A joint study by Iwate University, Nagoya University, and the University of Liverpool in the UK has revealed that feeding Actinidia to cats does not cause dependence or stress-inducing effects, and even if the cat is fed continuously for several years, no harm is observed. It became.
When cats smell Actinidia, they display characteristic behaviors such as licking, biting, rubbing their faces and heads, and rolling around on the floor.While the intoxicating reactions of cats may be comforting, many owners may have worried about problems such as dependence or toxicity.Surprisingly, however, there have been no studies to date that have scientifically evaluated the safety of Actinidia for cats.
In this study, we examined three possibilities of Actinidia: dependence, stress-inducing properties, and toxicity to the liver and kidneys using behavioral tests and blood tests in cats.As a result, even if cats were continuously exposed to Actinidia, there was no effect on dependence or stress indicators, and blood tests for liver and kidney damage showed that even cats fed Actinidia for a long period of time (up to about 3 years) It was confirmed that the values remained within the normal range.This result can be said to be the first scientific proof that owners can safely feed Actinidia to their cats.
In addition, this study also investigated what kind of Actinidia was most effective for cats.As a result, the content of active ingredients against cats is the highest in the Actinidia fruit harvested from July to August, and when focusing on leaves that can be harvested in large quantities over a longer period, the active ingredients are found in leaves harvested from May to mid-August. was found to contain a large amount ofIn particular, they found that drying Actinidia leaves changes the composition of their active ingredients, making them more effective for cats than fresh leaves.
Taking advantage of the knowledge gained from these studies of Actinidia, Iwate University has also developed a new method for extracting active ingredients from dried Actinidia leaves.Actatabi spray for cats (product name: Lala Peletti ME) produced using this technology will be sold by Nrf2 Co., Ltd.
The results of this research are expected to contribute to improving the quality of life of beloved cats and the welfare of both cats and their owners through the effective use of Actinidia products.
Paper information:【iScience】Assessing the safety and suitability of using silver vine as an olfactory enrichment for cats
