As the information we produce in our writing on cats may be utilized by the reader for informative purposes, it is very important that the information we provide be true. We have indeed maintained this. Over the last thousands of years, cats have pretty much handled their breeding themselves. In the beginning, they were used for one purpose - hunting and killing rodents. As the years progressed, we began to breed cats more to our liking. Now days, there are several different breeds of cats - which you can tell if you look closely.
These days there are over 70 distinct cat breeds, which are recognized through cat registries. There are several registries that will recognize around 40 breeds or so, as they exclude the more domestic breeds such as tigers. There are also many variations as well, including wild cats that have longer hair.
There are some cat breeds who have roots going back quite a bit in history. Some Japanese breeds, such as the Japanese Bobtail, can be traced back more than 1,000 years in history. These cats were very common and well known throughout Medieval Japan. Now days though, they are all but a myth throughout Japan and the entire world.
These days there are over 70 distinct cat breeds, which are recognized through cat registries. There are several registries that will recognize around 40 breeds or so, as they exclude the more domestic breeds such as tigers. There are also many variations as well, including wild cats that have longer hair.
There are some cat breeds who have roots going back quite a bit in history. Some Japanese breeds, such as the Japanese Bobtail, can be traced back more than 1,000 years in history. These cats were very common and well known throughout Medieval Japan. Now days though, they are all but a myth throughout Japan and the entire world.
The more common cat breeds that are found in North America include the alley cat, long haired cat, and Persian cat. Siamese cats are also common, although they are well known to be destructive and to have a foul temper. Persian cats are very popular, proving to be loving companions. Persian cats can be very expense, depending on where you get it and what type of Persian cat it is.
Alley cats are the most common in North America. There are actually several different breeds, although most of us just refer to them as alley cats. They make good pets, although there are literally thousands of them in existence. Cats are known to breed more than any other pet, and they will continue to breed until they are stopped. Alley cats are among the most bred, as there are hundreds of thousands of cats that are homeless – and have nothing to do but breed.
The look of the cat is the easiest way to tell what breed he or she may be. Some people choose to go by color, although color isnt as easy to identify. Different breeds of cats have different looks, such as the Siamese and Persian cats. Siamese cats are almost always black, and easy to identify by their color and their eyes. Persian cats on the other hand, are easily identified by their body type and their hair.
Over the years, there has been quite a few breeds come along. Cats were one of the first pets, and easily one of the most popular. Millions of people around the world own cats, with many people preferring a cat over any other pet – including dogs. No matter breed of cat you get – youre sure to get a pet who make for a great companion for years and years to come.
Cat food is food intended for consumption by cats.
As with all species, cats have requirements for specific dietary nutrients, rather than ingredients.[1] Certain nutrients, including many vitamins and amino acids, are degraded by the temperatures, pressures and chemical treatments used during manufacture, and hence must be added after manufacture to avoid nutritional deficiency.[2][3] The amino acid taurine, for example, which is found within meat, is degraded during processing, so synthetic taurine is normally added afterwards. Long-term taurine deficiency resulting, for example, from feeding taurine-deficient dog food, may result in retinal degeneration, loss of vision, and cardiac damage.
Dry food (8-10%
moisture) is generally made by extrusion cooking under high heat and pressu
re. Fat may then b
e sprayed on the food to increase palatability, and other minor ingredients, such as heat-sensitive vitamins, which would be destroyed in the extrusion process, may be added.
Major brand-name dry cat food formulations consist of grain and animal material. The food labels 'premium', 'natural' or 'holistic' currently have no legal meaning. Products labeled "grain-free" may use potato or tapioca in lieu of grain. Starch all
ows the kibble to hold its shape.[citation needed
Canned or w
et food (75-78% moisture) generally comes in common can sizes of 3 oz (85 g), 5.5 oz (156 g), and 13 oz (369 g). It is also sold in foil pouch form by some manufacturers.
Studies have not shown any difference between a dry or wet food diet for dental health. Cats generally do not 'chew' their food and usually only crunch once or twice before it is swallowed. Cats also lack the enzymes that humans possess inside their mouths to help break down the food they eat.[9]
There are vegetarian and vegan cat foods available. Vegetarian cat food usually is fortified with nutrients such as taurine and arachidonic acid.[10] Some vegetarian cat food brands are labeled by their manufacturers as meeting AAFCO's Cat Food Nutrient Profile while other manufacturers recommend their products be supplemented and not used as a complete diet[citation needed].
In the United States, cat foods labeled as "complete and balanced" must meet standards established by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) either by meeting a nutrient profile or by passing a feeding trial. Cat Food Nutrient Profiles were established in 1992 and updated in 1995 by the AAFCO's Feline Nutrition Expert Subcommittee. The updated profiles replaced the previous recommendations set by the National Research Council(NRC). Certain manufacturers label their products with terms such as premium, ultra premium, natural and holistic. Such terms currently have no legal definitions.[citation needed]
The energy requirement for adult cats range from 60-70 kcal metabolizable energy/kg body weight per day for inactive cats to 80-90 kcal/kg BW for active cats. Kittens at five weeks of age require 250 kcal/kg BW. The requirement drops with age, to 100 kcal/kg BW at 30 weeks and to the adult requirement at about 50 weeks. Gestating cats require about 90-100 kcal/kg BW and lactating cats 90-270 kcal/kg BW depending on litter size.[11]
Vitamin deficiencies can lead to wide ranging clinical abnormalities that reflect the diversity of their metabolic roles. Twelve minerals are known to be essential nutrients for cats. Calcium and phosphorus are crucial to strong bones and teeth. Cats need other minerals, such as magnesium, potassium, and sodium, for nerve impulse transmission, muscle contraction, and cell signaling. Many minerals only present in minute amounts in the body, including selenium, copper, and molybdenum, act as helpers in a wide variety of enzymatic reactions.[12]
The table below lists the AAFCO nutritional profiles for cat foods along with the roles of vitamins and minerals in cat nutrition according to the National Research Council.
The feeding of vegan or vegetarian diets to cats remains controversial, even among vegan, vegetarian, animal, and scientific advocacy groups. According to the National Research Council, "Cats require specific nutrients, not specific feedstuffs.".[10] The International Vegetarian Union,[13] the Vegan Society[14] and PETA[15] are some of the organizations that support a vegan or vegetarian diet for cats. The Animal Protection Institute does not recommend a vegetarian diet for cats,[16] and neither does the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).[17]
Not all animal advocacy groups take a firm position either way. The Association of Veterinarians for Animal Rights (now Humane Society Veterinary Medical Association) accepts that it is possible for a plant based diet to be nutritionally adequate but stated that they "cannot at this time be reliably assured".[18] This position was based on a study demonstrating that two commercially available vegetarian cat diets contained nutritional deficiencies.[19] However, broad conclusions cannot be drawn from this study, because (i) it examined only two of many available diets, (ii) for one of these diets, the formulation error responsible was promptly identified and corrected,[20] and (iii) this 2004 study is increasingly dated. Nevertheless, it remains likely that formulation errors will result in nutritional deficiencies in a wide range of commercially available diets from time to time, whether meat-based, vegetarian or vegan. Hence, regular (at least, annual) veterinary checkups of all companion animals is recommended, and brands may be occasionally varied.[20]
Vegan activist Joanne Stepaniak wrote "... If we [believe] that it is wrong for natural vegetarians to be force-fed meat, the inverse should be equally morally objectionable".[21]
In 2006 the first study of the health of a population of long-term vegetarian cats (most, in fact, were vegan), was published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association.[22] Most were clinically healthy, barring minor blood value changes in three cats, who were fed partly on table scraps.
Many pet owners feed cats homemade diets. These diets generally consist of some form of cooked or raw meat, bone, vegetables, and supplements, such as taurine and multivitamins.[citation needed]
Recently it has been reported that food packaged in cans coated with bisphenol A has been correlated with the development of hyperthyroidism in cats.[23]
Food allergy is a non-seasonal disease with skin and/or gastrointestinal disorders. The main complaint is excessive scratching (Pruritus) which is usually resistant to treatment by steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs. The exact prevalence of food allergy in cats remains unknown. In 20 to 30% of the cases, cats have concurrent allergic diseases (atopy / flea-allergic dermatitis). A reliable diagnosis can only be made with dietary elimination-challenge trials. Allergy testing is necessary for the identification of the causative food component(s). Therapy consists of avoiding the offending food component(s).[24]
Malnutrition can be a problem for cats fed non-conventional diets. Cats fed exclusively on raw, freshwater fish can develop a thiamine deficiency. Those fed exclusively on liver may develop vitamin A toxicity. Also, exclusively meat-based diets may contain excessive protein and phosphorus whilst being deficient in calcium, vitamin E, and microminerals such as copper, zinc, and potassium. Energy density must also be maintained relative to the other nutrients. When vegetable oil is used to maintain the energy balance cats may not find the food as palatable.[25]
The broad pet food recalls starting in March 2007 came in response to reports of renal failure in pets consuming mostly wet pet foods made with wheat gluten from a single Chinese company beginning in February 2007. Overall, several major companies recalled more than 100 brands of pet foods with most of the recalled product coming from Menu Foods. The most likely cause according to the FDA is the presence of melamine in the wheat gluten of the affected foods. Melamine is known to falsely inflate the protein content rating of substances in laboratory tests. The economic impact on the pet food market has been extensive, with Menu Foods losing roughly $30 Million alone from the recall.
