Cat Digestion and Metabolism Flashcards
(46 cards)
What are canine teeth used for?
Used for gripping
What are the molars and premolars used for?
Used for cutting
Cats, unlike dogs, are like…
Sprinters
What do feral cats consume?
- 77% mammals
- 19% rats
- 6% mice
- 2% voles
- 41% rabbits
- 9% others
- 16% birds
- 4% reptiles
- 1% invertebrates
- 2% fish, carrion
What kind of diet do cats have?
Cats have a high protein, high fat, and low carbohydrate diet.
Do cats have a simple or complex stomach? Additionally, do they have a short or long large intestine?
- Simple stomach
- Short large intestine
Are cat digestion and metabolism similar to or different from other simple-stomached animals?
Similar
Nutrient and energy requirements are relative to ____________ _______ __________ similar across simple-stomached species.
metabolic body weight
What is the resting energy expenditure (kcal ME*/d) for mice and even elephants?
70 x W(kg)^0.75
Cat (4kg) ≈ ? kcal/d
All cats: ? kcal/d
Cat (4kg) ≈ 200+/-40% kcal/d
All cats: 100-350 kcal/d
*1 kcal = 1 Calorie = 1000 calories
Do cats mostly require the same essential & non-essential nutrients in their diet as other simple-stomached species?
Yes
What are mostly the essential and non-essential nutrients in a cat’s diet (as other simple-stomached species)?
- Protein source for amino acids
- Calorie source (protein, fat, carbohydrates)
- Undigested carbs & protein for volatile fatty acids to maintain colonic epithelium and microbial flora
- Macro minerals (Ca, P, Na, K, Mg)
- Trace minerals (Fe, Zn, Cu, Se, Mn, I)
- Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E, K)
- Water-soluble vitamins (B vitamins - NOT vitamin C)
Pure carnivores are adapted to eating what? What essential nutrients are contained in it?
- Adapted to eating several small meals, morning and evening, in high-protein, high-fat, low-carbohydrate food
- These foods contain these essential nutrients:
1) Amino acids (taurine, arginine)
2) Arachidonic acid (fatty acid) - very special because cats can’t make it themselves
3) Retinol (pre-formed active Vitamin A)
4) Vitamin D (preformed) - they can’t get it from daylight
5) Niacin (vitamin B3)
6) Limited glutamate or benzoic acid tolerance
Why is there are increased protein requirements for cats?
Because they are unable to down-regulate enzymes that catabolize amino acids
Cats require _________, unlike people and rats
arginine
Do cats have a unique kind of metabolism?
Yes, they have a unique sulfur-amino acid metabolism that requires taurine and synthesizes felinine
What does arginine do?
Takes ammonia and converts it into urea. It is also important in the urea cycle
Do cats require more or less arginine compared to dogs?
Cats require more than dogs
What are the effects of taurine deficiency (cats not getting enough taurine)?
1) Retinal degeneration and blindness
2) Reversible dilated cardiomyopathy
3) Poor reduction
4) Increased platelet aggregation
Is taurine essential in most mammals? If so or if not, why?
In most mammals, it is NOT essential because it can be synthesized from methionine and it’s conditionally essential in infants.
Is taurine essential in cats? If so or if not, why?
In cats, it IS essential because of decreased synthesis and obligate bile acid conjugation
What is the requirement of taurine affected by?
Affected by cooking, methionine, and fiber content of the diet
About fat (triglycerides), what is the digestion as in other species?
- Bile acids form emulsion
- Gastric and pancreatic NOT lingual lipase
- Almost all fat digested in small intestine
- Blood transport similar to other species
- Lipoproteins to tissues from gut/liver
- Fatty acids from fat tissue on albumin
About fat (triglycerides), is atherosclerosis/heart attacks rare or common? Why?
Rare simply because they don’t get it.
