Cat food
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For the song by King Crimson, see Cat Food (song).
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[edit] History
The idea of preparing specialized food for cats came later than for dogs (see dog biscuits and dog food). This was very probably due to the idea that cats could readily fend for themselves. In 1837, a French writer critiqued this idea:In 1844, another French writer expanded on this idea:It is... thought wrongly that the cat, ill-fed, hunts better and takes more mice; this too is a grave error. The cat who is not given food is feeble and malingering; as soon as he has bitten into a mouse, he lies down to rest and sleep; while well fed, he is wide awake and satisfies his natural taste in chasing all that belongs to the rat family.[4]
He goes on to say that it is all the more unreasonable to expect a cat to live from hunting in that cats take mice more for amusement than to eat: "A good cat takes many and eats few".Normally in the country no care is taken of a cat's food, and he is left to live, it is said, from his hunting, but when he is hungry, he hunts the pantry's provisions far more than the mouse; because he does not pursue them and never watches them by need, but by instinct and attraction. And so, to neglect feeding a cat, is to render him at the same time useless and harmful, while with a few scraps regularly and properly given, the cat will never do any damage, and will render much service.[5]
By 1876, Gordon Stables emphasized the need to give cats particular food:
In the same year, an ad for Spratt (better known for making dog food) said that their cat food entirely superseded "the unwholesome practice of feeding on boiled horse flesh; keeps the cat in perfect health."[7] And in another book on cats Stables recommended the company's food:If then, only for the sake of making pussy more valuable as a vermin-killer, she ought to have regular and sufficient food. A cat ought to be fed at least twice a day. Let her have a dish to herself, put down to her, and removed when the meal is finished. Experience is the best teacher as regards the quantity of a cat's food, and in quality let it be varied. Oatmeal porridge and milk, or white bread steeped in warm milk, to which a little sugar has been added, are both excellent breakfasts for puss; and for dinner she must have an allowance of flesh. Boiled lights are better for her than horse-meat, and occasionally let her have fish. Teach your cat to wait patiently till she is served—a spoiled cat is nearly as disagreeable as a spoiled child. If you want to have your cat nice and clean, treat her now and then to a square inch of fresh butter. It not only acts as a gentle laxative, but, the grease, combining in her mouth, with the alkalinity of her saliva, forms a kind of natural cat-soap, and you will see she will immediately commence washing herself, and become beautifully clean. (N.B.—If you wish to have a cat nicely done up for showing, touch her all over with a sponge dipped in fresh cream, when she licks herself the effect is wonderful.) Remember that too much flesh-meat, especially liver,—which ought only to be given occasionally,—is very apt to induce a troublesome diarrhoea (looseness). Do not give your pet too many tit-bits at table; but whatever else you give her, never neglect to let her have her two regular meals.[6]
Spratt, which began by making dog biscuits, appears to also have been the first commercial producer of cat food.Attend to the feeding, and, at a more than one-day show, cats ought to have water as well as milk. I think boiled lights, cut into small pieces, with a very small portion of bullock's liver and bread soaked, is the best food; but I have tried Spratt's Patent Cat Food with a great number of cats, both of my own and those of friends, and have nearly always found it agree; and at a cat show it would, I believe, be both handy and cleanly.[8]
[edit] Commercial cat food
[edit] Dry food
Major brand-name dry cat food formulations consist of grain and animal material. The food labels 'premium', 'natural' or 'holistic' currently have no legal meaning. Products labeled "grain-free" may use potato or tapioca in lieu of grain. Starch allows the kibble to hold its shape.[citation needed]
[edit] Wet food
[edit] Dry vs Wet Food
Studies have not shown any difference between a dry or wet food diet for dental health. Cats generally do not 'chew' their food and usually only crunch once or twice before it is swallowed. Cats also lack the enzymes that humans possess inside their mouths to help breakdown the food they eat.[9][edit] Vegetarian or vegan food
There are vegetarian and vegan cat foods available. Vegetarian cat food usually is fortified with nutrients such as taurine and arachidonic acid.[10] Some vegetarian cat food brands are labeled by their manufacturers as meeting AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profile while other manufacturers recommend their products be supplemented and not used as a complete diet[citation needed].[edit] Labeling
Further information: Pet food#Labeling and regulation
In the United States, cat foods labeled as "complete and balanced" must meet standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) either by meeting a nutrient profile or by passing a feeding trial. Cat Food Nutrient Profiles were established in 1992 and updated in 1995 by the AAFCO's Feline Nutrition Expert Subcommittee. The updated profiles replaced the previous recommendations set by the National Research Council(NRC). Certain manufacturers label their products with terms such as premium, ultra premium, natural and holistic. Such terms currently have no legal definitions.[citation needed][edit] Energy requirement
The energy requirement for adult cats range from 60-70 kcal metabolizable energy/kg body weight per day for inactive cats to 80-90 kcal/kg BW for active cats. Kittens at five weeks of age require 250 kcal/kg BW. The requirement drops with age, to 100 kcal/kg BW at 30 weeks and to the adult requirement at about 50 weeks. Gestating cats require about 90-100 kcal/kg BW and lactating cats 90-270 kcal/kg BW depending on litter size.[11][edit] Nutrients and functions
Vitamin deficiencies can lead to wide ranging clinical abnormalities that reflect the diversity of their metabolic roles. Twelve minerals are known to be essential nutrients for cats. Calcium and phosphorus are crucial to strong bones and teeth. Cats need other minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, and sodium, for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and cell signaling. Many minerals only present in minute amounts in the body, including selenium, copper, and molybdenum, act as helpers in a wide variety of enzymatic reactions.[12]The table below lists the AAFCO nutritional profiles for cat foods along with the roles of vitamins and minerals in cat nutrition according to the National Research Council.
[edit] Diet and disease
[edit] Vegan and vegetarian diets
The feeding of vegan or vegetarian diets to cats remains controversial, even among vegan, vegetarian, animal, and scientific advocacy groups. According to the National Research Council, "Cats require specific nutrients, not specific feedstuffs.".[10] The International Vegetarian Union,[13] the Vegan Society[14] and PETA[15] are some of the organizations that support a vegan or vegetarian diet for cats. The Animal Protection Institute does not recommend a vegetarian diet for cats,[16] and neither does the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).[17]Not all animal advocacy groups take a firm position either way. The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (now Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association) accepts that it is possible for a plant based diet to be nutritionally adequate but stated that they "cannot at this time be reliably assured".[18] This position was based on a study demonstrating that two commercially available vegetarian cat diets contained nutritional deficiencies.[19] However, broad conclusions cannot be drawn from this study, because (i) it examined only two of many available diets, (ii) for one of these diets, the formulation error responsible was promptly identified and corrected,[20] and (iii) this 2006 study is increasingly dated. Nevertheless, it remains likely that formulation errors will result in nutritional deficiencies in a wide range of commercially available diets from time to time, whether meat-based, vegetarian or vegan. Hence, regular (at least, annual) veterinary checkups of all companion animals is recommended, and brands may be occasionally varied.[20]
Vegan activist Joanne Stepaniak wrote "... If we [believe] that it is wrong for natural vegetarians to be force-fed meat, the inverse should be equally morally objectionable".[21]
In 2006 the first study of the health of a population of long-term vegetarian cats (most, in fact, were vegan), was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.[22] Most were clinically healthy, barring minor blood value changes in three cats, who were fed partly on table scraps.
[edit] Homemade food
Further information: Raw feeding
Many pet owners feed cats homemade diets. These diets generally consist of some form of cooked or raw meat, bone, vegetables, and supplements, such as taurine and multivitamins.[citation needed][edit] bisphenol A
Recently it has been reported that food packaged in cans coated with bisphenol A has been correlated with the development of hyperthyroidism in cats.[23][edit] Food allergy
Food allergy is a non-seasonal disease with skin and/or gastrointestinal disorders. The main complaint is excessive scratching (Pruritus) which is usually resistant to treatment by steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The exact prevalence of food allergy in cats remains unknown. In 20 to 30% of the cases, cats have concurrent allergic diseases (atopy / flea-allergic dermatitis). A reliable diagnosis can only be made with dietary elimination-challenge trials. Allergy testing is necessary for the identification of the causative food component(s). Therapy consists of avoiding the offending food component(s).[24][edit] Malnutrition
Malnutrition can be a problem for cats fed non-conventional diets. Cats fed exclusively on raw, freshwater fish can develop a thiamine deficiency. Those fed exclusively on liver may develop vitamin A toxicity. Also, exclusively meat-based diets may contain excessive protein and phosphorus whilst being deficient in calcium, vitamin E, and microminerals such as copper, zinc, and potassium. Energy density must also be maintained relative to the other nutrients. When vegetable oil is used to maintain the energy balance cats may not find the food as palatable.[25][edit] Recalls
Main article: 2007 pet food recalls
The broad pet food recalls starting in March 2007 came in response to reports of renal failure in pets consuming mostly wet pet foods made with wheat gluten from a single Chinese company beginning in February 2007. Overall, several major companies recalled more than 100 brands of pet foods with most of the recalled product coming from Menu Foods. The most likely cause according to the FDA is the presence of melamine in the wheat gluten of the affected foods. Melamine is known to falsely inflate the protein content rating of substances in laboratory tests. The economic impact on the pet food market has been extensive, with Menu Foods losing roughly $30 Million alone from the recall.
