Like all animals, cats have basic nutritional requirements. Cats are natural carnivores. A carnivore is an animal that gets its basic nutrition from meat. Meat is a protein. The bodies of cats need a significant amount of protein. In addition to protein, cat nutritional needs include essential fatty acids, water, vitamins, and minerals.
Glucose is sugar that is metabolized in the body for energy. People and many animals make glucose from carbohydrates and grain-based foods. Being that cats are carnivores, they do not have a need for carbohydrates. The bodies of cats make glucose from protein and fats.
Despite the cats need for water, cats have a low thirst drive. Water is necessary for body temperature control, healthy joints, the elimination of waste, and metabolic processes. Cats tend to rely on the moisture in their food for their water intake. It’s not uncommon for many cats to be dehydrated periodically, especially cats that live on dry cat food since there is much less water content.
Vitamins and minerals are necessary for the metabolic functions of the body to produce energy from the food that the cat eats. Vitamins and minerals are also needed to maintain healthy bones, tissues, and muscles. Vitamin A as found in meat is important for cat health. A vitamin A deficiency can cause skin, eye, and reproductive problems. Cats have a high need for B vitamins. The B vitamins that cats need include thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, pantothenic acid, niacin, and B-12.
Protein is a necessity for cats. The bodies of cats are efficient at breaking down and using meat for the protein needs of the body. Protein builds muscles and keeps bones, ligaments, and tendons healthy. Hormones and neurotransmitters, chemicals in the brain, require protein in the diet.
Twenty amino acids are necessary for cats. Ten amino acids drawn from protein intake are necessary for cat health. Arginine and Taurine are two of the amino acids that cats need. Arginine removes ammonia from the cat’s body and turns it into urea. A lack of taurine can cause cardiomyopathy, eye conditions, and reproductive problems in cats. If cat owners have any concerns over their cats’ nutrition, they should consult their veterinarians.
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