The ancestor of our domestic cat ate small mammals, reptiles, bugs and birds-all of which were very moist, crunchy, high-protein, high-fat packages.
Much has changed through the centuries: Most of today's domesticated felines are fed a very dry, highly processed, high-carbohydrate kibble...
sort of a kitty cookie.
The way some cats eat this processed diet, you would think it was laced with something addictive.
Be happy, Morris is eating.
Right? After all, we all know how finicky cats can be.
Well I'm very interested in what our cats' ancestors ate and applying the lesson to our domestic cat pets...
and so should you.
As the saying goes, you are what you eat, and nutritionists agree.
More than ever, they believe that the ingredients animals and people eat have a significant effect on health.
Our own ancestors, for example, ate more plants, fruit and nuts than meat.
Today, however, we eat more meat and processed grain, than fruit and vegetables.
This change in eating habits quite probably is contributing to our current health care crisis of obesity, heart disease, diabetes and cancer.
Our fast food culture has made half of all Americans overweight, and is seriously impacting the health of our young people.
Learn From the Diet of Our Cats' Ancestors With our help, cats too have strayed from their traditional diet.
Their ancestors were obligate carnivores, which means that they ate small mammals, birds, reptiles, insects, and almost no plants.
Similarly, when a feline predator eats a rodent, the package includes 50 percent water.
The remaining ingredients are 60 percent protein, 30 percent fat and 10 percent carbohydrates, minerals and fiber.
The amount of water is so significant that prey-eating cats living in a mild climate do not even need to drink much water because it comes with the kill.
The mix of ingredients in this rodent feast is as different from commercial, dry cat food as we could imagine.
I'll prove it with a bag of quality, dry cat food.
I checked the nutrient breakdown, and here are the results: 33.
5 percent protein, 24 percent fat, 36.
5 percent carbohydrates, with the rest given to minerals and fiber.
As it's dry cat food, the moisture content is about equal that of an ancient cookie.
The difference between prey and kibble is as dramatic as the ailments our pets are suffering in ever increasing numbers.
Just as with their owners, cats are overweight and obese and developing diabetes.
I believe it's caused by the dry, high-carbohydrate diets they are eating.
The processed wheat and corn make their blood sugar see saw, and hunger follows.
Yes, some cats eat dry food and have no medical problems and stay within a good weight range, but many others endure obesity, diabetes, vomiting, diarrhea and urinary blockages.
Dietary Changes You Can Make So that's the bad news.
Now let me tell you what you can do.
If your cat is one of the fortunate ones that can eat dry food and thrive...
that's great.
But if your pet has one of the aforementioned medical problems, you could consider changing the diet.
A diet that is moister may prevent urinary blockages and crystal formation.
A diet higher in protein may satisfy your cat more and decrease the urge to over eat.
Fewer carbohydrates and more moisture encourage weight loss naturally.
I know you want a magic formula...
don't we all.
But the truth is, the formula may be a bit different for every cat.
Add to that the fact that cats are far more finicky in their food preferences than dogs.
Some cats will not eat canned food or will eat a brand for a day or two then turn their noses up at it.
To consider change, you must remember that cats can go a few days without food and be fine.
So don't worry, if Precious decides to skip a couple of meals.
I've Put This Advice to Work With My Own Cats One evening after returning home, I found my orange tabby, Norman, squatting over the drain in the shower.
He looked me right in the eyes and meowed, as if to say, "You are a vet...
get busy.
" I took him to the clinic, anesthetized and catheterized him and flushed out the blockage.
Next I had to put all three cats on canned food that has more moisture and fewer tendencies to cause urinary crystals and blockages.
At first Norman and Emma did not accept the change.
In fact, I had to clean up many episodes of vomit before they started to readily eat the canned food.
The glutens (wheat, corn and beef) in food can make some cats puke.
Some cats do not like chicken; others refuse to eat fish.
With my brood, it took a few trials to find three to four kinds of food that work for everybody.
Another thing you can do to increase variety and help keep your cat's clean teeth is to introduce meat and fish snacks-the same ones that you eat.
If you had chicken, fish, shrimp, tuna fish, or pork for dinner, give your cat a bit to liven up the diet.
I have started giving my cats the gristle at the end of the bones to help clean their teeth.
Chicken skins or a bigger piece of chicken also makes them use their teeth as they were intended.
Cats also need more oils, and I have tried introducing fish oil, tuna fish, and sardine kipper snacks two or three times a week into their diet.
Just as fish oils are good for us, this extra oil helps cats overcome itchy ears, itchy skin and other medical problems.
Don't be afraid to try any of these suggestions.
In fact, Norman has really taken a liking to a raw egg yolk two or three times per week, and the extra proteins and oils are very good for him.
Trying a variety of healthful, nutritious food makes sense, especially if it is meat for an obligate carnivore! While my first book is about how to feed our dogs for maximum health and happiness, I find that most of the same principles apply to cats as well.