The ancestor of our domestic cat ate small mammals, reptiles, bugs, and birds that were very moist, crunchy, high-protein, high-fat packages. So why do we care what our cat’s ancestors ate? Because there is an important link.
This fact is true whether we’re talking about ourselves, our dogs or our cats. What all animals eat has a big effect on their health. Half of Americans are sporting some extra weight due to our high-carb, fast-food culture. More and more of us are suffering from obesity, diabetes, arthritis and other chronic maladies…just like our cats. The more we know about what has worked for eons, centuries and decades is what we should be adding to our modern diets. That is the reason we care. The problem is that we don’t always follow the lessons.
Today’s domesticated felines are a case in point. They are fed a very dry, highly processed, high-carbohydrate “cookie” that we call dry cat food. The way some cats gobble their dry food, you would think it was laced with something addictive. Did you know that this dry food is probably a factor in diabetes, obesity, chronic vomiting and diarrhea, and even urinary problems in cats. That alone ought to be enough to make you change your cat’s diet.
The Blood Sugar Problem
Recently I have been researching the way foods affect our blood sugar. Grains such as those in bread and chips make our blood sugar rise for a bit then fall, which causes us to experience hunger even though we just ate. Vegetables and fruit are complex carbohydrates that do not jack the blood sugar around like grains, so they are less likely to cause the same problem. Watching the way some cats and dogs act ravenous all the time after eating dry food makes me suspect the same thing happens to them.
Our ancestors evolved eating plants, fruit, and some meat. Cats and dogs evolved from predators that ate high-protein, low-carbohydrate diets. Both of our diets and those of our domesticated pet have changed markedly, and our bodies show it!!
Change Eating Habits
You can help your dog and cat by feeding them differently. Many of the suggestions I make in my new book Dog Dish Diet: Sensible Nutrition for Your Dog’s Health can be used for cats too. For
better health: Instead of dry cat food, feed canned. And instead of dry treats, feed chicken, shrimp, fish, egg yolk, tuna, or even sardines 3-4 times a week. Because the same health problems are seen in all three species, when they eat too many carbs, it might be time to follow mom’s advice and “eat your vegetables.” Bone Appétit!
**Saber Tooth Tiger photo is made available through Filckr and Creative Commons
Perhaps you saw the headline a couple days ago: “Pet cat in U.S. catches swine flu.”
I know there’s concern among pet owners as these are some of the questions and comments I’ve heard in the office: “Can my pet get the swine flu H1N1?” “I heard that there was a case of swine flu that was transmitted from sick people to their cat.” “How dangerous is swine flu in pets?” “Is it like the dog flu?”
Our mainstream media will push us into the movie sequel, “One more flu over the cuckoo’s nest.” Okay, I’m having a little fun, but you do need to remember that the flu is a tricky little virus that is a master of disguise. It changes its outer layer of clothing frequently, so it can evade our bodies’ defenses. The game of flu viruses and our defenses is like hackers vs. Norton or MacAfee anti-virus software.
Origins of the Flu Virus
These flu viruses came from areas of the world where humans, cows, pigs, ducks and chickens share a small intimate living area. In high-density livestock areas, 1000s of viruses are spread around in a particular species every day, until one day, one virus “crosses over” to another species. It becomes a problem to humans when it jumps from livestock to humans. As the names suggest, the avian flu and swine flu are the result of flu bugs jumping from birds and pigs, respectively, to humans.
Every now and then, these little flu critters decide they want to live in people instead of pigs or birds. Imagine them talking: “Remember the old days when we had to put up with the stink and crowds? Spreading was easy!” And another bug replies: “Yeah, but it’s harder to spread ourselves around in humans with all their hand washing, masks, disinfectants and vaccines.”
In reality these little viruses embrace the “change is good” philosophy. The more they move, the harder they are to identify and capture. Like international spies, they move within and between species by changing their look and passport. In time, the latest epidemic and pandemic flu viruses will become endemic, which just means they have become permanent infectious diseases in our society, such as the common cold, mumps or pneumonia. These guys do not want to kill anybody or anything because then they die and cannot spread. They really just want us sick enough that we cough and sneeze them on to other living beings, thus continuing the “domino effect.”
But What About Dog Flu?
The dog flu (H3N8) jumped from horses to dogs at a racetrack and is making dogs sick in New York, Virginia, southern Florida, and northern Colorado/southern Wyoming. There is no evidence that the virus can be transferred to people, cats, back to horses or to any other species. Meanwhile, the avian flu is still pecking away at birds and people, but it has slowed down dramatically due to mass vaccination of birds in affected (or to use the fancier term, endemic) areas. The H1N1 swine flu has been classified as a pandemic. It has been transmitted to other species, including people, birds, ferrets and now, as decried in the most recent case, cats. I should warn viruses that think they’ve found the ideal host, however, that they will not like their new cat host so much when they get coughed up in a hairball! These days, with more animals and people in the world, the spread of flu is easier than ever. And flu won’t be going away either, so take appropriate precautions. My book, Dog Dish Diet: Sensible Nutrition for Your Dog’s Health, and The Omega Diet based on the Island of Crete diet by Artemis P. Simopoulos, both advise dogs and dog owners to eat food ingredients with high doses of Omega 3 fats (e.g., olive and canola oil, fish and fish oil, and walnuts ) to keep the immune system tuned up and ready to fight. Bone Appétit!
Dry cat food would be easier!!
The ancestors of your fluffy cat by the window, lying in the sun, also liked their down time, but they were busy hunting when they weren’t napping. Their diet consisted of small mammals, birds, reptiles, and bugs. These “crunchy packages” supplied the nutrients and moisture they needed to stay healthy. The exercise of the hunt and the calories contained in the daily kept them trim and healthy.
Today’s feline needs very little exercise to subdue its cat food. A stroll and a jump will take your kitty right to the “horn of plenty,” and it can munch on the ever-present bowl of dry cat food to its heart’s content. Of course, if it gets tired of the dry food, it can wait for the evening feeding of wet food on top of, or mixed with the dry food. The calories most cats eat are more than enough for the stroll around the house or backyard. Those cats that patrol the neighborhood usually get a bit more exercise climbing fences and repelling invaders. This keeps them in better shape, but puts them at risk for trauma from dogs and cars.
Cats are becoming obese and developing diabetes from this lifestyle and diet. Cats were “obligate carnivores” in the wild, which means they have evolved eating prey and, unlike the wolf, they rarely will stoop to eat fruit, grasses, carrion, or poop, even when times are tough the way canines will. Dry cat food is 40-70% carbohydrate and only contains 10% moisture, compared to 10% carbohydrate and 60% moisture in prey. Dry cat food or “kitty cookies” pack a caloric punch and will super-size cats that are prone to relax and eat much of their lives away. The lack of water in the diet can also concentrate the urine, leading to crystals and blockages, called the feline urologic syndrome or FUS. The high percentages of grains overwork the pancreas, causing deficient insulin levels, and diabetes in some cats. Many cats can eat dry food without any weight problems, diabetes, or bowel problems, but many can’t.
I never feel full, my body wants protein and fat
So what can you do? If your cat will eat other things, try canned food; it has fewer calories per serving. If your dinner consists of meats ( like chicken or pork), fish, or shrimp, let your cat try a bit a few nights a week. The extra protein may satisfy him or her much more than high-carbohydrate dry food. What satisfies your hunger more? Chips, veggies,…or a piece of protein like steak or chicken. I think that because cats did not evolve to eat grain, carbohydrates may be a nutrient that does not satisfy their hunger.
If you have a cat that is eating dry food and looks good, feels good, and does not have medical issues, that’s great. However if your cat is obese, has urinary issues, diabetes, or stomach and bowel issues, changes in the diet may help. (Some cats are allergic to wheat in the food)
1. Canned food has fewer calories than dry, and is less irritating to the bowel.
2. Canned food has more moisture and helps prevent FUS.
3. Giving meats as a treat or meal 2-3 times a week helps supply wholesome ingredients (Tuna, sardines, raw egg yolk, chicken, salmon, shrimp, turkey, pork, and tilapia)
