Halal food that’s made strictly . . . for cats

THE world’s first halal cat food is set to go on sale in the UK – but Islamic scholars question why pets need to have religious food.

Manchester-based firm Tiana says it is in advanced talks with some of the UK’s leading pet food shops about a launch next month of what it believes to be the world’s first branded halal cat food.

It is already selling trial packs of chicken, fish and goat for £7.

Tiana claims there are more than 500,000 Muslim cat owners in the UK and that many want to feed their cats halal food. Its website claims ‘it is not permissible to feed animals with pet food that contains haram [non-halal] meat.’

But Shaykh Ibrahim Mogra, an imam from Leicester, said: ‘It is bizarre – it’s the first time I’ve heard of it. To my knowledge, there is no such teaching that you have to feed your pets halal food. It may be a preference of pet owners but there is no religious requirement.’

Dr Usama Hasan, an Islamic scholar, said he was aware of some conservative Muslims who fed their cats halal food. He said: ‘It could be big business. They could rake it in.’

Halal is an Arabic word meaning ‘permissible’. Halal food is prepared according to strict rules on slaughtering and handling.

Tiana’s owner Pankaj Hurria said: ‘There is definitely a gap in the market, particularly for professional, millennial Muslim women who don’t have the time to make their own halal cat food.’