Feeding patterns of dogs and cats in Espirito Santo - Brazil

In this study, further information on nutritional management performed by dog and cat owners was obtained, the level of owners' knowledge about pet nutrition was assessed, and some aspects with socioeconomic background of respondents were correlated. A survey was conducted with 496 dog and cat owners. According to the results, owners recognize that nutrition is closely related to animal health and they care about the quality of food provided. Commercial dry foods are considered the best option for feeding dogs and cats and it is the type of food used by most owners. Dogs are fed preferably twice a day and cats ad libitum. Owners seek information on pet nutrition especially with veterinarians or veterinary students and agricultural shops or pet shops. In general, owners with higher education have a preference for dry foods. The cost with pet food is considered high, especially for owners who provide therapeutic diets. Few owners can afford this cost. We found that owners who provide this type of diet are those with higher purchasing power. The type of diet given to pets, commercial or homemade food, is not influenced by the environment in which the owner resides (rural or urban).