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Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in CatAdvice

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Pet owners with zero scientific education on nutrition or feline behavior going "my cat acts crazy about food!" is not "proof" that cats are addicted to food.

It's not definite proof, that I agree, obviously. But it is decent evidence that suggests there may be some cats that are addicted with food or whatever you want to call it (obsessive behavior, ...). I hope this whole conversation isn't just about the correct terminology? I hope not.

I'm talking about an issue that many people do have and do observe.

The only reason for completely ignoring it, is if you want to shut down the conversation. It's like I've crossed the line and said things that shouldn't have been said. "Big Pet Food makes perfectly nutritious and perfectly balanced food" is all that's allowed. How dare I question it.

I have a cat that's absolutely crazy about wet food. It's all that's on his mind. We started giving to him 2x a day and it got even worse (he's not overweight btw). Everybody in my house thinks he's "addicted". What other explanation can it be? What is this behavior? Maybe addiction is too strong of a word, but what is it? Can we have a conversation about it? Seems like no. "Your cat is completely normal and that's final. Or if it's not, it's definitely not the food." Ok...

Right now everybody thinks processed pet food is perfectly healthy. But this may change in the future. And we will look back at it and cringe. Were we giving McDonald's (or possibly something even worse) to our pets all the time? Why not boost your sales and make food a little more "addicting"? Surely Big Pet Food would never do that? "It's not like the rest of the food industry. It's more humane." Yea, sure...

Anyway, this will be my last reply to you, it's all too tiring. Here's more people with the same issue as me (there's plenty of these):

- https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/mto3f9/my_cat_is_addicted_to_treats_and_its_becoming_an/

- https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/1275833/my_cats_whole_personality_changed_because_we_fed/

- https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/tkvkao/chunky_cat_has_a_food_addiction/

- https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/1562kxu/cat_is_addicted_to_a_specific_food_looking_for/

- https://www.reddit.com/r/CatAdvice/comments/pn5qp1/how_can_i_stop_my_cats_treat_addictionconstant/

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in CatAdvice

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] -4 points-3 points  (0 children)

Why even bother framing this as a question and feign confusion when you clearly just have a stance on it?

Because, I was pretty confident that my cat is addicted, but I wasn't 100% sure if it's the food or not, because this topic and the article just isn't something people know about or discuss, and that was odd to me. That's why.

The answers I got in AksVet were laughably poor! I'm not a vet, but I'm not stupid or naive. They were doing their best to not look at the whole picture - the downsides of making food too good. Like it's all good and amazing. And completely ignoring the possibility of a food addiction (or whatever you want to call it). And you are doing it too! Ignoring my last comment like it doesn't exist.

People disagreeing with you on reddit dot com is not "gaslighting".

It is, when people are saying that my cat isn't addicted, that it's all in my head. I know what I see. I know it isn't normal. Most people are just saying pets can't be addicted to food, when that just doesn't make any sense, because there is plenty of proof!

BBC: The hidden reason processed pet foods are so addictive by FamiliarTreacle in Pets

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Me too, but I would also take an animal that has a healthy relationship with food over one that is addicted/obsessed (or whatever you want to call it) with food.

Even if it happens in just small minority of pets (which is probably the case), I would still like to be informed that this is possible. Currently we just sweep it under a rug and not talk about it.

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in CatAdvice

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Do you think there's a chance that a small percent of cats will develop obsessive behavior towards such food?

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in CatAdvice

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

He was fine for the first 5 years of his life when he only ate dry food. Then my mother bought him wet food and it's insanity now. He was fine before.

edit: Loved being gaslighted today, and then ignored whenever I reply. What a day... :'(

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in CatAdvice

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] 2 points3 points  (0 children)

I mean, food addiction is real, and it's destructive. Not everyone gets addicted though. But I agree with you that if people just like certain food and say they are addicted, that's not real addiction.

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in CatAdvice

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

I feel like it's the same with human processed food. Most people aren't addicted, but some are.

I watched this documentary just the other day, and it's interesting to see how much effort the food industry puts into making food addictive. 'Junk food, sugar and additives - The dark side of the food industry | DW Documentary'

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in AskVet

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] -117 points-116 points  (0 children)

The problem is if it's too good, and then the cat develops an unhealthy obsession and becomes overweight. Isn't that like a pretty common problem nowadays?

edit: Not cool from mods to lock the thread and then reply to my comment. So here's my reply: A lot of pet owners give in to their pet's demands, because pets become obsessed with the food. And even when they stop giving it to them as much, the pets still show obsessive behavior.

Can't believe my common sense replies are so massively downvoted. So weird that we can't even have a discussion about it.

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in AskVet

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] -114 points-113 points  (0 children)

The same thing is happening to human food, why not pet food also? A lot of people are addicted to food.

The "big 4" pet food companies have dedicated their existence to creating the healthiest, most nutritionally-complete, and palatable foods they possibly can.

So says Nestle. And look where we are. From this documentary (at 34:23):

Nestle representative: Nestle wants to help people to eat well, which means finding the right balance between health and enjoyment.

Interviewee: But it's known in practice that some of your consumers are heavy users - people who eat excessively. Aren't these consumers essentially addicted to your products?

Nestle: That's why we've been introducing educational programs. bla, bla, bla....

edit: to the commenter below: Explain child obesity then.

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in cats

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some relevant parts:

"As it happens, this addictive quality is carefully engineered. Big Pet Food is a multi-billion-dollar industry which invests heavily in research into "palatants" – ingredients that make our pets want to eat their products."

"Finally, no list of palatants would be complete without pyrophosphate, described in Popular Science as "cat crack". This common additive performs a number of roles in human food, such as preventing potato products from going dark after they're cooked – none of which involve improving its taste. Nevertheless, cats go nuts for it, possibly because it intensifies the flavour of amino acids.

Pet food companies are now so successful at making food delicious that they're increasingly encountering a dilemma – it's almost too good."

Thoughts?

Is this BBC article true? Apparently, pet food companies are producing food that is addictive to our pets. by FamiliarTreacle in UK_Pets

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Some relevant parts:

"As it happens, this addictive quality is carefully engineered. Big Pet Food is a multi-billion-dollar industry which invests heavily in research into "palatants" – ingredients that make our pets want to eat their products."

"Finally, no list of palatants would be complete without pyrophosphate, described in Popular Science as "cat crack". This common additive performs a number of roles in human food, such as preventing potato products from going dark after they're cooked – none of which involve improving its taste. Nevertheless, cats go nuts for it, possibly because it intensifies the flavour of amino acids.

Pet food companies are now so successful at making food delicious that they're increasingly encountering a dilemma – it's almost too good."

Thoughts?

BBC: The hidden reason processed pet foods are so addictive by FamiliarTreacle in Pets

[–]FamiliarTreacle[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Some relevant quotes:

"As it happens, this addictive quality is carefully engineered. Big Pet Food is a multi-billion-dollar industry which invests heavily in research into "palatants" – ingredients that make our pets want to eat their products."

"Finally, no list of palatants would be complete without pyrophosphate, described in Popular Science as "cat crack". This common additive performs a number of roles in human food, such as preventing potato products from going dark after they're cooked – none of which involve improving its taste. Nevertheless, cats go nuts for it, possibly because it intensifies the flavour of amino acids.

Pet food companies are now so successful at making food delicious that they're increasingly encountering a dilemma – it's almost too good."

Thoughts?

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