In the wild, cats live almost exclusively on meat. The “perfect” natural
cat meal—a mouse—is about 50 percent fat, 40 percent protein, and 3 percent
carbohydrate. Their sense of taste is much less developed than that of people
or dogs. They have fewer taste buds, which can detect salt, sour, and bitter
tastes, but not sweetness. Cats also have less digestive enzyme activity than
dogs. Increasing the carbohydrate component of a cat’s diet does not stimulate
increased dietary enzyme production, secretion, or activity, as it does in
dogs. To remain healthy cats must have specific amino and fatty acids in their
diets that can only be found in meat. Without proper nutrition, a cat will not grow
or reproduce normally, maintain good health, or develop a strong immune system
capable of fighting infection.
Choosing the Right
Diet A well-balanced, tasty
diet is critical to a cat’s overall health and well-being. Cat owners can either
make a homemade diet or use commercial cat food. The vast majority of cat
owners in North America rely on the latter. There are three main types of
commercial pet food: dry, canned, and semi-moist. Each can be found in generic,
branded, and premium forms. Frozen and refrigerated diets are also available.
Nutritional comparisons between food types should be made on a “dry matter
basis,” which factors out the water content of the semi-moist and canned
products. With so many different foods on the market today, it can be
challenging to figure out which diet is “best.” Consult your veterinarian for
specific dietary concerns. The following are some general guidelines.
Age Matters
It is important to feed cats the right diet during the various stages of
life: kittenhood, adulthood, and the geriatric years. Highly active cats,
pregnant queens, and lactating females have additional nutritional
requirements. Cats with specific medical conditions, such as bladder stones,
kidney disease, allergies, skin and coat problems, diabetes, or
gastrointestinal disorders, may benefit from specialized prescription diets
that are available through a veterinarian.
Dry Cat Food
Many cats don’t find dry food very appealing. Most dry cat food (kibble)
contains some form of carbohydrate to bind it. Carbohydrates are broken down
during the high-heat processing of kibble, increasing their digestibility.
Nutritionally, carbohydrates in dry cat food are primarily non-essential
“fillers.” Kibble is less expensive than canned food and can be left out all
day so the cat can eat whenever it wants to. Dry food also helps keep a cat’s
teeth clean. However, low-quality dry cat food may not contain enough protein
from meat sources. In addition, some cats become dehydrated when only fed
kibble.
Canned Cat Food
Canned food tends to be the tastiest to cats. It contains a high percentage
of water, which helps prevent dehydration. High-quality canned food usually has
few (or no) carbohydrates and lots of fat and meat protein. Poor-quality canned
food is packed with non-meat products and may not be complete and balanced.
Unlike kibble, canned cat food does not promote dental health and cannot be
left out for long periods of time. Most cats turn their noses up at
refrigerated canned food; it should be warmed to room temperature before being
offered.
Note:
Cats fed from pop-top cans have a significantly greater risk of developing hyperthyroidism,
possibly due to some component of the can lid.
Semi-Moist Cat Food
Although semi-moist food has lots of eye appeal to pet owners and often
comes in shapes and colors to resemble fish, poultry, or meat, it is usually
full of preservatives, sugar, and artificial colors. More expensive than
kibble, semi-moist may be a bit cheaper than canned food.
Feline Obesity: An Overview
Companion cats are prone to becoming fat. Statistics show that about 40
percent of domestic cats are obese—almost always caused by overfeeding. Healthy
cats should have a layer of fat covering their ribs, which provides padding and
insulation. This layer should not be too thick, but the ribs should not be
prominent.
An owner should be able to feel her cat’s ribs when rubbing her hands down
the cat’s side. Viewed from above, cats should have a defined waist at their
flank area, just in front of their hips and just behind their rib cage.
Once a cat becomes overweight, it is an uphill battle to help it take the
pounds off. Fortunately, well-balanced commercial weight-loss diets are increasingly
available at pet supply stores. Cats have very particular nutritional
requirements, and it is difficult to create a home-cooked diet which supports
all of a cat’s unique nutritional needs.
Potential Health Implications
Overweight cats have an increased risk of developing serious health
problems, including
arthritis, heart problems, hormonal abnormalities, bone and joint
disorders, and type 2 diabetes, among many others. They also are predisposed to
hepatic lipidosis, a potentially life-threatening condition that affects their
liver. Owners of obese cats have several options to help them lose weight. The
most effective solution is a combination of increasing the cat’s activity level
and modifying its diet.
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