Fat is the most efficient and primary energy fuel for dogs and cats - it provides more than twice the energy per gram than protein or carbohydrates [1]. It is the main component of the diet, and additionally significantly improves the palatability of food, which makes it easier to provide the right amount of calories in a meal. It is an essential carrier of fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K): even if these vitamins are in a bowl, without the appropriate amount of fat, the body will not absorb them. It is also the main source of essential omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids.
What it contains: Fatty meats (duck, goose, pork, mutton), poultry skin, tallow, fat in meat (e.g. beef), egg yolks and fish oils. Different types of food contain different fatty acids, so it is important to diversify the source of fat.
Deficiency: Chronic lack of energy, rapid weight loss, very dry, flaky skin, dull coat and hormonal disorders [1] [2]. In the BARF diet, deficiency most often occurs when the owner transfers human dietary habits to the animal and - fearing fat - gives the dog or cat only lean meats (e.g. only chicken breast or lean tenderloin). Harmful fats in our diet are actually beneficial for dogs and cats.
Excess: In the long term, chronic excess calories lead to obesity [3]. However, the most dangerous is a one-time, sudden increase in the amount of fat in a portion. A meal that is too fatty and given to an animal without its digestive system getting used to it can quickly cause painful fatty diarrhea. A sudden, large amount of fat burdens the pancreas and, in extreme cases, may cause acute pancreatitis [2].
Sources
- National Research Council (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10668/nutrient-requirements-of-dogs-and-cats
- Hand MS, Thatcher CD, Remillard RL, Roudebush P, Novotny BJ (2010). Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 5th Edition. https://www.markmorrisinstitute.org/sacn5.html
- Lyu Y, Wu C, Li L, Pu J (2025). Current Evidence on Raw Meat Diets in Pets. Animals 15(3):293. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani15030293