Cats and dogs prefer kibble with microbial proteins, study finds

A new study found that cats and dogs showed a short-term preference for kibble containing microbial proteins over standard animal-protein-only kibble, with dogs eating 72% versus 50% and cats 51% versus 34%. Researchers from MicroHarvest tested 30 dogs and 30 cats at home over four meals, finding both species consumed more and approached the microbial-protein kibble first, suggesting palatability beyond nutritional quality. The findings, published in PLOS One, offer an encouraging starting point for sustainable pet food alternatives, though researchers note more study is needed on long-term palatability and health outcomes.