USE OF CANNED FOOD IN CATS - NEW RECOMMENDATIONS

Historically, cats are true carnivores. Consider a tiger hunting on the savannah – it will experience hunger (it does not eat all the time), it will hunt and kill prey, and it will ingest a large portion of the carcass, including muscle tissue, fat, and fluid. It does not generally eat grains.

Cats have daily needs for water, energy, protein (which is converted into glucose), fat and essential fatty acids, minerals and vitamins, and low to no carbohydrate needs. Healthy adult felines have high protein requirements (30-45%), moderate fat requirements (10-25%), and very low fiber requirements (<5%). Consider that most commercially available dry diets have only 8% water, and 35% carbohydrates. In our desire to domesticate felines, we have placed them on diets which fit our needs: diets that are convenient, inexpensive, have a long shelf life, and are easily fed. Unfortunately, this has translated into dry cat food. Dry cat foods are inappropriate for three main reasons:
1) the water content is too low
2) the carbohydrate content is too high, and
3) the protein is often plant-based as well as animal based

Veterinarians now recommend feeding EVERY cat a portion of canned cat food EVERY day. New kittens should be started on canned food as soon as they are able to eat solid food. Benefits of feeding canned food with increased moisture content, higher levels of animal-based protein, and lower levels of carbohydrates include:
1) decreased chance of obesity, and increased desired weight loss
2) decreased risk of urinary tract problems, including urinary tract obstruction and sterile cystitis
3) decreased risk of inflammatory bowel disease, GI upset, and chronic vomiting and diarrhea, and
4) decreased risk of development of diabetes

Feeding cats strictly canned food has resulted in a lower predisposition to dental disease than previously thought. Many cats that have eaten only dry food for years still have severe periodontal disease. In addition, it has been shown in clinical studies that feeding as little as 25% of a dry kibble diet will provide as much protective benefit regarding the teeth as a completely dry diet.

It may, however, be very difficult to transition an older cat to canned food. Cats can become addicted to shapes and textures, and refuse new foods. There is a reason they are known to be “finicky”! Also, it is important to remember that the best time to try a diet change is when your cat is healthy. A cat that is already feeling ill may get sicker if it does not eat, and it may develop a food aversion if offered a new food at the time of an illness.

While some cats will readily accept canned food, others will be extremely resistant. The transition to new food may require time and patience. The goal is to actually make the change, not to make it as quickly as possible. If your cat accepts canned food, start slowly and gradually increase the amount to the desired portion over a week-long period. Some cats may initially experience soft stools or regurgitation with canned food – this is not a reason to abandon the change, but it may be a reason to try a different canned food or to slow the transition down to a period of several weeks.

Experiencing normal hunger sensations may help with cats that are difficult to transition. Thus, it is very important to stop free-feeding dry food. Established mealtimes must be set. Cats do NOT need food available at all times, despite of how much they may vocalize. It is important, though, not to withhold food longer than 24 hours – starving a cat, especially an overweight cat, may cause a negative energy balance and result in a very serious disease called hepatic lipidosis (fatty liver disease). Most cats will lose some weight during the transition to eating canned food. Since many cats are overweight already, this is generally a desirable side effect, as long as they do not lose too much weight too quickly. It is important to monitor your cat’s weight closely. Most cats will lose fat and gain muscle mass as they become more active.

Some methods for increasing the palatability of canned food may be to add a bit of cooked chicken, meat baby food, or tuna to the canned food; to gently warm the food – especially if refrigerated;, or to sprinkle some parmesan cheese on the food. You can also try dipping some of the cat’s dry food into canned food juice, or adding a bit of the canned food to the dry.

You can also try many different brands and flavors of canned foods. Don’t worry about feeding “high end” food at the beginning; just worry about getting the cat used to eating canned food - you can mix different types of food together later. Above all, be patient. It may take weeks or months to transition a cat to eating canned food. The investment is well worth it, as the new diet will be much healthier for your cat in the long run.

**some material for this column was adapted from the website www.catinfo.org by Lisa A.Pierson, DVM – please refer to this website for further information.