Health of Cats

8/13/2019 Health of Cats

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College of Veterinary Medicine

UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA

Nutrition and HealthRelated Diseases of Cats

Julie Churchill DVM, PhD, DACVNAssoc. Clinical Professor Companion Animal Nutrition



Clinical nutrition- overview

Nutrition in preventionof disease

Nutrition in

treatment

of disease



Nutritional Goals

Good quality of life

Maximum longevity

Incorporate dietary managementinto wellness program, diseaseprevention

Nutritional management of diseases



Animal

Diet

Feeding

Nutrient sensitive disease

Diet induced disease

Feeding related problems



Disease prevention

Cat

dental disease

urinary tractdisease/stones

Diabetes

obesity



Oral anatomy


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Obligate Carnivores



5 Traits of a Cat

Nocturnal

Predators Territorial

Solitary

Maternal


UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTACollege of Veterinary Medicine


Evolutionary factors-speciesinfluence

Cat- The Hunter exceptional hunting skills preserved

domesticated 6000 years

hunting behavior independent from feedingbehavior

solitary hunters, eaters

no social value of food



Hunting behavior

Constantly attuned to hunting Night hunting

Sound = 1st alert [Motion]

See Scent Texture Taste

Day hunting- motion can replace sound




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Cat-Carnivore FeedingBehavior

10-20 small meals/day

Avg. rat carcass- 5.7 kcal/g (ME)* Food consumption based on energy

density

not bulk of food

Taste preferences Physical form, odor and temperature



Cat-Carnivores

Wild cats maintain body weight and

fitness House cats lose ability to regulate

energy intake available food source

High nutrient density (Calories/cup or can)

lack of physical activity



Pets asZoo Animals?Captive

Dependent

Food & water

Elimination

StimulationCollege of Veterinary Medicine


Feeding-related problems

Diet or product is

complete/balanced,

but animal is not

thriving because too

little or too much food

is delivered for its life

stage, life style or

performance needs



Disease prevention

Obesity The #1 health problem

of pets 26-47% prevalence associated with health

risks and decreased life span



Body Condition Score


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Prevalence of obesity



National Companion AnimalStudy:summary for feline data

34 % of adult cats overweight or obese

Peak age 9-11 years of age

Spayed females and neutered males

More likely to be fed non-grocery dryfood



Feline summary: diseasefrequency

Oral disease

FLUTD/UTI

Cat bite abscess

Miliary dermatitis

Allergic dermatitis

Moist dermatitis

Diabetes mellitus

asthma

Lipoma

Dyspnea

Ruptured cruciate

Deep pyoderma



Health risks of obesity-cats

LUTD Diabetes mellitus Hepatic lipidosis

Increased anesthetic risk Dermatologic disease Dyspnea/asthma Orthopedic disease Oral disease Lipoma



Obesity

Obesity is the number one healthproblem in cats and dogs

Obesity is linked to healthproblems and shorter lives

Obesity is PREVENTABLE

Obesity is a DISEASE


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Birth

Maintenance

Pregnancy

Lactation Work

Inactivity

4

3

2

1

0

Effect of Life Stage on Nutrient Needs

Growth

Neutered



Owner and Environment.

Healthy Weight

Env.

Activity

Intake

?http://http://indoorpet.osu.edu/



Working for Food

27



Nutrient-sensitive DefinedTheres a problemwith the patientnotthe food!

Thisanimal doesnt dowell on the diet orproduct in question,but other animalsconsuming the sameproduct dont haveany problems.



Geriatric cat- an individual

Common diseases with advancing age

Dental problems

Kidney failure

Arthritis

Cancer

Heart disease

Weight loss

Hyperthyroid



Water


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Life stage nutrition- Geriatriccat

Senior/Geriatric Diet no definition

+/-Reduced protein Reduced phosphorus

Reduced sodium

Calorie adjustment

Fiber (?)



Diet responsive diseases



Prevalence of obesity



Nutrition in the treatment ofdisease

Endocrine- diabetes mellitus

Gastrointestinal diseases

Liver disease

Dermatological/allergies

Kidney failure

Hyperthyroid**

Critical care/ post-op recovery

Urinary crystals/stones



Diabetes mellitus- dietarytherapy

Adjunctive therapy to insulin

Normalize body weight

Palatable diet- predictable intake High protein diet

Fiber(?)



Diabetes mellitus- dietarytherapy

Carnivorous cat

Dietary protein plays a role inmaintaining blood sugar

protein provides substrate for glucoseproduction

Minimize blood glucose spikes aftermeals


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Hepatic lipidosis- Fatty liver



Fatty liver

Fat cats predisposed (at risk)

Potentially lethal liver disease

Multiple factors lead to malnutrition

Anorexia, nausea, vomiting, weight loss

Fat accumulates in liver cells

Therapy: NUTRITION




Feline Nutritional/MetabolicNeeds

Water 1.5-2.0 ml/g of food (prey)

Energy- DER = 1.2 X RER

Protein Quantity Quality amino acid composition


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Protein metabolism

0

4

8

cat dog



Protein metabolism

Hepatic

Deaminase&Transaminase

Activity

uMol/min/g)

1000

500

0

Rat Cat

Low protein

food

Low protein

food

High protein

food

High protein

food



Feeding Behavior

10-20 small meals/day

Avg. rat carcass- 5.7 kcal/g (ME)*

Food consumption based on energydensity

not bulk of food

Taste preferences Physical form, odor and temperature



Natural feeding behavior

Food selection highly variable in dogsand cats sensory (odor, temperature, mouth feel)

past experience

Neophilia-common in carnivores

Neophobia- important in veterinarypatients

Aversion cats > dogs, occurs in both



Animal

DietFeeding




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Hyperthyroidism

Adenomatous hyperplasia (benign, function)

Disease of elder cats hypermetabolicIncreased appetite, activity and wt loss

Requires iodine to metabolize thyroid hormone

Therapeutic diet Ultra low Iodine levels

(functional deficiency)



Diet-induced problems

Theres a problem with

the foodnot the

patient!

This food doesnt

provide optimal

nutrition and in fact

causes problems in

healthy animals who

consume it.



Diet-induced disease



Popular nutrition trend:home cooked

Nutrition = nurture

Control over ingredients

Natural, preservative free, color free Specific health goals



Popular Fads Raw Diets

BARF diet

Evolution/wild type diet

Increasing trend human nutrition Health benefits of raw foods

Caveman diet


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Popular Fads Raw Diets-Concerns

Bacterial and parasitic contamination

Health hazard to the pet PUBLIC HEALTH HAZARD

NOT nutritionally balanced

Bones- fracture teeth, perforateintestines

Potentially lethal






Common problems of homemade diets

All meat or very high protein

Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidsm

deficient calcium/excess phosphorus/

Vitamins A and D

toxic- liver

Micromineral deficiency

Raw fish diet- potential thiamin deficiency



Feeding tuna

High in PUFAs

Increase Vitamin E need Vitamin E Deficiency

Steatitis



Cervical ventroflexion

Thiamin deficiency

Hypokalemia


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Vegetarian



Vegetarian Diets

Inadequate protein/amino acids- taurine

Vitamins- preformed Vitamin A, B12,niacin

Minerals-calcium, iron, zinc, copper

Fat-Arachidonic acid (vitamin E)



No Carb diet

Myth that cats cannot use carbohydrate(up 50% ME)

Carbs do not cause diabetes

Carbohydrate does not cause obesity





Summary

Future focus on increasing knowledge ofoptimal nutrient requirements

Emphasize wellness,diseaseprevention, longevity, optimalperformance

Use complete and balanced products,with nutrients balanced to energydensity



Summary

Obligate carnivores

Develop taste preferences

Consider mixing brands and forms offood


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Documents

Health of Cats