LOW CARBOHYDRATE DIET FOR CATS

Cats are prone to several very frustrating health problems that are affected by diet.  Obesity can be very difficult to control in certain cats, and it is linked to diabetes in many middle-aged and older cats.  Chronic urinary problems are also very influenced by diet.  For certain cats, a novel dietary approach may be suggested for these problems.

Cats are by nature strict carnivores, and yet most cat foods contain amounts of carbohydrate that would not be present in the diet of wild cats.  Although most cats do very well on the normal dry foods, some cats benefit from a low-carbohydrate diet. 

First, a little physiology is needed to understand the function of this diet.  Each time a cat eats, the carbohydrates in the food raise the blood sugar level rapidly.  The cat's body responds by producing a large amount of insulin, which drops the blood sugar rapidly (as well as signaling the body to store more fat).  When the blood sugar drops, the cat once again feels hungry, eats more, and repeats the cycle.  This blood sugar "roller-coaster"  creates more frequent eating and more production of body fat.  In contrast, protein is processed much more slowly and suppresses the appetite for a longer period of time.  This concept is what led to several common "fad" diets in humans, such as the "Adkin's diet" and the "Glucose-busters" diet book.  Although these diets may not be entirely safe for humans, the low-carbohydrate approach is well suited to strict carnivore such as the cat.

THE DIET:  Since all dry food contains at least 40% carbohydrate, only canned food is used.  Canned kitten foods have the highest protein content, and most cats will eat them very willingly.  The low-carbohydrate diet for cats is simple:

Feed 1/2 of a 5.5oz can of canned kitten food (Science Diet Growth or IAMS kitten) twice a day.  No other foods are fed, but if the cat seems too hungry the amount can be increased to 2/3 of a can.

This diet is a fundamental change in the way cats are fed, and several precautions should be noted:

 Check with your veterinarian to make sure this diet is suitable for your cat. Most 

     cats do very well on normal diets of dry food with canned food treats.

Allow one week to make the adjustment to the new diet.  During this week, dry food may be fed.  Watch carefully for diarrhea or vomiting, and notify your veterinarian if this occurs.

After the first week , feed ONLY the canned food twice a day.  If you allow your cat access to dry food, it will defeat the purpose of the low-carbohydrate diet.

If your cat will not eat the canned food, you may have to abandon this approach; cats

      cannot be starved into accepting a dietary change.

Canned food may cause more tartar to build up on the teeth.  More frequent tooth care

      may be required.

What about other cats in the house?  It is very difficult to keep your cat away from dry food if the other cats are eating it, but this diet is acceptable for most cats.  In most cases, all cats in the house must be fed the low-carbohydrate diet.  In fact, underweight cats gain weight on the diet, while overweight cats usually lose weight. 

The low-carbohydrate diet will cause most cats to lose excess weight, and many diabetic cats will eventually be controlled without insulin.  Most cats develop more muscle and better coats.  Ask your veterinarian if this novel diet is right for your cat.