# Medicated Cat Foods Vikaly by Virbac Advances Therapeutic Animal Nutrition By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2025-09-30 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vikaly-by-virbac References: [petfoodprocessing.net](https://www.petfoodprocessing.net/articles/19716-virbac-introduces-worlds-first-medicated-cat-food) & [corporate.virbac](https://corporate.virbac.com/home/news-media/products/pagecontent/toutes-les-actualites-produits-v/virbac-introduces-world-first-medicated-feed-for-cats.html)  Getting some pets to eat normally can be a daily struggle and convincing them to take their medications adds an extra layer of challenge that tests even the most patient pet owners, but Vikaly by [Virbac](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/veterinary-hpm-pet-nutrition) is launching in Europe as a first-of-its-kind [medicated feed for cats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/fresh-veterinary-diet). Developed to advance therapeutic animal nutrition, Vikaly takes the form of a homogeneous mixture of renal kibble and a veterinary drug. "The story began more than fifteen years ago, with the idea of combining an essential medication with food, to improve the quality of life of cats with [chronic diseases](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/reduced-phosphorus-canned-cat-pates) and make life easier for their owners," said Bertrand Havrileck, Group R&D Director, "Today, we are proud to see this vision become a reality." Image Credit: Maximilian Müller, Unsplash ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 6.2/10 - Popularity: 66% | Activity: 72% | Freshness: 49% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Millennial - Top markets: Europe ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Pets](https://www.trendhunter.com/pets) ## Key Themes ### What Makes This Trend Stand Out - **Medicated Pet Foods:** Combining medications with pet food signifies a shift towards integrated solutions in pet care, meeting the needs of animals with chronic conditions. - **Therapeutic Animal Nutrition:** The development of nutrient-enriched meals designed to treat specific health issues represents a new avenue in personalized pet care. - **Functional Pet Kibble:** Functional kibble that includes pharmaceutical ingredients offers an innovative way to administer necessary medication to animals reluctant to take traditional forms. ### Sectors Adopting This - **Veterinary Pharmaceuticals:** The inclusion of pharmaceuticals directly in pet foods is set to revolutionize how treatments for chronic conditions are administered in veterinary medicine. - **Pet Food Manufacturing:** Emerging demand for specialized medicated pet foods presents opportunities for manufacturers to diversify product lines into therapeutic segments. - **Animal Health and Wellness:** Innovations in nutraceuticals challenge the traditional separation of diet and medicine, driving growth in animal health and wellness sectors. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Vet-Backed Dieting Treats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/calibra.md) - [Kidney-Focused Prescription Pet Diets](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/prescription-diet.md) - [Elevated Cat Nutrition Products](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/catit-1.md) - [Anxiety-Reducing Cat Foods](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/calming-care-supplement.md) - [Dual-Texture Cat Supplements](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/cat-supplements.md) - [Holistic Cat Wellness Lines](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/kradle.md) - [Veterinary Medicine Advancements](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/anibiom.md) - [Plant-Powered Cat Treats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/vegcat-pure-bites.md) - [Ethical Protein Cat Treats](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/ten-lives.md)