Cat Food Protein - The Importance of Protein in Your Cat’s Diet

Fluffy may look cute and snuggly, but when you watch him stalk, pounce and eviscerate his toys, you clearly see his hunter ancestry. (And if Fluffy has access to the outdoors, no doubt you’ve received presents of mice and birds.)

That hunting instinct results largely from the fact that Fluffy, like his fellow kitty friends, is a true carnivore. Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their diets consist only of meat. They may eat other items that are offered them, like cheese, but the non-meat items are not necessary to their diet for adequate nutrition. Plus, their physiology may not be able to adequately extract all the nutrients that are available in plant matter.

The reason the natural feline diet is composed entirely of meat is because cats require high levels of animal protein. What’s in protein that makes it so important? Amino acids are the building blocks of protein. These amino acids are required for the healthy growth and development of your kitten as well as for the continued efficiency of his immune system.

Some animals can synthesize some of the requisite amino acids, but others must be ingested. Important amino acids for cats include arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, taurine, threonine, tryptophan and valine.

For cats, the most important amino acid is taurine because they cannot synthesize it, which is why cat food is supplemented with taurine. (The cooking process reduces the amount found in meat, so more is added.) Dogs can synthesize their own taurine, so it is not added to dog food. Thus, cats cannot survive on dog food. Cats lacking taurine can develop heart failure and blindness.

Proteins are evaluated based on their digestibility and the ability for the body to utilize the amino acids broken down in digestion. That means that some proteins are better than others for animals. For example, eggs and hair both contain protein, but eggs are more digestible. This evaluation process for proteins is called the biological value. Eggs have a higher biological value than hair. So cat food products need to contain higher quality protein sources from which the proper nutrients can be absorbed. That means the major protein source needs to be a high biological value.

How much protein does Fluffy need? The requirements can vary based on breed, age and gender; however, kittens require roughly 30% protein, and adults require between 25 and 30% protein. Some adults may require the higher-protein kitten food such as pregnant or nursing cats as well as sickly cats. Cats that are suffering from kidney disease may require a lower protein diet; however, the protein source needs to be a high quality source with high biological value.

Why isn’t cat food entirely made of protein sources? Because it would be very expensive and much would go to waste. Additionally, some research show that too much protein may negatively affect the kidneys.

How can you tell if Fluffy’s cat food is providing adequate amino acids and protein? Because cat food labels list the order of ingredients in decreasing amount order, if the first ingredient is beef, we know that the protein source is good quality. However, if the first ingredient is cornmeal or another corn or grain product, we know that the main protein source is a poor source because these products are less digestible than meat. Additionally, by-products (such as chicken by-products), though acceptable, are still a lesser quality than the whole food (chicken).

And that protein percentage that’s on the label does not tell you the biological value of the protein. That means, you don’t know the usability or digestibility of that protein. So less important is the percentage on the label and more important is the type of protein sources in the ingredients…and not just the first three ingredients either.

The first ingredient can be chicken, but the product can still be heavily laden in grains. How? Chicken can be the first ingredient, but then there might be ground corn, corn meal, soybean meal, corn gluten meal and wheat gluten. That overabundance of corn and other grains can overwhelm the product. So you must scrutinize the complete label.

What if you’re preparing your cat’s own menu with homemade food? Experts suggest feeding a variety of protein sources including chicken breast or thighs; ground turkey, beef, chicken or turkey heart; hard boiled or scrambled eggs; and organic liver (once in a while as it is very high in vitamin A, which can cause problems when overdosed), just to name a few. Experts also do not suggest feeding tuna more than for a rare treat because of the types of oils in fish and how the affect a cat’s vitamin E levels as well as for the content of mercury. Additionally, most experts suggest not feeding any pork products to cats, primarily because of the types of parasites that can be found in pork. When making a homemade diet, you will need to consider adding a cat vitamin/mineral supplement or specifically a taurine supplement.

If you wish to prepare a homemade diet, either cooked or raw, you will need to understand the pros and cons of both. Many books and internet sites describe these diets, but you should consult with a holistic veterinarian before making such a different change in Fluffy’s diet.

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