Species-Appropriate Nutrition for Cats

By Kymythy R. Schultze, CN

www.kymythy.com

So, what’s the big deal about food? Why does it have such a huge influence on a body’s health? Well, simply put, food is body-fuel. It nourishes each and every cell in the body and creates the energy necessary for life to happen. It’s an overly simplified analogy, but food is to living beings like gas is to cars. If you put the wrong type of gas in a car, it won’t run well. But if you put in the correct fuel for that car, it runs better.

Next to air, food is the substance our cats take into their bodies most often. How long they live, their quality of life, the health of their immune system, and their behavior all depend greatly on the food they eat. Food is the foundation for health. It’s really no different than what we hear today about human health. The experts keep telling us that if we wish to live a long healthy life, we need to eat more fresh real food and cut out the processed food products. It seems that every day brings new research to support this advice. As both humans and felines have strayed from eating fresh foods, both our species have suffered a huge increase in disease; obesity, diabetes, allergies, cancer, behavior problems, and more.

These days, there are so many bottles of nutritional “supplements” on the market and so many processed fake foods that perhaps we’ve forgotten that real fresh food is the original and best source of all those vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and other important nutrients necessary for good health. Even in our modern day, malnutrition is still a very real issue for cats (and humans). Malnutrition puts a great deal of stress on the body and lowers the energy needed to maintain good health. Malnutrition may be caused by lack of food, poor quality food, or food cats cannot utilize if it’s not appropriate for their species Felis domesticus.

Food Fit for a Cat

To understand what food is best for our cats, we need to know what type of food their anatomy is designed to best utilize. Dr. Bruce Cauble, D.V.M., puts it very succinctly when he says “Animals, just like people, are still using digestive systems that evolved thousands of years ago, systems designed to provide them with nutrients derived from whole foods. You need only look at the digestive system of an organism to determine its appropriate diet.” Simply put, we need to consider the physiological structure of the cat.

When you have the chance, take a good look at your cat. It has needle-sharp teeth and claws meant to catch, hold, and tear flesh. It has ears that face forward and eyes in the front of its head to better focus on that mouse or bird it wants to chase. That mouse or bird is built differently, being a prey animal, they usually have eyes more to the side of their heads to better see who’s trying to make them into lunch! Your cat’s digestive system is brilliantly designed to eat specific foods. It’s short and acidic; proper foods are utilized swiftly and efficiently. That snuggly-wuggly kitty in your house is a well-developed predator.

Officially, the cat is a carnivore. In fact, your cat is actually an obligatory carnivore, which means it must eat meat. Just because it resides in your home and enjoys your company doesn’t change its physical make-up and its nature. Obviously, it should not eat the same food as a cow or a chicken because that’s not how its body is designed. Cows and chickens are herbivores and are structurally quite different from your cat.

Now, I’m not saying that you must place a live mouse in your cat’s dinner bowl (although some cats would love it), but we do need to feed our cats as closely as we can to what they were built to eat. That’s the responsible thing to do when you’ve chosen to live with a carnivore. Your feline friend’s health will benefit greatly if you keep its natural dietary needs in mind when reading product labels or choosing what type of food to put in its dish.

About the author: Kymythy Schultze has been a trailblazer in animal nutrition for over two decades. She is also a human nutritionist and has helped thousands of people and their pets live happier, healthier lives. To learn how to easily prepare healthy meals for dogs, cats, and humans, check out her best-selling books: Natural Nutrition for Dog and Cats: The Ultimate Diet, The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book: Delicious Food for You and Your Pets! and her new book Natural Nutrition for Cats: The Path to Purr-fect Health. Visit her website at www.kymythy.com

Your Cat’s Nutritional Requirements: The Basics
By Kymythy R. Schultze, CN

www.kymythy.com

Protein. Dietary protein supplies essential amino acids and is needed for the manufacture of antibodies, enzymes, hormones, tissues, and proper pH balance. Protein provides energy for cats and is essential for growth and development. Complete proteins contain ample amounts of essential amino acids and are found in foods such as meat, fish, eggs, and poultry. Incomplete proteins do not provide all essential amino acids and are found in many foods including legumes, grains, and vegetables. Plant proteins don’t supply the essential amino acids that a cat needs, such as taurine which come from animal protein. Cats need protein from animal sources as the amino acids from vegetable sources are not well utilized. Overall, cats have a very high requirement for protein.

Fat. Dietary fat is a concentrated source of energy for the cat. It also provides essential fatty acids and aids in nutrient utilization and transportation. Fat is involved in cell integrity and metabolic regulation. Saturated fat is found primarily in animal sources while polyunsaturated fat is found mostly in plant sources.

Linoleic and arachidonic acids have long been considered to be essential fatty acids (EFAs) for cats. More recently, DHA has been added due to its important contribution to feline vision, reproductive health, and the immune system. EPA may also be of benefit. Unlike some animals, cats do not efficiently convert plant sources of EFAs to the needed derivatives. For example, cats must eat meat to obtain arachidonic acid. Also, cats do not convert LA to GLA (as some animals do), but studies show that GLA can benefit feline skin and coat health. The cat would also consume Omega 3s and CLA when eating its natural herbivorous prey.

Minerals. Minerals are essential to the cat and are involved in almost all physiological reactions. They contribute to enzyme formation, pH balance, nutrient utilization, oxygen transportation, and are stored in bone and muscle tissue. Biological availability may vary widely depending on the source of the mineral. Elemental minerals are generally taken from the earth or water. Chelated minerals are those that are bound with other organic substances often making them easier for the body to absorb. Minerals include calcium, chloride, chromium, cobalt, copper, fluorine, iodine, iron, magnesium, manganese, molybdenum, phosphorus, potassium, selenium, silicon, sodium, sulfur, and zinc. There are other mineral elements required by cats at trace concentrations. Minerals, like vitamins, work synergistically. They have a cooperative action between them.

Vitamins. Vitamins are essential for metabolism regulation, normal growth and function. Vitamins are found in food and some are synthesized within the animal’s body. They’re classified as either water- or fat-soluble. Fat-soluble vitamins include A, D, E, and K. Water-soluble vitamins include C and the B-complex. Generally, fat-soluble vitamins are stored in the body, while water-soluble vitamins pass through more quickly. Once again, the carnivorous cat utilizes animal sources of nutrients more readily than plant sources. For example, cats cannot convert beta-carotene from plants to vitamin A (as some animals do), so they need preformed vitamin A from an animal source. Preformed vitamin A needs no conversion.

Water. Because cats are designed to fulfill most of their water requirements by eating fresh raw food, they naturally have a low thirst drive. This can lead to health issues for cats that eat dry cat food products and treats. One of the problems is that even though they become dehydrated eating the kibble, their natural “programming” may not encourage them to drink more water. And their urine can become too concentrated. Even though a healthy cat doesn’t drink much, you should always have clean good quality drinking water available to them. And please make sure it’s good quality water, which means tap water may be out, especially if your community puts fluoride and chlorine in the water supply. If you have well water, have it tested annually for contaminants.

Kymythy Schultze has been a trailblazer in animal nutrition for over two decades. She is also a human nutritionist and has helped thousands of people and their pets live happier, healthier lives. To learn how to easily prepare healthy meals for dogs, cats, and humans, check out her best-selling books: Natural Nutrition for Dog and Cats: The Ultimate Diet, The Natural Nutrition No-Cook Book: Delicious Food for You and Your Pets! and her new book Natural Nutrition for Cats: The Path to Purr-fect Health. Visit her website at www.kymythy.com.

Many dog owners put a lot of thought into what brand of dog food they should feed their dog in order to keep them healthy and happy. What they find might surprise them!

The truth is as much as dogs are, in fact omnivores, they descended from wolves, who live on a diet that is largely made up of meat.

Home Made vs Commercial Dry Kibble

Far too many owners, whether due to lack of knowledge or lack of time, feed their dog dry kibble only. Unfortunately for the dog, this is his only source of nutrition which often lacks what he needs most in his
diet.

The biggest problem with any brand of kibble is that it is a processed food and most processed foods lose any natural vitamins, minerals and enzymes during the processing itself. This is why it’s so important to provide an enzyme supplement if kibble is your dog’s only diet source. Many brands of commercial dry kibble contain large portions of filler and vegetable matter. While vegetable matter doesn’t seem to be a problem for many dogs, the fact remains that the most predominant ingredient in several commercial dry kibble brands are corn and soybeans, which are thought to be two of the leading causes for food allergies in dogs.

Compare this to a dog food diet that you prepare yourself from ingredients that you know are safe and nutritious for your pet. You’ll quickly realize why dogs kept on home made raw meat diets are so much healthier. A hearty mix of ground beef or ground turkey, carrots, apples and green beans are just a few examples of what can be included in a homemade healthy meal for your best friend.

Vary The Meal Sources

In the wild, wolves hunt elk, deer, bison and rabbit. Cousin to dogs, foxes hunt rabbit, mice, birds, worms, frogs and lizards. When switching to a home prepared diet for your dog, don’t stick to the same recipe all the time. Use a variety of meats, grains and vegetables.

Health Benefits

Most dog owners that make the switch to a home prepared raw diet for their dog are quickly amazed at the results. Allergies, skin problems, gas and flatulence, ear problems, irritable bowel syndrome and lack of energy are just a few conditions that can often be corrected with a home prepared raw diet. Dogs will pass less stool because their bodies are receiving what they need.

Many owners shy away from a raw food diet visioning themselves gathering raw chicken parts and bones, etc. However, there are raw diets and recipes that use raw ground meat, raw ground turkey or chicken and even canned salmon which has a lot of Omega Three Fatty Acids. Besides the convenience of working with ground meats, these meats can also be very economical.

Although preparing the meal is pretty simple, in order to get the most out of a home prepared raw diet for your dog, it’s critical to follow a specific recipe that includes the necessary ingredients to balance the meal. Never just toss things together on your own and assume because it’s raw and includes vegetables and grains that it must be good for your dog. The correct amounts of protein, fat, fiber and calcium are important and differ with each meat, grain and vegetable.

Dr. Richard H. Pitcairn, DVM, Ph.D has a wonderful book that includes many great recipes for dog owners switching to a whole food diet for their dog.

Although most dogs love this diet, more importantly they receive the benefits of a strong immune system and a vigorous mental state. Their bodies become lean and solid while their coats shine. Most owners report that their dog’s are happier, healthier and very content.

For dog owners themselves, most say that they have less trips to the Veterinarian.

Take time to learn more about a whole food diet for your best friend no matter what his age!

Janie resides in the Pennsylvania area. With over 25 years of dog handling experience, she shares many articles on the importance of dog care and canine nutritional health.

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