naturalpet


PURRING


FOR PROTEIN


Why Canned Food is Best for Cat Health by Dr. Lisa Pierson


Just as with humans, diet comprises the bricks and mortar of health for our pets. Unfortunately, as we have strayed from a healthy diet, so have the feline friends that are dependent upon us for their food.


O


ften ignored principles of proper feline nutrition explain why cats have a better chance at optimal health if they are fed canned food instead of dry nuggets or kibble. Putting a little thought into what we feed our cats can pay big divi- dends over their lifetime and likely help them avoid ex- periencing serious, painful and costly illnesses. To begin, it is vital to understand that cats are obligate (strict) carnivores, and are very different from dogs in their nutri- tional requirements. Cats are designed to have their nutritional needs met by the consumption of a


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large amount of animal proteins (meat/ organs), instead of those found in plants (grains/vegetables). Plant proteins are less complete than meat proteins. A wild cat’s diet typically consists of rodents, birds, rabbits, lizards and insects. Such natural feline prey are high in animal protein, high in water content (about 70 percent) and low in carbohydrates (less than 5 percent). Most canned foods are of similar proportions.


Now, consider three key negative issues associated with dry cat food: 1) as a protein source, it’s too high in plant (grain or vegetable) pro-


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tein and too low in animal protein; 2) the water content is far too low, at just 5 to 10 percent; and 3) its carbohydrate load is too high, as much as 50 percent. This is not what is needed to support a healthy animal.


Protein Puzzle


Humans and dogs can take the amino acids provided in plant proteins and, from those, produce any missing amino acids normally provided by animal proteins. Cats cannot do this, and so cannot live on a vegetarian diet. That is why the protein in dry cat food, which is often heavily grain- based, is not equal in quality to the protein in canned cat food, which is meat-based. The protein in dry food, therefore, earns a lower score in terms of biological value. Many pet food companies use grain proteins, such as corn, wheat, soy and rice, which are cheaper ingredients than meat proteins, because this practice contributes to a higher profit margin.


Water for Life


Water, too, is vital to life and it also plays a critical role in the health of a cat’s urinary tract. Cats, by nature, have an extraordinarily low thirst drive and


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