Cats are obligate carnivores. They are descended from the African wildcat (Felis lybica), a solitary hunter whose body evolved to feed exclusively on animal prey. Unlike dogs, they have not developed the ability to efficiently digest certain vegetables or grains.

Their bodies are designed to utilize nutrients of animal origin, and they are not equipped to properly metabolize some plant-based ingredients.

An ideal diet for them includes:

• High meat or fish content.
• Animal fats as the primary energy source.
• Essential nutrients found only in animal foods, such as taurine, preformed vitamin A, or omega fatty acids.