As obligate carnivores, our feline companions need to eat meat, specifically the protein from meat, in order to survive and stay healthy. Although plant-based ingredients such as grains and vegetables do contain protein, animal-based proteins are essential in the diet of cats, and the bulk of the total dietary protein should come from an animal source such as meat, fish, or poultry. The key reason for this is that animal-based proteins contain essential amino acids that cats require to survive, especially taurine.

Essential amino acids that need to be supplied through the cat’s diet include arginine, histidine, isoleucine, leucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, threonine, tryptophan, valine, and taurine. Unlike dogs, taurine is only essential for cats, and as they are unable to synthesise this amino acid on their own, it needs to be supplied through their diet. Taurine is an essential amino acid that plays important roles in the proper functioning of the heart, reproductive system, vision, and digestion. Fortunately, all good quality cat foods will be formulated to contain the correct amount of taurine to support the health of your cat, provided naturally through the animal ingredients, or through additional taurine supplementation. Cats have a higher dietary protein requirement than dogs; the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profile for adult cat maintenance sets the minimum level of protein at 26%, and 30% for growth and reproduction (on a dry matter basis).

 

Although carbohydrate is not an essential macronutrient, cats can utilise carbohydrates as sources of energy and dietary fibre. The right level of dietary fibre can help to regulate digestive transit and allow for the efficient absorption of nutrients.

Even though carbohydrates provide energy, cats obtain energy primarily from the protein and fat in their diet. And as cats would naturally consume a diet high in protein and low in carbohydrates, commercially manufactured cat foods are typically formulated to contain low levels of carbohydrates, yet levels tend to be higher in dry pet foods than in wet pet foods, to aid in the manufacturing process and help with the binding of the food.

 

While the protein in a cat’s diet is an important energy source, fat is the most energy-rich nutrient in the diet and contains over twice the amount of energy per gram when compared to proteins and carbohydrates. On top of providing energy (or calories), fat in the diet functions to provide fatty acids, specifically omega-6 and omega-3 fatty acids. Omega-6 fatty acids (linoleic acid and arachidonic acid) are often found in animal tissues and vegetable oils, whereas omega-3 fatty acids (alpha-linolenic acid, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)) are often found in marine fish oils.

Fats and fatty acids enhance the absorption of fat-soluble vitamins A, D, E and K by acting as a carrier, and help to maintain healthy skin and a shiny coat. The AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profile for adult cat maintenance, growth, and reproduction sets the minimum level of fat at 9% (on a dry matter basis).

 

Vitamins are required in small quantities in the diet and are classified as either fat-soluble or water-soluble. There are four fat-soluble vitamins that have minimum requirements in cat food: A, D, E, and K, and nine water-soluble vitamins: B1 (Thiamine), B2 (Riboflavin), B3 (Pantothenic acid), B5 (Niacin), B6 (Pyridoxine), B7 (Biotin), B9 (Folic acid), B12 (Cobalamin) and Choline.

Vitamins and minerals are typically included in cat food as a ready-made premix that contains all the required vitamins and minerals in the correct quantities for your cat and its life stage, alongside those that are naturally provided through the raw materials themselves.

 

Like vitamins, minerals are only required in very small quantities in the diet but are essential to many important functions, such as growth and maintaining strong bones and teeth. Minerals are classified as either macrominerals or microminerals. Macrominerals are needed in greater amounts in the diet and are found in larger quantities in the body than microminerals. Macrominerals include Calcium (Ca), Phosphorus (P), Sodium (Na), Chloride (Cl), Potassium (K), and Magnesium (Mg). Microminerals (also known as trace elements) are also important to many functions and include Iron (Fe), Zinc (Zn), Copper (Cu), Manganese (Mn), Selenium (Se) and Iodine (I).

A complete and balanced food is formulated to contain all the daily vitamins and minerals that your cat needs to be able to maintain good health, and so supplementation is often not needed. Adding vitamin or mineral supplements to diets that are already complete and balanced may create imbalances and have potential harmful effects for your cat. Therefore, if you’re thinking about supplementing your cat’s diet for any reason, make sure that you first speak with your veterinarian about what supplementation is necessary, if any.  

 

 

And finally, water. Water is an essential nutrient which has many important functions and is critical to survival. However, cats are known to naturally have a low thirst drive. A cat’s total water intake comes from three sources: drinking water, water generated from metabolic processes, and the water content contained in their food. The amount of water available in your cat’s food depends on the type of food it is. Dry foods contain around 10% water (or moisture), whereas wet foods can contain up to 80% water. Cats that consume wet food will generally drink less water than cats that consume solely dry food since a large proportion of their daily requirement for water is provided through the food. Nevertheless, cats must always have free access to fresh, clean drinking water.  

Commercially manufactured cat foods typically contain a nutritional adequacy statement by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) which helps pet parents to identify products that will meet their cat’s daily nutrient requirements. This statement will indicate whether the food is complete and balanced or only intended for supplemental feeding. When a cat food is labelled as ‘complete and balanced’ it means that it has been formulated to meet the nutritional levels established by the AAFCO Cat Food Nutrient Profiles i.e., it will provide your cat with all the required nutrients in the correct ratios for their life stage, such as growth, reproduction, or maintenance. If the food does not contain this statement, then this means that it is ‘complementary’ and needs to be fed in combination with other foods to meet your cat’s nutritional needs.