Fats And Carbohydrates In Cat Foods

Fats for energy – Fats are the second major source of energy for cats and should form a minimum of 9 percent of the dry matter of the diet.

The cat can digest up to 95 percent of the fat it consumes; any excess is stored beneath the skin to provide insulation and protection for the internal organs. However, an imbalance between intake and fat used up through normal exercise can lead to an excess of fatty deposits and obesity.

Fat is broken down in the body to fatty acids, which are important in the formation and maintenance of cell membranes throughout the body.

In addition, fat also provides fat soluble vitamins to the cat, including vitamins A, D, E, and K. Some fatty acids are essential to the cat’s diet, and are almost entirely absent from vegetable foods. They come from animal fat and tissue.

Carbohydrates for bulk – Carbohydrates are the major energy source for most animals, but the cat can, in fact, survive without them. The cat’s main natural food sources, birds and mice, are relatively low in carbohydrates, apart from what is found in the stomachs of the prey.

However, carbohydrates are a considerably cheaper energy source than protein rich meat and fish, and are therefore usually incorporated into most commercial cat foods.

Carbohydrates can provide a beneficial boost of readily available energy at times of growth, pregnancy, nursing or stress. They are also a useful source of fiber, which although not digested by the cat, provides bulk in the faeces.

A wild cat would obtain fiber from the fur, feathers or stomach contents of its prey, but the domestic cat obtains it from most commercial cat foods in the form of cellulose or plant fiber.

Carbohydrates should not make up more than 40 percent of the diet. A pair of Singapura kittens clearly has sufficient animal fats and tissue in their diet to provide them with an abundance of energy.