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Kitten Diet Composition
The cat is unique of its dietary needs and the way it generates energy, with specific requirements for certain nutrients. Seeing as cats have a carnivorous metabolism, some of the enzyme system have limited capacity or lacking altogether. This specific metabolism led to a need for specific nutrients that are found in animal flesh, decreased carbohydrates and other nutrients must be supplemented in the diet. The kitten stage is a growth life-stage with further requirements and an increased need for energy and protein. When feeding a kitten, the goal is to create an adult with minimal disease risk, thus technological advances in digestibility and ingredients to develop immunity have been implemented. Kitten diets must be certified for growth by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) in order to ensure adequate nutrients are being supplied. Thus, there are various nutrients to look for in kitten diets that satisfy specific kitten needs.

Amino Acids
The lack of readily available glucose from the limited carbohydrate has resulted to the adaptation of the liver to produce glucose from the breakdown components of protein—amino acids. The enzymes that breakdown amino acids are constantly active in cats and thus, cats need a constant source of protein in their diet. Kittens, require an increased amount of protein to supply readily available amino acids for daily maintenance and for building new body components seeing as they are constantly growing. There are many required amino acids for kittens. Histidine is required at no greater than 30% in kitten diets seeing as consuming histidine-free diets causes weight loss. Phenylalanine is required at no more than 0.50% in the diet and tyrosine is required at 0.50% in order to maximize kitten growth. Tryptophan is required at 0.15% seeing as it maximized performance at this level. Kittens also need the following amino acids supplemented in their diet: arginine seeing as hyperammonemia can be caused without it, isoleucine, leucine, valine, lysine, methionine as a sulfur containing amino acid, asparagine for maximal growth in the early post-weaning kitten, threonine and taurine to prevent from central retinal degeneration.

Vitamins
Fat-Soluble Vitamins

Vitamin A is required in kitten diets because cats cannot convert carotenes to retinol in the intestinal mucosa because they lack the enzyme so this vitamin must be supplemented in the diet. . Vitamin E is another required vitamin in kitten diets seeing as deficiency leads to steatitis, causing the depot fat to become firm and yellow-orange in colour, which is painful and leads to death. Also, Vitamin D is an essential vitamin because cats cannot convert it from precursors in the skin. Thus, three of the four fat-soluble vitamins are required in kitten diets.

Water-Soluble Vitamins

Cats can synthesize niacin, but their breakdown exceeds the rate that it can be synthesized and thus, have a higher need for it, which can be fulfilled through an animal-based diet. Pyridoxine (vitamin B6) is required in increased amounts seeing as it is needed to produce amino acids. To continue, vitamin B12 is an AAFCO recommended vitamin essential in the metabolism of carbohydrates and protein and maintains a healthy nervous system, healthy mucous membranes, healthy muscle and heart function and in general, promotes normal growth and development. Choline is also a AAFCO recommended ingredient for kittens, which is important for neurotransmission in the brain and as a component of membrane phospholipids. Biotin is another AAFCO recommended vitamin to support thyroid and adrenal glands and the reproductive and nervous systems. Kittens also require riboflavin (vitamin B2) for heart health, pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), and folacin. Therefore, ingredients that provide these vitamins are essential to look for in kitten diets.

Metabolism aids
Since kitten diets are very high in calories, ingredients must be implemented to ensure adequate digestion and utilization of these calories. Choline chloride is an ingredient that maintains fat metabolism. Biotin and niacin are also active in the metabolism of fats, carbs and protein. Riboflavin is also necessary for the digestion of fats and carbohydrates. These are the main metabolism aids incorporated into kitten diets to ensure nutrient usage is maximized.

Growth and Development
A combination of required nutrients is used to satisfy the overall growth and development of the kitten body, there are many ingredients that kittens do not require, but are included in diet formulation to encourage healthy growth and development. These ingredients include: dried egg as source of high quality protein and fatty acids, flaxseed as source of flaxseed oil which is rich in omega 3 fatty acid and aids in digestion, calcium carbonate as a source of calcium, and calcium pantothenate (vitamin B5) acts as a coenzyme in the conversion of amino acids and is important for healthy skin.

Immunity boosters
Antioxidants help support the development of a healthy immune system through inhibiting the oxidation of other molecules, which are essential for a growing kitten. Antioxidants can be derived from ingredients, such as: carrots, sweet potatoes, spinach, vitamin E and vitamin E supplement, and Zinc proteinate.

Protein Sources
Kitten protein requirements are higher than cats because they are in constant need of energy. Good protein sources are ones that are derived from animal tissues, organs and meat seeing as cats are carnivores. High quality protein is also suggested to sustain a healthy and efficient metabolism.

Post-operative Recovery and Illness
It has been found that nutritional support consistent with the resting energy requirement (RER) soon after operation or the onset of illness decreases the mortality rate and the duration of hospitalization in cats. A recovering cat requires sufficient energy (calories), as well as an increased need for protein and fats. Critical care diets are formulated to be highly palatable and digestible, as well as high energy density. This limits the volume of food required to be consumed to meet the RER. This type of high energy diet has proven to be very important in the nutritional support of post-operative and ill cats.

Nutrition
The goal of kitten nutrition is to provide high caloric content by utilizing specific macronutrient ratios in order to meet the high energy demands of growth. Key components of the diet are a high fat content to provide caloric requirements of growth, high protein to meet requirements for muscle growth as well as supplementation of certain nutrients such as docosahexaenoic acid to benefit the development of the brain and optimization of cognition.

Establishing immunity
About 70% of the body’s immune system is in the gastrointestinal tract; therefore, overall health is largely linked to the health of the kitten’s gut. In order to optimize gut health, it is important to optimize the link between the gut-associated lymphoid tissue and the microbiota of the gastrointestinal tract. This can be accomplished through proper nutrition and establishing a healthy gut from birth.

Within the first 3 to 6 hours after parturition, kittens acquire passive immunity from their mother’s milk. Milk within the first few days of parturition is called colostrum and contains high concentrations of immunoglobulin including immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G which cross the intestinal barrier of the neonate. The immunoglobulins and growth factors found in the colostrum begin to establish and strengthen the weak immune system of the offspring. Kittens are able to chew solid food around 5-6 weeks after birth, and 30% of their diet should consist of solid food at this time. The kitten remains on the mother’s milk until around eight weeks of age when weaning is complete and a diet of solid food is the primary food source.

Fat
Up until approximately one year of age the kitten is undergoing a growth phase where energy requirements are up to 2.5 times higher than maintenance. A commercial cat food designed specifically for kittens can be offered beginning at 4 weeks of age. Fat has a higher caloric value than carbohydrates and protein, supplying 8.5kcal/g. Kitten formulas contain high fat in order to deliver a large amount of calories to the growing feline. A diet is considered high in fat when it is above 20% of the diet on a dry matter basis. Growth also creates a high demand for essential fatty acids. The growing kitten requires arachidonic and linoleic acid which can be provided in omega-3 fatty acids. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is another vital nutrient that can be supplied through omega 3 fatty acid. DHA plays a key role in cognition and brain development and is especially important in the development of a healthy kitten.

Protein
Protein is a macromolecule composed of multiple amino acids and also provides energy for the growing feline. Cats are naturally carnivores, and therefore require high amounts of protein in the diet. Kittens are undergoing growth and require high amounts of protein to provide essential amino acids that enable the growth of tissues and muscles. It is recommended kittens consume a diet containing 35-50% protein on a dry matter basis.

Cats also have specific amino acid requirements of those which are indispensable by the body. Arginine is required for the urea cycle in the cat and can cause hyperammonemia when intake is inadequate. Taurine is another essential amino acid found only in animal tissues. Since felines are carnivores, it is expected that they will consume taurine with each meal. Evolutionarily, it does not make sense for the feline to produce taurine and has therefore adapted to be unable to produce taurine in adequate amounts and therefore must be provided in the diet at 10 mg/kg bodyweight/day. Sulphur containing amino acids such as methionine and cysteine are also required by the growing feline in order to supplement fur growth and skin health.

Carbohydrates
Felids are natural carnivores and therefore do not intentionally consume large quantities of carbohydrates. The domestic cat's liver has adapted to the lack of carbohydrates in the diet by utilizing amino acids to produce glucose to fuel the brain and other tissues. Carbohydrate inclusion should be relatively low in the diet as studies have shown that carbohydrate digestion in young kittens is much less effective than that of a mature feline with a developed gastrointestinal tract. Highly digestible carbohydrates can be found in commercial kitten food for some additional energy as well as a source of fiber to stimulate the immature gut tissue. Soluble fibre such as beet pulp is a common ingredient used as a fibrous stool hardener and has been proven to strengthen intestinal muscles and the thicken gut mucosal layer to prevent diarrhea.

Cat Food
 High Energy Diets 

To maintain a neutral energy balance and thus maintain body weight energy intake should increase with energy expenditure. Studies that relate the number of meals offered to cats per day to their daily activity levels have been met with conflicting results. It has been shown that cats offered four meals a day or a random number of meals a day have similar energy levels, greater than those fed only one meal per day. It has been postulated that this increased energy level could be due to purported spikes in activity before being fed known as food anticipatory activity. Other studies have found increasing the amount of feedings per day in female cats may actually decrease their daily activity levels. The age, sex, and whether cats are intact or have been spayed/neutered are all factors controlling activity level.

Pregnancy/ Lactation

A cat’s nutritional needs should be met during both pregnancy and lactation as these are strenuous times in terms of energy consumption. During pregnancy a cat should gain 38% of their body weight by the time they are ready to give birth. A queen’s diet should contain 4000 kcal/ ME per day while pregnant and then during lactation the cat should be consuming 240 - 354 kcal/ME / kg of body weight. Studies show that increasing the intake of food for a pregnant animal in order to help it gain weight can have negative effects. It is acknowledged that rather than increasing intake, feeding a highly energy dense food is a way to ensure the queen gets adequate energy, being aware to meet all nutrient requirements.

 Senior Cat Nutrition 

As cats age from the adult to senior life stages there is evidence that their metabolic energy requirements may increase. These increases have been shown to appear markedly after 12 years of age and even more so after 13 years of age. Other evidence suggests that metabolic energy needs are not dissimilar between life stages. Furthermore, it has been shown that cats greater than 12 years of age have a greater likeliness of being underweight than any other age group and thus to maintain and appropriate body condition score a high calorie diet may be appropriate as a treatment for weight loss. Weight loss can occur when the cat enters a negative energy balance such as when metabolic energy requirements are increased without dietary caloric compensation. It has also been demonstrated that as cats age their ability to digest and thus absorb dietary fats and proteins decreases. In order to maintain a neutral energy balance in this case a high calorie diet may be recommended.

Management
Weight gain will occur when an animal is in a positive energy balance, meaning energy provided as calories in the diet exceed calories expended. Evidence suggests that middle aged cats and dogs, especially those between the ages of 5 and 10, may be at an increased risk of obesity. This is supported by studies showing that as cats age from 2 years to approximately 11.5 years of age their energy requirements decreased. Weight gain will occur if calories from the diet do not decrease with the animal’s energy requirements.

Energy and macronutrient requirements
Diets should be managed for each individual cat to ensure that they maintain an ideal body and muscle condition. Unlike many other species, the energy requirements for cats do not decrease with age, but may even increase, therefore seniors require the same or more energy than adults. Scientific studies have indicated that after 12 years of age, and again after 13 years of age, energy requirements for cats increase significantly. Obesity is common in adult cats, but much less so in senior cats. Of all feline life stages it has been demonstrated that senior cats are the most often underweight. Research has shown that fat and protein digestibility decrease with age in cats, causing seniors to have a higher dietary requirement for these macronutrients. The fat and protein sources need to be highly digestible to maximize energy capture from the food. This may help to explain the body condition differences between adult and senior cats given the consistency of food intake.