# cat food has everything needed for life....why isn't there a "people" food? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [December 3, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706 "2006-12-03T17:39:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![chappachula](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/d2c977/32.png) [@chappachula](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chappachula)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/1 "2006-12-03T17:39:48Z")
My cat has been fed nothing except dry pellet cat chow for 10 years, and she is perfectly healthy. The cat food supplies all the nutrition she needs. Why is there no dry pellet “people food” that contains all necessary nutrients? Not that I’m expecting people to eat the same dry stuff every day all their lives. But it could be very useful— Say, for soldiers, for emergency relief supplies at disaster areas, and for long-term relief of starving villagers in Africa. Oh,yeah, and also for lazy people like me. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Frylock](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/ce7236/32.png) [@Frylock](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frylock)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/2 "2006-12-03T17:41:49Z")
I wish I could remember where I read this, but I once read something suprising: Apparently, variety in one’s diet actually correlates with unhappiness. The more routine your diet, for some reason, it turns out, the happier you tend to be. So these people pellets might be just the thing for everybody, not just for starving villagers! 🙂 -Kris ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/3 "2006-12-03T17:43:09Z")
You mean like [Bachelor Chow](http://www.monkeyspit.net/sites/purina/)? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![KarlGauss](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/karlgauss/32/3713_2.png) [@KarlGauss](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGauss)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/4 "2006-12-03T17:44:02Z")
[QUOTE=chappachula] My cat has been fed nothing except dry pellet cat chow for 10 years, and she is perfectly healthy. The cat food supplies all the nutrition she needs. Why is there no dry pellet “people food” that contains all necessary nutrients? Not that I’m expecting people to eat the same dry stuff every day all their lives. But it could be very useful— Say, for soldiers, for emergency relief supplies at disaster areas, and for long-term relief of starving villagers in Africa. Oh,yeah, and also for lazy people like me. 🙂 [/QUOTE] There is, although AFAIK it’s only available a liquid form (I know, you said “dry pellet”). Specifically, drinks like Ensure and Resource are complete, even to the point of containing trace elements. It’s possible these trade names are unique to Canada, but my point is the same. ---
**Author:** ![TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/51bf81/32.png) [@TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TLDRIDKJKLOLFTW)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/5 "2006-12-03T17:44:22Z")
cereal ---
**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/6 "2006-12-03T19:00:30Z")
[QUOTE=VCO3] cereal [/QUOTE] Almost, but not quite. But with milk and OJ, maybe. KarlGauss is right- most of the “people chow” is in liquid forms. Although some of the food bars out there might be OK. We also have choice,your cats doesn’t.We are also omnivores and need a more varied diet than a carnivore. You cat makes his own Vit C for example. ---
**Author:** ![Alan\_Smithee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/2acd7d/32.png) [@Alan\_Smithee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alan_Smithee)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/7 "2006-12-03T20:38:48Z")
I thought of this very question last night as I was feeding the three cats and two dogs I’ve been petsitting this weekend. I agree that “People Chow” (or “Bachelor Chow,” which would be appropriate for me, though Purina might have to make some sort of payment to Matt Groening) is something I would probably eat. Pet food is also a lot cheaper than human food. How complete are those nutrition drinks? Could I live off of nothing but Ensure and water for decades and still be perfectly healthy? ---
**Author:** ![astro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/9dc877/32.png) [@astro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astro)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 8:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/8 "2006-12-03T20:50:11Z")
Done and Done The Monkey Chow Diaries ---
**Author:** ![Rick](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/9f8e36/32.png) [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/9 "2006-12-03T21:09:07Z")
How about [Soylent Green?](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soylent_Green) ---
**Author:** ![Alessan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/alessan/32/465_2.png) [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/10 "2006-12-03T21:16:17Z")
Bear in mind, also, that your can has something like 4% of your mass and sleeps 20 hours a day. That means he burns one hell of lot less energy than you do, which means that he eats much less. You’d probably go through two bags of cat food a week. ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Slant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c57346/32.png) [@Mr.Slant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Slant)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/11 "2006-12-03T21:16:45Z")
I did some research on this. Apparently Purina Monkey Chow fits the bill, but sucks. It’s _NOT_ much cheaper than a cheap diet, though. There are also questions about the E. Coli count for that food in some tests. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 9:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/12 "2006-12-03T21:19:53Z")
I read an article about a guy who lived on pigeon feed for a year or so. It was cheap and nutritious enough, I guess. I was at Costco the other week and they were selling those five-gallon buckets of what was basically “human chow.” But they called it “emergency rations” or something. It was bags of variously named & flavored gruel all you need to do is boil some water & mix. It wasn’t particularly cheap though. I think it was something like $80/bucket. I don’t remember what it worked out to per/meal, but it did seem to be “human chow.” ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/13 "2006-12-03T21:31:53Z")
Oh, and while it apparently contained all the proteins, carbs, vitamins & minerals you need etc; it was vegetarian. I tasted some at the sample table and it wasn’t bad. ---
**Author:** ![x-ray\_vision](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/x-ray_vision/32/351_2.png) [@x-ray\_vision](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/x-ray_vision)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 9:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/14 "2006-12-03T21:36:42Z")
Pizza with everything on it. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 10:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/15 "2006-12-03T22:41:19Z")
There’s an old thread on this from a few years back. I’m running a search on the phrase “people kibble” but I think they’ve run out of hamster kibble, so no luck so far. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [December 3, 2006, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/16 "2006-12-03T23:03:59Z")
Found it: [Why don’t they make People Kibble?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=53966&highlight=kibble) ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/17 "2006-12-04T00:28:30Z")
We do this every so often, as you can see by now. It seems possible, or at least I haven’t been shown how it’s impossible, but it seems nobody with the ability to make it happen sees a market. I say they’re unimaginative clods too myopic to see past the ends of their own noses, but that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Q.E.D](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/51bf81/32.png) [@Q.E.D](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Q.E.D)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/18 "2006-12-04T00:35:03Z")
[QUOTE=Alessan] Bear in mind, also, that your can has something like 4% of your mass and sleeps 20 hours a day. [/QUOTE] Look, I know I sit around more than I should but making fun of my ass is uncalled for. ---
**Author:** ![Phantom\_Dennis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/51bf81/32.png) [@Phantom\_Dennis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Phantom_Dennis)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 2:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/19 "2006-12-04T02:04:47Z")
I know I’d buy it in a second. Sometimes I just don’t have the energy or time to prepare myself a meal, much less worry about whether that meal is nutritional or healthy. I wouldn’t even care if it tastes a little weird, as long as it doesn’t induce the gag reflex. I guess Slimfast shakes might fit the bill – they’re advertised as a meal-replacement drinks, and judging by the nutrition information on the label, they contain the right balance of protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals that a human needs to survive. They’re definitely not cheap though, and the thick, chalky texture takes some getting used too. ---
**Author:** ![WonJohnSoup](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f17d59/32.png) [@WonJohnSoup](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WonJohnSoup)\ **Post date:** [December 4, 2006, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706/20 "2006-12-04T02:42:41Z")
I for one would love decent-tasting People Kibble. But I’ve tried the Balance Bar/Power Bar test for a day and it didn’t feel so hot. It wasn’t the taste, but the discomfort of a gnawing empty stomach, despite having supposedly ingested enough calories to keep alive. I wonder what would happen if someone tried Balance cars for a month? Does your stomach shrink THAT much if you eat non-filling food that it would get to the point of not hurting anymore when it’s mostly empty? And oh, I heard somewhere that Power Bars WERE designed for astronauts in the hope of finding some kind of People Kibble that humans could eat and produce minimal feces from. Just an urban legend as far as I know. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cat-food-has-everything-needed-for-life-why-isnt-there-a-people-food/382706.md?page=2)