| NUTRITION | | | | of grass mixed with mucus, so eating grass may be |
| A BALANCED DIET | | | | a useful method of getting rid of excess mucus from |
| Like all animals, the domestic cat needs a diet that is | | | | the cat's stomach. |
| properly balanced and contains all the essential | | | | FATS |
| nutrients in the correct quantities. These nutrients are | | | | Fats and oils contain substances called fatty acids, |
| water, protein, fat, carbohydrate, minerals and | | | | some of which play an important role in helping to |
| vitamins. | | | | maintain internal body functions and a healthy skin. |
| The wild members of the cat family, such as the lion, | | | | They also act as carriers for the fat-soluble vitamins |
| tiger, cheetah and European wild cats, are carnivores. | | | | (A, D, E and K). |
| Between them they hunt and kill a wide variety of | | | | Fats are concentrated form of energy (for a given |
| other animals, ranging in size from small lizards and | | | | weight, fat provides more than twice as many |
| birds to large antelopes. They don't just eat the | | | | kilocalories (kilojoules) as carbohydrates or protein). |
| meat or muscle, but consume all, or almost all, of | | | | If the diet that a cat consumes contains more |
| their prey, including the skin, hair or feathers, and the | | | | energy than the cat needs, the excess is converted |
| internal organs such as liver kidneys and intestines. | | | | into fat that is stored in various parts of the body, |
| Their diet therefore contains a substantial amount of | | | | such as under the skin and around the intestines. This |
| animal protein, and supplies them with all the other | | | | stored fat acts as a fuel store that can be drawn |
| essential nutrients that they require. | | | | upon in times of need. |
| To remain healthy, domestic cats also require a diet | | | | CARBOHYDRATES |
| containing animal protein. This is because they need a | | | | Carbohydrates occur in plants and include sugars, |
| particular amino acid (one of the blocks of protein) | | | | starch and cellulose. There are various types of |
| called taurine, which helps to prevent heart and eye | | | | sugars, among which are sucrose and glucose. These |
| diseases. Taurine is plentiful in animal protein, but only | | | | are two of the simplest sugars and therefore more |
| present in small amounts in plant protein. | | | | easily digested. Cow's milk contain the milk's sugar |
| While dogs are able to manufacture the amino acid | | | | lactose, but many adult cats are unable to digest |
| taurine within their body, cats can only manufacture a | | | | lactose properly - for this reason specially formulated |
| little, and it is not enough to meet their needs, and | | | | lactose reduced or lactose-free milk is available for |
| plant protein cannot supply them with enough to | | | | cats from pet food stores and supermarkets. For |
| make up the shortfall. Therefore, although a pet dog | | | | cats, one of the most useful sources of dietary |
| could remain healthy if fed properly balanced | | | | carbohydrate is rice. |
| vegetarian diet, a cat could not. For this reason cats | | | | MINERALS |
| are known as obligatory carnivores; they must eat | | | | Like other animals, the cat needs to consume many |
| some animal protein on a daily basis in order to | | | | different minerals to ensure that its body process |
| survive | | | | function normally. Some are required in comparatively |
| WATER | | | | large amounts, while others, known as trace |
| Water is the most important element in a cat's diet. | | | | elements, are only required in very small quantities. |
| Whereas most animals can survive after losing up to | | | | Two of the most important minerals for felines are |
| half of their protein and stored fat, in a cat, even a | | | | calcium and phosphorous, which are involves in the |
| 10 per cent loss of total body water will cause | | | | formation and growth of bones and teeth. Minerals |
| serious illness, and a 15 percent loss will result in | | | | also play an important role in the growth and repair, |
| death. Animals can ingest water in 3 ways. They | | | | skin and hair. They are also required in the formation |
| drink it, eat food that contains it, and their body | | | | of red and white blood cells, and in various digestive |
| manufactures some water as a by product during | | | | processes. |
| the chemical processes involved when converting | | | | VITAMINS |
| proteins, fats and carbohydrates into energy. | | | | Certain vitamins are essential for the proper working |
| The daily amount of water required by a cat is | | | | of body processes. Four of them, vitamins A, D, E |
| roughly the same amount (in mililitres) as its energy | | | | and K, are soluble in fat, so fats and oils provide a |
| requirement (in kilocalories). A sedentary cat needs a | | | | good dietary source. Vitamin E plays an important |
| daily intake of about 65-70ml (roughly four | | | | role in normal muscle function, vision and reproductive |
| tablespoons) water for each kilogram of body | | | | processes. Vitamins of the B-group, and vitamins C, |
| weight, while an active cat needs about 85ml (roughly | | | | are soluble in water. The B-group vitamins have a |
| six tablespoons). | | | | variety of functions associated with the metabolism |
| PROTEIN | | | | of amino acids, fats or carbohydrates. Vitamin C I |
| Protein occurs in animals (animal protein) and in plants | | | | involved in wound healing, preventing haemorrhages |
| (plant protein). There are many different types of | | | | from small blood vessels (capillaries) and maintaining |
| protein, each of which contains a particular | | | | healthy skin. As in humans, vitamin C is important in |
| combination of amino acids, the substances that | | | | the prevention of scurvy. Cats, like dogs, have the |
| provide the materials needed for the growth and | | | | ability to manufacture this vitamin within their bodies |
| repair of all body tissues. | | | | and, unlike humans, they don't need a source of |
| Proteins vary in their digestibility. The most digestible | | | | vitamin C in their diet. |
| are those contained in foods derived from animal | | | | FIBRE |
| sources, such as meat, eggs and cheese. The least | | | | Derived from plant materials (often ingested along |
| digestible are those contained in foods derived from | | | | with prey), fibre does not provide a cat with any |
| plants, such as grains and vegetables. Most domestic | | | | nutrients but it does play a very important role in |
| cats consume a diet containing a significant amount | | | | digestion. It acts as a bulking agent, absorbs any |
| of animal protein. They do eat some plant material, | | | | toxic by products of the digestive processes, and |
| either in the stomach and intestines of prey that | | | | increases the rate of passage of food through the |
| they catch, or by voluntarily eating specific plants | | | | gut |
| such as grass, but plant protein is a comparatively | | | | For more interesting cat care and health tips, please |
| unimportant part of the domestic cat's diet. | | | | visit my blog at:- |
| When a cat eats grass it is probably doing so to | | | | is a highly entertaining and informative blog containing |
| consume fibre and as an aid to digestion. Quite often | | | | useful cat care and training advises, funny cat videos, |
| a cat will vomit soon afterwards, bringing up a bolus | | | | cute cat pictures and cat stories. Have fun!! |