Would YOU feed your cat lab-grown meat? World’s first cans of cultivated pet food are created in the UK

With around 26% of households owning one, cats are one of the most popular pets in the UK.

And if you have a cat, a new pet food option may soon be available to you.

Experts at London startup Meatly have developed the world’s first cans of pet food using lab-grown chicken as a protein source.

The meat is grown from lab-grown chicken egg cells, and it looks just like real chicken, according to Meatly.

Although the pet food has yet to gain regulatory approval, Meatly has already partnered with Pets at Home, which plans to be the first retailer to offer these products in the UK.

Lab-grown cat food is created through a three-step process, which begins with a small sample of cells taken from a chicken egg.

“After this, we never use any other animal products in our production,” Meatly explains on its website.

These cells are grown in the laboratory, where scientists provide them with the vitamins, minerals and amino acids needed to turn them into meat.

Finally, the cells are fed into a container that controls temperature and acidity, which Meatly likens to the process used to make yogurt or beer.

“When our meat is ready, we work with the world’s leading pet food manufacturers to prepare delicious meals for pets,” he adds.

For lab-grown cat food, Meatly has partnered with pet food company Omni, which is venturing into the world of cultured meat for the first time.

“The Meatly ingredient is incredibly exciting for us at Omni, not only because it represents a virtually infinite, cruelty-free source of meat, but also because it can be optimized for health,” said Dr. Guy Sandelowsky, founder of Omni.

“This means more essential vitamins, minerals and omegas, as well as eliminating bothersome components that can be found in traditional meat, such as antibiotic residue.”

“We consider this ingredient to be of particular importance to the cat food market, which currently lacks credible alternative protein solutions.”

While many pet owners will likely be concerned about the safety of lab-grown meat, Meatly reassures that its product is safe.

“Our cultured meat is made without GMOs or antibiotics,” it explains on its website.

“There are no unwanted chemicals, bacteria or other harmful substances in our meat.

“It’s all pure chicken, making it a healthy and nutritious source of protein and nutrients for pets.”

Meatly is still awaiting regulatory approval, but has already revealed plans to sell the product at Pets at Home.

“We are thrilled to be part of the Meatly journey and look forward to being the first retailer to offer their products in our pet care centers,” said David Wainwright, Chief Commercial Officer at Pets at Home.

“While it is still early days, we are committed to contributing to change in the industry and finding sustainable alternatives to replace some of the proteins used globally in pet foods would be a major step forward.”

Meatly told MailOnline that 150g boxes – enough for a single meal – would cost around £1.