You know that some animals are herbivores (they eat plants) or carnivores (they eat meat) or some are in the middle and are omnivores (they eat both plants and animals).
Within the carnivore category, some animals are obligate carnivores. They have to eat meat in order to survive because they can’t break down and get nutrients from non-meat sources.1
A great example of an obligate carnivore is cats. All cats, regardless of their size or if they’re wild or domesticated, are obligate carnivores. While other animals process carbohydrates to meet blood sugar requirements, cats can do this when they break down the protein in the meat they eat.2
Another example is vitamin A. While other animals can break down carotene and turn it into vitamin A, obligate carnivores have to get vitamin A from the liver of the prey they eat.1
Speaking of cats, did you catch our blog on mountain lions? Do you know what the difference is between them and pumas?
