Skip to main content

Advertisement

SpringerLink
Log in

Nutritional Peculiarities and Diet Palatability in the Cat

  • Published:
Veterinary Research Communications Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Cats have become the most popular companion animal in Western Europe. Unlike other domestic animals, cats are strict carnivores and this influences both their nutritional requirements and food preferences. Cats have very high protein requirements and their diet must contain some nutrients, such as arginine, taurine, niacin, vitamin A and arachidonic acid. Besides its nutritional value, a diet for cats must also be highly palatable. This paper offers a quick overview of feline nutritional peculiarities and the factors that influence food palatability in cats.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Subscribe and save

Springer+ Basic
$34.99 /Month
  • Get 10 units per month
  • Download Article/Chapter or eBook
  • 1 Unit = 1 Article or 1 Chapter
  • Cancel anytime
Subscribe now

Buy Now

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Anantharaman-Barr, G., Ballevre, O., Gicquello, P., Bracco-Hammer, I., Vuichoud, J., Montigon, F. and Fern, E., 1994. Fecal bile acid excretion and taurine status in cats fed canned and dry diets.Journal of Nutrition, 124, S2546–S2551

    Google Scholar 

  • Boudreau, J.C., Sivakumar, L., Do, L.T., White, T.D., Ovarek, J. and Hoang, N.K., 1985. Neurophysiology of the geniculate ganglion (facial nerve) taste systems: Species comparisons.Chemical Senses, 10, 89– 127

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Boudreau, J.C., 1989. Neurophysiology and stimulus chemistry of mammalian taste systems. In: R. Teranishi, R.G. Buttery and F. Shahidi (eds.), Flavour Chemistry: Trends and Developments. ACS Symposium Series, 338, 122–137

  • Bradshaw, J.W.S., 1991. Sensory and experiential factors in the design of foods for domestic dogs and cats.Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 50, 99–106

    Google Scholar 

  • Bradshaw, J.W.S. and Thorne, C., 1992. Feeding behaviour. In: C. Thorne (ed), The Waltham Book of Dog and Cat Behaviour(Pergamon Press), pp. 115–129

  • Bradshaw, J.W.S., Goodwin, D., Legrand Defretin, V. and Nott, H.M.R., 1996. Food selection by the domestic cat, an obligate carnivore.Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 114, 205–209

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Case, L.P., Carey, D.P., Hirakawa, D.A. and Daristotle, L., 2000.Canine and Feline Nutrition, 2nd edition (Mosby, Inc., St. Louis, Missouri, USA)

  • Crane, S.W., Griffin, R.W. and Messent, P.R., 2000. Introduction to commercial pet foods. In: M.S. Hand, C.D. Thatcher, R.L. Remillard and P. Roudebush (eds), Small Animal Clinical Nutrition, 4th edition (Mark Morris Institute, Topeka, Kansas, USA)

  • Hendriks, W.H. and Moughan, P.J., 2000. Advances in feed evaluation for companion animals. In: P.J. Moughan, M.W.A. Verstegen and M.I. Visser-Reyneveld (eds), Feed Evaluation: Principles and Practice(Wageningen, The Netherlands), pp. 269–285

  • Hullar, I., Fekete, S. and Szõcs, Z., 1998. Effect of extrusion on the quality of soybean-based catfood.Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 80, 201–206

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Hullar, I., Fekete, S., Andrasofszky, E., Szõcs, Z. and Berkenyi, T., 2001. Factors influencing the food preference of cats.Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 85, 205–211

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Legrand-Defretin, V., 1994. Differences between cats and dogs: A nutritional view.Proceedings of the Nutrition Society, 53, 15–24

    Google Scholar 

  • Levesque, A., 1999. Il gusto nel cane e nel gatto.Summa, 16, 15–25

    Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, M.L. and Rogers, Q.R., 1984. Nutrition of the domestic cat, a mammalian carnivore.Annual Review of Nutrition, 4, 521–562

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, M.L., Rogers, Q.R. and Morris, J.G., 1984a. Effects of dietary arachidonate deficiency on the aggregation of cat platelets.Comparative Biochemistry and Physiology, 78, 123–126

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, M.L., Rogers, Q.R. and Morris, J.G., 1984b. Effect of linoleate and arachidonate deficiencies on reproduction and spermatogenesis in the cat.Journal of Nutrition, 114, 719–726

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • MacDonald, M.L., Rogers, Q.R. and Morris, J.G., 1985. Aversion of the cat to dietary medium chain triglycerides and caprilic acid.Physiology and Behaviour, 34, 1–5

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, J.G., 1985. Nutritional and metabolic responses to arginine deficiency in carnivores.Journal of Nutrition, 115, 524–531

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Morris, J.G., 2002. Idiosyncratic nutrient requirements of cats appear to be diet-induced evolutionary adaptations.Nutrition Research Reviews, 15, 153–168

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Mugford, R.A., 1977. External influences on the feeding of carnivores. In: M.R. Kare and O. Maller (eds), The Chemical Senses and Nutrition(Academic Press, New York, USA)

  • Park, T., Jerkins, A.A., Steele, R.D., Rogers, Q.R. and Morris, J.G., 1991. Effect of dietary protein and taurine on enzyme activities involved in cysteine metabolism in cat tissues.Journal of Nutrition, 121, S181–S182

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Pawlosky, R.J., Barnes, A. and Salem, N., Jr., 1994. Essential fatty acid metabolism in the feline: Relationship between liver and brain production of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids.Journal of Lipid Research, 35, 2032–2040

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Peachey, S.E. and Harper, E.J., 2002. Aging does not influence feeding behaviour in cats.Journal of Nutrition, 132, 1735S–1739S

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rabin, A.R., Nicolosi, R.J. and Hayes, K.C., 1976. Dietary influence of bile acid conjugation in the cat.Journal of Nutrition, 106, 1241–1246

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Rogers, Q.R., Morris, J.G. and Freedland, R.A., 1977. Lack of hepatic enzymatic adaptation to low and high levels of dietary protein in the adult cat.Enzyme, 22, 348–356

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, K., Lobley, G.E., Rawlings, J., Millward, D.J. and Harper, E.J., 2000. Urea kinetics of a carnivore, Felis silvestris catus.British Journal of Nutrition, 84, 597–604

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Russell, K., Lobley, G.E. and Millward, D.J., 2003. Whole-body protein turnover of a carnivore.Felis silvestris catus.British Journal of Nutrition, 89, 29–37

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Schweigert, F.J., Raila, J., Wichert, B. and Kienzle, E., 2002. Cats absorb beta-carotene, but it is not converted to vitamin A.Journal of Nutrition, 132, 1610S–1612S

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, A.J., McLean, J.G. and Monger, E.A., 1979. Metabolism of linoleic acid in the cat.Lipids, 14, 932–936

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Sohail, M.A., 1983. The ingestive behaviour of the domestic cat: A review.Nutrition Abstracts and Reviews, 53, 177–186

    Google Scholar 

  • Spitze, A.R., Wong, D.L., Rogers, Q.R. and Fascetti, A.J., 2003. Taurine concentrations in animal feed ingredients; cooking influences taurine content.Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition, 87, 251–262

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stasiak, M., 2001. The effect of early specific feeding on food conditioning in cats.Developmental Psychobiology, 39, 207–215

    Article  CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stasiak, M., 2002. The development of food preferences in cats: The new direction.Nutritional Neuroscience, 5, 221–228

    Article  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Stratton-Phelps, M., Backus, R.C., Rogers, Q.R. and Fascetti, A.J., 2002. Dietary rice bran decreases plasma and whole-blood taurine in cats.Journal of Nutrition, 132, 1745S–1747S

    CAS  PubMed  Google Scholar 

  • Thompson, A., 2004. A peek into the new NRC for dogs and cats. In: Lyons and Jacques (eds), Proceedings of Alltech's 20th Annual Symposium, pp. 503–508

  • Trivedi, N. and Benning, J., 1999. Total palatability. The triangle of success: Ingredients, processing and palatants.Petfood Industry, May/June, 12–14

  • Voragen, A.G.J., Gruppen, H., Marsman, G.J.P. and Mul, A.J., 1995. Effect of some manufacturing technologies on chemical, physical and nutritional properties of feed. In: P. Garnosworthy and D.J. Cole (eds), Recent Advances in Animal Nutrition(Nottingham University Press, UK)

  • Zentek, J., 2004. A changing landscape: The pet food market in Europe. In: Lyons and Jacques (eds), Proceedings of Alltech's 20th Annual Symposium, pp. 517–521

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Veterinary Morphophysiology and Animal Production, University of Bologna, via Tolara di Sopra 50, 40064, Ozzano Emilia, Bologna, Italy

    G. Zaghini & G. Biagi

Authors
  1. G. Zaghini
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. G. Biagi
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Corresponding author

Correspondence to G. Zaghini.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Check for updates. Verify currency and authenticity via CrossMark

Cite this article

Zaghini, G., Biagi, G. Nutritional Peculiarities and Diet Palatability in the Cat. Vet Res Commun 29 (Suppl 2), 39–44 (2005). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-005-0009-1

Download citation

  • Published:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11259-005-0009-1

Keywords

Search

Navigation