Insects in Dogs and Cats Feeding: Composition, Application, and Functional Benefits

Insects: Chemical Composition and Nutritional Profile

The growing interest in the protein potential of insects promoted studies that reveal relevant details about their nutritional composition (Table 1):

The composition of insect meals varies depending on species, developmental stage, diet, and origin (Reilly et al., 2022), and they are generally rich in crude protein and fat. Regarding the amino acid profile, BSF larvae have high levels of glutamic acid (3.49%), aspartic acid (2.70%), alanine (2.47%), and leucine (2.15%), but low levels of methionine (0.47%), lysine (1.67%) and histidine (0.70%) (Astuti; Komalasari, 2020). Cricket meal (Gryllus bimaculatus) is rich in essential amino acids, such as methionine (1.80%), valine (6.28%), histidine (11.10%), lysine (6.59%) and leucine (7.49%), as well as non-essential amino acids, such as glutamine (13.00%), alanine (8.13%), arginine (6.90%) and glycine (6.36%) (Jayanegara et al., 2018).
 

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Cricket meal is also notable for its glutamic acid content, while silkworm pupae have high levels of unsaturated fatty acids, such as linoleic and linolenic acids (Astuti; Komalasari, 2020). Chitin, present in the insect skeleton, is a polysaccharide containing 6-7% non-protein nitrogen, which may overestimate the crude protein content when using the standard factor of 6.25 in the Kjeldahl method. New methodologies have been proposed to measure the actual protein content (Janssen et al., 2017; Homska et al., 2022).

Applications in Cats and Dogs Diets

The evaluation of various insect species and inclusion levels in diets for dogs and cats has already been conducted, with an emphasis on health, digestibility, and palatability. Reilly et al. (2022) tested the inclusion of 4% Madagascar hissing cockroach, cinereous cockroach, and giant mealworm in extruded cat food. Lisenko (2017) evaluated up to 15% of the insect meal in adult cat diets and found no significant differences in the apparent digestibility of dry matter, organic matter, crude protein, ethereal extract, or metabolizable energy, except for mineral matter. Also, changes in fecal levels of valerate and 4-methylphenol were observed, with no impact on pH or intestinal microbiota. The stability of blood parameters reinforces the idea that the inclusion of up to 15% is safe for adult cats.

In dogs, Areerat et al. (2021) tested up to 20% house cricket and 14% silkworm pupa in extruded diets, concluding that both inclusions are safe. Freel et al. (2021) evaluated 20% defatted meal and 5% BSF larval oil —while Penazzi et al. (2021) tested 36.5% defatted BSF meal compared to a diet with venison, observing no significant differences between groups. The studies analyzed intake, digestibility, fecal count, hemogram, and biochemical profile without observing relevant changes, which indicates the safety of the concentrations analyzed. Kara et al. (2025) also observed a reduction in mineral matter content with the inclusion of insect meal, which could be useful in formulations with lower mineral density. This finding agrees with Seo et al. (2021), who reported lower phosphorus content in BSF diets and fermented oatmeal compared to those with rice and poultry meals.

Functional and Technological Benefits of Including Insects

Several studies have investigated the effects of insect meal use on hematological parameters, intestinal microbiota, and fecal metabolites.

From an environmental perspective, insect proteins emit fewer greenhouse gases and require less space, water, and resources than conventional protein sources. Therefore, their use may be associated with sustainable features, attracting landowners willing to invest in food with a lower environmental impact.

Insects are also notable for their content of lauric acid, a medium-chain fatty acid with antimicrobial and immunomodulatory action, effective against pathogens such as E. coli, Salmonella spp., and Clostridium perfringens (Skřivanová et al., 2006).

Healthy dogs' intestinal microbiota is mainly composed of Bacteroidetes, Fusobacteria, Firmicutes, and Proteobacteria. In cats, Actinobacteriota, Bacteroidota, Campylobacterota, Desulfobacterota, Firmicutes, Fusobacteriota and Proteobacteria predominate (Jarett et al., 2019; Reilly et al., 2022). Imbalances in microbial composition are associated with conditions, such as obesity, diarrhea, and inflammatory bowel disease, reinforcing the role of microbiota modulation in disease prevention (Jarett et al., 2019).

In this context, including insects in pet diets has shown positive effects on intestinal health, attributed to chitin, a structural polysaccharide of the exoskeleton, with prebiotic potential in the large intestine (Cardoso, 2024).

Chitosan, derived from chitin, has shown benefits in cats at doses of 500 and 2000 mg/kg, with decreased diarrhea, increased antioxidant capacity, and reduced inflammatory markers. Also, higher levels of volatile fatty acids, such as acetate and butyrate, suggested increased microbial fermentation activity and beneficial modulation of the microbiota (Mo et al., 2023).

Final Thoughts

The use of insects in the formulation of dog and cat foods offers nutritional, functional, and environmental advantages. Studies indicate good digestibility, positive effects on intestinal microbiota, and the presence of bioactive compounds. Although high cost and low availability limit their use on a large scale, insects emerge as a promising and sustainable alternative to the challenges of animal protein production.


About the Authors
Caroline Deleffe is a veterinarian, graduated from USP. She has worked in food regulation, as well as in the training and development of veterinary teams, with a specialization in the dog and cat food industry.
Contact: carolinedeleffe@gmail.com

Murilo Marques is an animal scientist, graduated from UFLA. He holds a Master's degree in Animal Nutrition from UFMG and is currently pursuing his PhD at the same university. He has experience in nutrition for dogs, cats, and wild animals.
Contact: mrulomarques1406@gmail.com

Erika Stasieniuk is a zootechnician with a PhD in Dog and Cat Nutrition and Feeding from UFMG. She is a co-founder of SFA Consultoria and works as a technical consultant in the development of food and ingredients for dogs and cats.
Contact: erika_stasieniuk@sfa-consultoria.com | Instagram: @erikastasieniuk

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By Caroline Deleffe, Murilo Marques, and Erika Stasieniuk
Source: All Pet Food Magazine