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The Natural Diet of the Cat


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Thanks to the efforts of Dr. Esther Plantinga and colleagues, we have a visual summary of cat predation research and we know exactly what the average nutritional make-up of that diet is. In the meta-study published in the British Journal of Nutrition in 2011, the Estimation of the dietary nutrient profile of free-roaming feral cats: possible implications for nutrition of domestic cats, the entire body of feral cat diet studies (of which there is a very large body) was parsed to eliminate studies of wildcats vs domestic feral cats; all studies with a small number of cats; and all studies where cats had access to more than 5% human provided food (even if garbage). This yielded 27 studies. Analysis of those studies found the natural diet of a domestic feral cat, on average, is (on a dry matter basis)

62.7% protein
22.8% fat
11.8% minerals
2.8% carbohydrates

As-fed at 73% moisture (about that of a cat's natural prey), this works out to about

17% protein
6.2% fat
3% minerals
0.75% carbohydrates

The "Guaranteed Analysis" on pet food provides the "as fed" information (though with minimums and maximums, not average nutrient content).

As you can see, the amount of carbohydrates cats naturally eat is very, very small. Where does it come from?

21 of 27 studies reported small amounts of plant material found in the diet. One of the studies reported that cats "frequently" consume vegetation consisting mostly of a few strands of grass (frequency of occurrence: 26.3% of cats). The authors concluded that plant material is a minor component of the diet of feral cats, and that ingestion is likely to occur "incidentally while foraging for invertebrates." So for the most part, carbohydrates from plant matter are not a meaningful or intentional part of the diet. In fact, those carbs come from what their prey has eaten: "...when consuming whole prey, as cats naturally do, the digesta [stomach contents and nutrients in the intestines] of prey items may contain some starch." The authors note that the digesta mass of mice and rats is a very small component of the cat's diet, being just 0.5% - 2% of the body weight of the prey.

So cats do not naturally - intentionally - eat carbohydrates. The study authors indicate "Almost all of the metabolic adaptations related to the carbohydrate content of the diet indicate the lack of this nutrient in the evolutionary diet. It could be argued that the shift from an obligatory meat-based natural diet to a meat-based and grain-based pet food rich in carbohydrates may place the cat's metabolism under stress, and might have unwanted negative health effects in the long run."



While cats vary exactly what prey they hunt based on where they are, one thing does not deviate: they consume small prey. The summary of what they eat was provided:
  • Mammals – 78% (Most often rabbits and rats, though there is a large variation between studies based on location)
  • Birds – 16%
  • Reptiles/amphibians – 3.7%
  • Invertebrates – 1.2%
  • Fish – 0.3% of items consumed in just 3 studies

Cats eat small prey animals. Not grains. Not legumes. Not vegetables. Not fruit. So why, then, do so many cat foods contain soy, corn, wheat, rice, peas, spinach, kale, blueberries, cranberries - tomato?

This is why EZcomplete fur Cats contains nothing but animal-tissue based ingredients, enzymes - and a small amount of vitamins needed to provide what is missing by not feeding whole prey.





Disclaimer
The information provided through our www.foodfurlife.com website is informational and educational. We are here to help make feeding a properly balanced homemade diet to your pet simple and to provide guidance for some of the problems that can crop up when transitioning your pets to a new food. But please be advised, we are not veterinarians. Food Fur Life LLC will not be held responsible for any adverse reactions your pet might experience based on the information on our website, nor can Food Fur Life LLC be held responsible for any problems due to using our product in any manner other than as directed. The health of your pet is 100% in your hands. We expect you to use your knowledge of your pet and your circumstances to determine, with the knowledge and input of your trusted veterinarian, whether any advice provided on this site is appropriate for your pet.


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  • Home
  • Store
  • DOGS
    • EZComplete fur Dogs Premix Information >
      • Nutritional Analysis - EZcomplete fur Dogs - Chicken Liver Formula
    • How To ... fur Dogs >
      • How to Prepare EZComplete fur Dogs
      • How to Transition Your Dog to EZComplete
      • How to Add EZC fur Dogs premix to cooked meat AT the time of feeding
    • Feeding Guidelines fur Dogs
    • Raw or Cooked? Which Should I Feed and Why?
    • Why Probiotics Are So Important For Our Pets >
      • Kefir for Pets
    • How to Shop for Meat >
      • Online Meat Suppliers - Resource Links
    • Can Our Pets Eat Raw Pork?
  • Cats
    • EZComplete fur Cats Premix Information >
      • Nutritional Analysis - EZcomplete fur Cats - Chicken Liver Formula
    • How To ... fur Cats >
      • How to Prepare and Feed EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Add EZC premix to cooked meat AT the time of feeding
      • How to Slowly and Properly Introduce EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Transition to EZComplete fur Cats
      • How to Transition Your Cat to Timed Meals
      • How to Best Manage Hairballs >
        • Make Homemade Dried Egg Yolk Powder
      • How to Shop for Meat >
        • Can Our Pets Eat Raw Pork?
        • Online Meat Suppliers - Resource Links
    • Raw or Cooked? Which Should I Feed and Why?
    • Feline Nutrition Articles >
      • The Natural Diet of the Cat
      • Why Feed Your Cat A Raw Diet
      • Cat Food vs Cat Health
      • What is Digestibility and Why Does it Matter?
      • Raw Feeding and IBD in Cats
      • Turmeric & The Golden Paste - Unsafe for Cats?
      • Water - The Essential Nutrient
      • Water - 15 Tips to Increase Your Cat's Water Intake
    • Feline Health Articles >
      • Hairballs Are Not Normal
      • Why Probiotics Are So Important for Our Pets >
        • Kefir for Pets
      • My Cat Has Diarrhea - What Do I Do?
      • My Cat is Vomiting - What Do I Do?
      • My Cat Stopped Eating Raw - What Do I Do?
      • What is IBD
      • Manage Nausea - the role of food
      • Manage Nausea - healthy supplements & meds
      • Medicating & Assist Feeding Your Cat
      • Feline Health Resource Links
    • What does it mean the cat is an obligate carnivore?
    • Why You SHOULD Feed Your Immune Compromised Cat Raw Food
    • My Cat Stopped Eating Raw - What Do I Do?
  • FAQ / Contact
    • Shipping Rates & Policies
    • Samples
    • How Much Meat vs How Much Food
    • MFG & Best By date
    • Contact
    • Premix Information
    • Avian Flu & Safety
    • About Us
    • Return Policy
  • Blog & News