At a time when many are rediscovering food as medicine, it’s rare to find someone applying such wisdom to what we feed our pets. Dr. Barbara Tonini—a veterinary physician with a PhD in clinical nutrition for dogs and cats, President of the Italian Society of Animal Nutrition, and a lecturer at postgraduate level—is quietly leading that movement in Italy. Her approach combines scientific rigor, preventive care, and the conscious preparation of pet diets—whether at home or online.
We sat down with Dr. Tonini to explore how much nutritional mindfulness has truly permeated pet care, why home prepared feeding is far more than a trend, and how to honour the biological needs of dogs and cats while supporting their longevity.
Human standards of fresh, clean, unprocessed food are rising—so, has that shift reached our pets’ bowls? Or do consumers remain captured by industrial convenience and marketing narratives?
In recent years, interest in more natural feeding has grown significantly for our animals: more and more pet owners want to be directly involved in preparing meals and link this gesture to their pet’s health. That said, it is undeniable that the practicality of commercial food remains a determining factor—modern life does not always allow time for cooking. For this reason, a mixed approach that combines fresh foods with high-quality commercial rations is an absolutely recommendable solution.
You’ve long emphasized prevention as the cornerstone of wellbeing. Why are home prepared meals such a key tool in that philosophy—is there something they deliver that even premium commercial diets cannot?
A well-formulated home diet has the advantage of being less processed and closer to the original raw materials. This not only helps to better preserve certain nutrients but also positively influences the gut microbiota, which we now know plays a key role in overall health. A balanced microbiota supports a more efficient immune system, reduces inflammation, and enhances the body’s ability to prevent chronic diseases. In this sense, the home diet becomes central to a philosophy of prevention, offering benefits that even the highest-end commercial products cannot guarantee to the same extent.
Recently, there’s been a surge of interest in vegan or plant based diets for companion animals. As you frequently remind, dogs are omnivores at best, and cats are obligate carnivores. Why is it essential—both ethically and physiologically—to respect those classifications when crafting a pet’s diet?
This is a sensitive issue that brings together ethical and environmental aspects. In dogs, which are semi-omnivores, it is possible to reduce the share of animal protein and integrate plant proteins without compromising health, provided the diet is well balanced. It is different for cats, who are obligate carnivores: their metabolism depends on essential nutrients such as taurine or arachidonic acid, which are found almost exclusively in animal sources. An exclusively plant-based diet quickly leads to serious deficiencies. This does not mean abandoning all ethical considerations: we can reduce environmental impact and integrate plant-based components, but always while respecting the physiological needs of the species.
On a more personal note—how do you feed your own animals at home? What does your daily routine look like, and what’s the one guiding piece of advice you’d offer to someone hoping to transform their pet’s health through nutrition?
Lucio, my cat, follows a mixed diet: I prepare a portion of fresh food specifically adapted to his renal condition, and I integrate it with a commercial product equally targeted to his health needs. This way I manage to balance several aspects: I reduce environmental impact, keep preparation times manageable, and at the same time guarantee him a portion of fresh, natural food that makes a real difference to his health. If I had to give one fundamental piece of advice, it would be this: don’t chase trends or easy solutions, but choose a diet truly tailored to your animal, taking into account its species, age, and health condition. That is where the real difference in long-term wellbeing is made.
For more on Dr. Tonini’s research, philosophy, and daily practice, visit www.barbaratonini.com or join her community on Instagram @barbara.tonini.
