How to feed a True Carnivore?
February 4, 2009 by admin
Filed under Cat Nutrition
Cats have evolved to fit their prey. Prey does not evolve to suit a predator. The way cats look, function, and act is because of what they eat. Therefore it is not only an assumption that a wild diet meets all their nutritional needs, but a fact. They are because of it.
Learning about the nutritional needs of cats means to understand the dramatic distinction between their needs and our needs as humans. We have to come to terms with the fact that what is good for us is not necessarily good for cats. Their radical differences from us are simply the result of choosing a different evolutionary pathway and the adaptation into a different niche in the ecosystem. Fresh, raw fruit and vegetables just don’t cut it for our feline friends, and the ingestion of such foods could in fact result in painful indigestion. Over many millions of years, the ancestors of the modern domestic cat have evolved to be carnivores, and are perfectly and totally adapted to a lifestyle of predation on herbivores and the consumption of their flesh for sustenance. In fact, all feline species are so successful as predators, that in the course of their evolution, they never needed to develop the ability to metabolize and synthesize nutrients from plant matter - making them into obligate or true carnivores who can not survive without the ingestion of meat. When we compare the physiology and behavior of the domestic cat to her ancestor, most likely to be Felis Silvestris Libyca - the African Wildcat, only mere changes in appearance can be noted - the result of selective breeding by humans. Otherwise, 3000 years in our company has had little effect on the cat and, after only one generation, cats are capable of reverting to a completely wild state.
In more recent years however, the well being of Felis catus left much to be desired, and statistics indicate a dramatic decline in health and. One of the most significant and primary changes in the domestic cat’s existence has been the source of her nourishment. Both a move from the fields and woods of rural areas into the city, as well as a desire for convenience by the care giver, condemned the cat to dependency on pre-prepared foods as sustenance - products which in no respect compare to her natural diet. Good nutrition is the foundation of good health, and good health provides for survival of the individual and therefore of the species. When providing for cats under human care, it is justified to observe and adapt the behaviors and dietary habits of wild-living relatives. Long term observations have proven that domestic cats thrive on a diet comparable to that of wild cats of similar size, which comes as no surprise considering they are anatomically identical (even producing fertile offspring when hybridized). The opinion that domestic animals adapt to a more human like diet through the process of domestication is false. Domestication will impact social behavior patterns of animals, and influence appearance through selective breeding, but can not alter the nature of an animal.
The ideal scenario would be for all cats to posses the luxury of hunting for their own food, but, as it is for their human companions, life is hardly ever perfect. Small felines such as the more known Felis Silvestris Libyca - African wild cat, Felis Silvestris - European wild cat, Felis chaus - Jungle cat, Felis margarita - Sand cat, Felis nigripes - Black-footed cat, Prionailurus bengalensis - Asian leopard cat, Leopardus pardalis - Ocelot, Leopardus wiedii - Margay, Oncifelis geoffroyi - Geoffry’s cat, and Felis catus - Domestic cat, prey predominantly on small mammals such as mice, voles, rats, and sometimes hare. Young ungulates such as fawns, lamb, and antelopes are taken by some idividuals, as well as birds and reptiles. Insects are included in the diet of all of them, whereas only the Leopard cat and the Geoffry’s cat will prey on fish. Amphibians are eaten occasionally. To meet their caloric requirements and due to the relative small size of their prey, small Felidae must hunt several times a day eating, for example, five mice per day. An ideal diet for captive wild and domestic felines is captive raised whole rodents. For added variety day-old chicks and various insects could supplement the diet. However, the raising of live quarry is very inconvenient for the majority of care givers and not an acceptable practice in our society. Alternatively, whole prey is obtainable frozen through specialty pet stores which supply reptile fanciers, or directly from a breeder.
Most adult cats if not raised on whole prey - especially mice, will want nothing to do with such a natural diet. Being so specialized in their dietary needs, and nutritionally dependant on specific foods, it is natural for cats to become fixated on any main staple during their first year of life. In a natural setting, this programmed behavior insures that the young cat will have learned which foods are appropriate to eat before becoming independent. During weaning at an age of approximately 8 -12 weeks, if given the choice, cats appear to instinctively favor rodents, but will readily accept other foods if rodents are not made available. This means, in a domestic setting a cat weaned and maintained on a commercial cat food will become fixated on this type of product and reluctantly, if at all, accept other foods - no matter how natural. This however, does not imply that later in life the cat can not learn to accept other foods, although only reluctantly and under severe circumstances. In the wild, a cat may need to learn to hunt other prey if her usual prey becomes unavailable; likewise, domestic cats can be transitioned from a commercial diet to a more natural diet - with greater difficulty, however, if the cat had no chance to explore different foods during kitten hood.
The most readily accepted alternative, by cats and care giver alike, to a truly natural diet of whole prey, is a raw meat based diet. Made from muscle and organ meats meant for human consumption, supplemented and balanced with a variety of ingredients, it is a satisfactory replacement for whole prey. In its nutritional composition, Feline Future’s raw meat based dietary formulations come very close to that of the cat’s natural diet. Some supplemental feeding of whole prey is highly recommended, because the soft texture of the raw meat based diet may not involve enough chewing action to exercise the jaw muscles. Food that does not require shearing through flesh can also result in tartar deposits on the carnassial teeth (molars) in some cats. Day-old chicks, whole quail, or chicken necks are recommended for cats resisting the acceptance of rodents. In addition, the therapeutic effect on the cats’ mental well being when eating whole prey should not be underestimated.
Formulating an ideal diet for domestic and captive wild cats begins with the straight forward study of their diet as wild-living animals and the following analysis of the prey. Laboratory conducted feeding trials, used to measure minimal nutritional requirements by withholding nutrients and observation of the ensuing deficiencies, are unnecessary. It is a cruel method, and the acquired knowledge of minimal requirements leads to development of dietary formulations of non-optimal nutritional quality. Also, the simple analysis of nutritional composition is insufficient if the nature of the food and the way it is consumed remains unexplored.
Cats consume small prey whole. Larger prey is only partially eaten, leaving digestive tract, skin, hair, larger bones, or feathers. Larger prey may be eaten over several days, although cats seldom take carrion. Most importantly the food is consumed as is: raw - an important fact when considering that heat processing, even at low temperatures, will destroy or alter most essential nutrients and food components, such as amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins, and some minerals. The phobia of raw meat and homemade meals for companion cats appears to be a North American phenomenon, as to this day it remains practice in European countries, especially Germany, where it commonly receives full veterinary approval.
The raw meat diets suggested by Feline Future are the result of many years of research into the natural diet of wild-living small felines, the adaptation of human grade ingredients to the nutritional composition of prey animals as well as nutritional needs of cats, and the careful, long term monitoring of its nutritional soundness for the growth, maintenance, and reproduction of domestic cats on a study group. Other research into nutrition for companion animals in recent years has focused on development of supplements for commercial pet foods in order to achieve a more balanced diet. At the same time, various home-made recipes available to cat owners call for extensive supplementation with foodstuffs meant for improvement of human health. Most often, these supplements represent a completely unnecessary addition to the cat’s meal plan and can sometimes be harmful. Feline Future has always believed in taking feline nutrition back to basics with minimal necessity for supplementation and to many our formulation may appear too simplistic. However, we can help you to rediscover the true carnivore in your domestic feline friend, and re-invent the mouse to feed him or her.
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