Energy Requirements for Cats

Energy Requirements for Cats

The dietary energy requirements for cats is more than other omnivorous species. Domestic cat required high protein along with its need for taurine, arachidonic acid and vitamin A in the diet impose requirement for the inclusion of animal tissues in the diet.

During pregnancy 1.25 to 1.5 times of maintenance ration can be given up to end of gestation and during lactation it should be increased to 2 to 3.5 times of adult maintenance ration.

Studies showed that cats required substantially more protein than other mammals including dog. Cat can be fed with balanced commercial cat food.

Under Indian condition mostly cats are fed with homemade food. The recipe of homemade food should be complete and balanced.

Energy Requirements for Cats
Energy Requirements for Cats

Fat Requirement in Cats Diet

A minimum level of fat is needed in the cat‘s diet for the same purposes as with dogs. Also similar to dogs, cats are capable of thriving on a relatively wide range of dietary fat, provided the diet includes proper levels of all essential nutrients.

In general, cat foods contain slightly higher amounts of dietary fat than do most dog foods. For example, dry maintenance cat foods contain between 8% and 13% fat (DM basis).

The current AAFCO‘s Nutrient Profiles minimum fat recommendation for cats during all life stages is 9% in a food containing 4000 kcal/kg.

Exact estimates for the EFA requirement in cats are difficult to make because adequate levels of linoleic acid in the diet decrease the cat‘s requirement for AA, and high levels of AA can meet some of the needs for linoleic acid.

In Addition, recent evidence suggests that most adult cats do not have a dietary requirement for AA and are capable of synthesizing adequate levels from dietary linoleic acid. The AAFCO‘s Nutrient Profiles for cat foods recommends 0.5 % linoleic acid and 0.02 % AA in diets containing 4000 kcal of ME/kg.

The current NRC provides similar estimates along with the caveat that the AA recommendation is a presumed adequate intake rather than a minimum requirement for adult maintenance.

Similar to dogs, requirements have not been established for alpha-linolenic acid or for any of its LCPUFA derivatives for the cat. The NRC provides an AI estimate of 0.1 g of EPA and DHA combined per 1000 g diet in a food containing 4000 kcal/g.

Protein Requirements in Cat Diet

Early studies of the cat‘s nutrient requirements showed that it has a protein requirement substantially higher than that of other mammals, including the dog. When growing kittens were fed varying levels of dietary protein, supplied as minced herring and minced liver, growth was reported to be satisfactory only when protein exceeded 30% of the dry weight of the diet.

In comparison, growing puppies fed mixed diets required only 20% protein for adequate growth and development. One of the first studies of the protein requirement of the adult cat reported that 21% dietary protein was necessary to maintain nitrogen balance when cats were fed a mixed diet containing liver and whitefish as the primary protein sources.

Subsequent experimentation using crystalline amino acids and protein isolates allowed more precise definition of the minimum protein requirements of growing kittens and adult cats.

One study reported a protein requirement of 18% to 20% (by weight) in growing kittens fed either crystalline amino acid diets or casein diets supplemented with methionine.

Another study reported requirements as low as 16% of ME calories when growing kittens were fed a purified diet containing all of the essential amino acids in their assumed correct concentrations and ratios.

Using a similar semi purified diet, the protein requirement of adult cats was determined to be 12.5% of ME.

The profound effect that protein digestibility, amino acid balance, and amino acid availability have on determining an animal‘s dietary protein requirement is illustrated by the substantially lower values that were obtained when semi purified and purified diets were used to determine requirements.

However, the comparison of these figures with the ideal minimum protein requirements of other mammals still demonstrates that the cat, together with other obligate carnivores such as the fox and the mink, has a higher requirement for dietary protein.

NRC recommended minimum requirement of protein for adult cats of 160 g crude protein/kg food in a diet containing 4 kcal/kg.

The NRC‘s minimum requirement for kittens after weaning is 180 g/kg, equivalent to 15.75% of ME Once again, it is important to recognize that all of these values assume highly available and well balanced protein sources that contain all of the necessary amino acids.

AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for cat foods, as with dog foods, suggest a higher level of protein for inclusion in commercially prepared foods.

A level of 30% of the diet (dry matter; DM]) is suggested for growth and reproduction in foods containing 4 kcal of ME/g of food. This value is equivalent to 26.25% of ME calories. A level of 26% of the diet, equivalent to 22.75% ME, is suggested for adult maintenance.

Carbohydrate Requirements in Cat Diet

Unlike omnivores and herbivores, cats are obligate carnivores and have evolved to thrive on diets that are high in animal-based proteins and fats while having minimal reliance on carbohydrates. Their metabolic pathways are adapted to efficiently utilize protein and fat as primary energy sources rather than carbohydrates.

Cats have a limited ability to digest and metabolise carbohydrates due to the low activity of key carbohydrate-digesting enzymes such as amylase and glucokinase.

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