Spoilt Western cats endangering global fish supply

LiveNews.com.au ^ | ,25 August 2008 | staff reporter

[Daffynition]

Cats with a fondness for gourmet meals are threatening fish supplies, an Australian scientist says.

Deakin University scientist Dr Giovanni Turchini has discovered an estimated 2.48 million tonnes of forage fish - a limited biological resource - is consumed by the global cat food industry each year.

"That such a large amount of fish is used for the pet food industry is real eye-opener," Dr Turchini said.

"What is also interesting is that, in Australia, pet cats are eating an estimated 13.7 kilograms of fish a year which far exceeds the Australian average (human) per capita fish and seafood consumption of around 11 kilograms.

"Our pets seem to be eating better than their owners."

Wild forage fish, which includes sardines, herrings and anchovies, are an important link in the marine food chain, as part of the diet of larger fish like tuna and swordfish.

Overfishing of marine resources is a concern to conservationists and the fishing industry.

"While much of the criticism has been on the grounds that forage fish could be better used for human consumption directly, particularly amongst the poorer nations of the world, rather than in the production of food for farmed fish, little attention has been paid to the amount of forage fish used by the pet food industry," Dr Turchini said.

She said she believed the pet food industry was moving towards marketing premium and super-premium products.

"These gourmet pet foods contain a significant amount of fish that may be suitable for direct human consumption."

Different raw material, such as by-products of the fish filleting industry, would be better used in pet food.

A more objective and pragmatic approach to the use of decreasing fish stocks was needed, he said.

[nw_arizona_granny]

Poor little kitten, his mom has packed the same lunch for years...<<<

That will do it every time....LOL

[nw_arizona_granny]

I have to ask, “Is this a real photo?”

It tells the story, even if it has been helped along.

I like it.

[defconw]

Our cat prefers, pork, chicken and beef to smelly fish.

[Fred Nerks]

don't look down...

[Fred Nerks]

elephants don't eat fish...(don't ask me if it's real or not, it's probably not but I like it anyway.)

[Fred Nerks]

gone fishin...

[Fred Nerks]

My three munchkins won't eat anything but prawns, tuna and whiting fillets. The professor can go peddle his fishy story somewhere else. (Obviously he's not a cat person.)

after-dinner nap:

[Daffynition]

At all costs ...

[Constitutionalist Conservative]

Another leftist dilemma: fishing is murder, but animal companions (formerly known as "pets") need to eat.

[Slings and Arrows]

[Biggirl]

Chicken-loving kitty! =^..^=

[Biggirl]

Praying for a sucessful fish cat by kitty. =^..^=

[Biggirl]

Thanks for another cat related news story! =^..^=

[boogerbear]

Fish isn’t even really good for cats. Very fatty.

Wonder when they’re going to realize we aquarium owners feed fish to our fish and start complaining about that.

[Slings and Arrows]

Always a pleasure.

[martin_fierro]

i lol'd

[Fawn]

LOL Isnt’ is amazing what they blame on cats? The ignorance drives me crazy.

[Lady Jag]

OMEGA 3 FATTY ACIDS!
HOW DELICIOUS IS THAT!

[mewzilla]