Rabbit

Rabbit is a lean meat used as a protein source in some foods, often positioned in the novel-protein niche, supplying good-quality protein, phosphorus and B-group vitamins with a generally low fat content. This leanness makes it suited to moderate-energy formulas. Rabbit's main appeal lies in its status as an uncommon protein: many animals have never been exposed to it, which makes it a useful candidate for an [elimination diet](/glossary/elimination-diet) aimed at suspected food allergy (veterinary literature). The advantage depends on the animal's real dietary history, and as rabbit spreads further in pet food its novel character lessens for some animals. On a label, fresh rabbit should be distinguished from rabbit meal, a concentrated water-free ingredient, and rabbit often costs more than conventional proteins, which feeds through to the food's price (NRC, 2006). The word rabbit does not guarantee a majority share in the recipe. The marker: rabbit is a lean, uncommon protein, valued mainly for variety and elimination work, provided the real share in the composition is checked. It sits alongside [horse](/glossary/horse), [kangaroo](/glossary/kangaroo) and [venison](/glossary/venison-deer) as novel sources, and is best assessed against the animal's [food allergy versus food intolerance](/glossary/food-allergy-vs-food-intolerance) history.

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