standpoint, but whenever possible, it is generally considered better to increase it as much as feasible.

For example, it has been reported that increasing the protein content of kibble by 10% within a range of 25% to 45% improved palatability in 70% of cases. Therefore, in terms of protein content, higher is generally better.

Carefully Select Ingredients

If a formula is designed according to the guidelines above, it is possible to produce highly palatable dry cat food. However, there is one more important point to understand: careful ingredient selection.

Ingredient Quality

When adding ingredients such as meat meal, fats, and starches to a formula, their quality must be ensured. Poor-quality ingredients can undermine all efforts made to please cats.

Naturally, all ingredients in the formula should be as fresh as possible. Oxidized or spoiled ingredients not only create health risks but can also alter the physical properties of the food itself.

In addition, consistency in ingredients and nutrient composition is also important for feline palatability. Along with using stable ingredients that show little variation in quality characteristics from one production lot to another, manufacturers should also maintain consistency in ingredient suppliers.

Even two chicken meals with the same protein, ash, and fat content can differ greatly in palatability depending on which chicken parts were used and the temperatures applied during processing.

Type of Protein

Protein sources in pet food are widely discussed from both nutritional and allergy-related perspectives, but from a palatability standpoint, cats generally prefer animal proteins over plant proteins such as soybean meal.

That said, some plant proteins, such as pea protein, are considered to offer palatability comparable to animal proteins. These may be used as primary protein sources when developing vegan pet food.

Use of Fresh Meat

Dry cat food made with fresh meat is not simply a passing trend—it is also said to contribute to improved palatability.

This is because fresh meat does not require the high-temperature cooking involved in producing meat meal. Since fresh meat undergoes minimal processing and is cooked only once, more nutrients are retained, allowing it to provide highly suitable nutrition for cats.

In addition, because it is less processed, it is easier to digest and may be ideal for cats with sensitive stomachs, while also improving palatability. However, the palatability of fresh meat depends on the quality of the meat, the formulation, and the processing method.

Type of Starch

Starch also affects feline palatability, although not as strongly as protein does. In general, corn and rice are preferred over wheat. The most important thing is to formulate the recipe with a well-balanced grain composition.

Use of Fat

Like palatants, fat is also important for improving the palatability of dry cat food, but the specific type of fat is not considered especially important. Beef fat, pork fat, and chicken fat can all be effective.

What matters most is the quality of the fat and whether it is properly processed and used appropriately.

Source article: Cat food: How to make the most palatable kibbles