Research overview: bone gnawing, whole prey and dental health in captive felids

Captive cats fed soft, processed diets commonly develop dental disease such as gingivitis, calculus and tooth fractures, whereas chewing on bone, hide and connective tissue provides natural abrasion and oral exercise. This overview surveys the rationale and evidence for offering whole prey, carcasses and large bones as both nutritional and behavioural enrichment, and the trade-offs with hygiene, parasite risk and public perception. It covers how feeding form affects jaw use, feeding duration, gut transit and stress, and how veterinary teams weigh dental benefits against fracture risk from inappropriate bones. The aim is to summarise practical husbandry considerations for institutions deciding between carcass and processed feeding regimes for cats from servals to lions.