Feline Malnutrition & Effect on Longevity

Healthy nutrition is essential for a long and healthy lifespan.

Malnutrition shortens lifespans, even in smaller animals like domesticated household cats. Malnutrition isn't just about being underfed, it is about missing essential vitamins and minerals necessary to maintain life. A feline can be malnourished in a variety of ways, ranging from a caloric deficiency to a vitamin toxicity. Malnourishment can occur even when an owner has the cat's best interests at heart.

Home-Prepared Meals

Home recipes for kittens are especially difficult.

There are several benefits of feeding a feline home-prepared meals instead of purchasing food from the store, such as a higher quality of ingredients and better fat and protein content. On the other hand, it is very easy for home recipes to miss key elements in the feline diet. Calcium, vitamins and minerals such as potassium, copper and zinc are easy to leave out. Using oils such as vegetable oil can make the home food unappetizing to a cat, leading her to eat less than her body needs. When working with home-prepared meals it is a good idea to run them by a veterinarian to make sure the cat won't be missing out on the essentials.

Fish and Liver

Freshwater fish should not be a major part of a cat's diet.

Cats love fish and liver. Just because it is a favored food, doesn't mean that fish or liver should be a main part of a cat's diet. Having a diet of primarily liver will lead to a vitamin toxicity. A diet of mainly fresh fish leads to thiamine deficiency.

Wild Felines

Wild cats get additional nutrition from animal's guts.

In the wild, felines exist almost primarily on meat. Cats in general require more protein in their diet than other pets, but they still need sustenance in their diet that meat can't always provide. In the wild, felines supplement their diet with the digestive tracts of their prey. Cats get vegetation and the digestive juices needed to digest it by eating the stomachs and intestines of animals. The human owner has to provide the proper nutrition in other ways.

Dietary Requirement Specifics

Overfeeding a cat can be just as bad for the health as malnutrition.

Protein from meat, dairy, eggs and meat-by-products is better than any protein found in plant matter. Another element a cat needs that can only be found in meat is the B-amino acid taurine. As the Max's house article on feline nutrition states: "AAFCO Nutrient Profiles for Cats require that canned cat food contain a minimum of 2000 mg of taurine/kg diet and that foods contain a minimum of 1000 mg/kg." Another element that cats need more than other animals is arginine.

Effects of Malnutrition

Proper nutrition is important for both indoor and outdoor cats.

Malnutrition in felines can lead to obvious signs such as muscular weakness, poor coordination and scraggly hair. It can lead to more serious conditions such as pain, organ failure and in some cases, sudden death. Malnutrition shortens a cat's lifespan. It is something that can be avoided with proper research and consulting a vet.

References

• Max's House: Feline Nutrition
• Animals In Distress: Diets and malnutrition and the effects on cats health