You are probably familiar with the saying, “you are what you eat”. But did you know that it doesn’t apply just to humans – it applies to cats as well. When it comes to determining the length and quality of your cat’s life, there is no bigger determining factor than his diet



Understanding the Nutritional Needs of Cats
Before you can understand the particulars of senior cat nutrition you need to have a basic understanding of the nutritional needs for cats in general. As you may already know, cats are obligate carnivores which means that their bodies are designed to derive maximum nutrition from animal products. The long and short of it is that cats need to eat meat. If you take a look at the ingredients list for a commercial cat food product, however, you will notice that there are a lot of ingredients listed – not just meat. This is because cats still need a blend of different macronutrients and micronutrients in order to thrive – this is true for all living things.

The three main macronutrients that any animal (or human) needs are protein, fat, and carbohydrate. Protein is the most important nutritional consideration for cats because it provides the amino acids the cat’s body needs to produce enzymes, hormones, and antibodies – they are also the building blocks of healthy muscle and tissue. Protein is especially important for kittens because it helps to fuel their growth and development but it is still essential for adult and senior cats because it helps to maintain lean muscle mass. The amino acids that cats need are divided into two categories: essential and non-essential. Non-essential amino acids are those that your cat’s body is able to synthesize on its own. Essential amino acids are those that cannot be synthesized and which must come from the cat’s diet in the form of protein.

A complete protein is a protein source that provides all of the essential amino acids a cat needs – these include meats, fish, poultry, and eggs. Incomplete proteins may only contain some of the essential amino acids – these include plant materials like grains, legumes, and vegetables. Plant products are not necessarily bad for cats in all cases but there are two important things to consider. First, you already know that they are incomplete proteins. Second, your cat’s body simply isn’t designed to digest carbohydrates. In the wild, the only plant material cats eat comes from the stomach contents of their prey and it has already been partially digested. Think about that when reading the ingredients list for commercial cat foods that are high in carbohydrates.

After protein, fats are the second most important nutritional consideration for cats because they provide a highly concentrated source of energy as well as essential fatty acids. These fatty acids help your cat’s body transport and utilize other nutrients and they also play a role in maintaining your cat’s metabolism and his immune system. Similar to proteins, fats should come from animal sources like meat, fish, poultry and eggs as well as fish oils and animal fat. Chicken fat, for example, might not sound like a very appetizing ingredient to you but it is loaded with essential fatty acids as well as other vitamins and minerals your cat needs. In terms of minimum nutritional requirements, kittens need at least 8% fat in their diets and adult cats need at least 5%. This is compared to a minimum protein requirement around 35% for kittens and lactating or pregnant females and a minimum of 26% for adult cats.

While cats need a certain amount of protein and fat in their diets to thrive, they have no nutritional need for carbohydrate – there is no minimum percentage of carbs that should be present in your cat’s diet. A cat’s digestive system simply isn’t designed to process plant material and it is possible for a cat to get all of the nutrition he needs from animal sources. You may be wondering, then, why so many pet food manufacturers include carbohydrates in their formulas. One of the main reasons pet food manufacturers use carbohydrates like corn, wheat, and soy ingredients is because they are cheaper than animal products – it is that simple. Many manufacturers bulk up their products using plant proteins and carbohydrates to keep their prices down, taking advantage of the fact that many cat owners do not have more than a basic understanding of their cat’s nutritional needs.