Study Assesses Acceptance and Digestibility of Cultivated Hamster Cells in Cat Diets Compared to Chicken

Conducted between January and April 2026, the study involved a double-blind, crossover design with ten adult cats. Over two days, researchers assessed the cats' acceptance of two diets: one based on cultivated hamster cells and the other on chicken breast meat. The acceptance test indicated that nine out of ten cats highly accepted the cultivated meat diet with minimal leftovers, while the digestibility trial followed with eight cats. Here, both diets maintained a comparable nutritional profile, differing only in protein source.

The digestibility trial included a seven to twelve-day adaptation period before a five-day fecal collection phase. Feces were analyzed to determine the apparent total tract digestibility (AD) of the diets. Results showed that crude protein digestibility was significantly higher in the control chicken diet (85.3% versus 83.9% for the cultivated diet, p = 0.033). Despite the lower protein digestibility, the cultivated hamster cell diet produced significantly fewer leftovers (2.4% compared to 8.5% in the chicken diet, p = 0.025).

Clinical observations during the study indicated that both diets were tolerated well, with no severe adverse effects noted over the trial's duration. Body weight and muscle conditions remained stable, suggesting that cats did not experience any negative health impacts from consuming the cultivated diet.

The findings provide preliminary evidence that cultivated hamster cells could be a satisfactory alternative protein source in cat food, though further research is needed to better understand long-term health outcomes and palatability for cats. The study highlights an important step towards sustainable pet food practices while addressing the environmental and ethical concerns linked to conventional meat production.