These Cats and Dogs Have the Best Job Ever: Taste-Testing Pet Food for a $17 Billion Industry
At a Royal Canin research center in France, hundreds of cats and dogs gobble kibble for science and business.
Researchers in France have created a dream job for cats and dogs. At a Royal Canin research center, about 160 of them are tasked with taste-testing pet food while nutritionists document their preferences, behavior and stool quality. The goal is to develop premium blends that satisfy both the animal’s taste buds and the owner’s parental instincts.
Americans spent more than $17 billion on cat food over the last year, up 14% from two years earlier, according to The New York Times. The pet food industry has kept growing despite inflation, and companies are rolling out premium lines for wealthier customers as the K-shaped economy persists. Studies show people will cut back on their own spending before their pets’.
A big focus now is aging cats. Many pets adopted during the pandemic boom are reaching middle age, and their owners will need more specialized food. Researchers at Royal Canin’s parent company, Mars, found that cats can detect umami, which explains why tuna is such a hit. Their taste buds also fade over time, but their sense of bitterness doesn’t. So if you think your cat has gotten pickier with age, science has your back.
Researchers in France have created a dream job for cats and dogs. At a Royal Canin research center, about 160 of them are tasked with taste-testing pet food while nutritionists document their preferences, behavior and stool quality. The goal is to develop premium blends that satisfy both the animal’s taste buds and the owner’s parental instincts.
Americans spent more than $17 billion on cat food over the last year, up 14% from two years earlier, according to The New York Times. The pet food industry has kept growing despite inflation, and companies are rolling out premium lines for wealthier customers as the K-shaped economy persists. Studies show people will cut back on their own spending before their pets’.
A big focus now is aging cats. Many pets adopted during the pandemic boom are reaching middle age, and their owners will need more specialized food. Researchers at Royal Canin’s parent company, Mars, found that cats can detect umami, which explains why tuna is such a hit. Their taste buds also fade over time, but their sense of bitterness doesn’t. So if you think your cat has gotten pickier with age, science has your back.
