Feeding cats dry food could increase feline diabetes risk

[DCUK NewsBot]

Feeding cats dry food could increase their risk of developing feline diabetes, according to new research. A number of animals can develop diabetes, with cats much more prone to the condition than dogs. Feline diabetes can be tricky for owners to manage, but the diabetes management principles are the same as in humans: keep blood glucose levels at a normal range and make sure they receive their medication, most likely insulin. The study, which was conducted in Sweden, was based on just over 6,700 cats. The owners of the cats were asked to participate in an online survey which featured 48 questions based on an animal's breed, age, sex, whether it had been neutered and its general health. The researchers from the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences also asked about the condition of each cat's body size, exercise levels, diet, general behavior, current medications and the type of food it ate. A total of 1,369 cats already had diabetes at the beginning of the study; the remaining animals did not. The cat owners' answers relating to food were broken down into three different groups: dry, wet and mixed, which meant they gave their pet both. The owners were also asked to judge their cat's body type, which was also grouped into three categories: underweight, normal weight and overweight. The findings showed a link between feline diabetes and cats that ate a lot of food, stayed indoors most of the time and did not exercise. Lead researcher Malin Ohlund, DVM, said: "Through our research we found that while obesity is a very important and prominent risk factor for diabetes mellitus in cats, there is also an increased risk of diabetes among normal-weight cats consuming a dry food diet. "This correlation, compared to normal-weight cats on a wet food diet, is a new and interesting finding that warrants further research, as a dry food diet is commonly fed to cats around the world." Ohlund and colleagues suggested that this increased diabetes risk could be explained because dry food puts an "increased demand" on the cat's insulin secretion. As dry food is such a common way to feed cats, the researchers have recommended "further attention" on the subject is needed. The findings have been published in the Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine.

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[douglas99]

So, the study also shows obese cats get diabetes a well?
Who would have guessed?

 

[Resurgam]

cats are obligate carnivores - they should not be fed carbohydrates as they are not able to deal with it - from a biological point of view the evolution of a cat able to cope with carbs is being accelerated, but in the mean time all 'natural' cats should develop diabetes if fed on a diet which includes carbohydrate as a direct consequence of their normal reaction to an unnatural diet.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

I just got a box of cat food from the cupboard to see what it said on the label. For the chicken one it says

" Composition: meat and animal derivatives (including 4% chicken), minerals, various sugars."

The other ones also have only 4% of the named meat in them. Maybe wet food isn't so good for them either.

 

[bulkbiker]

Shame they didn't ask the owners the carb content of the food. We feed our cat and dog dry food but very little carb and definitely no grain in either. They are both pretty healthy.
Haven't managed to get them into fasting yet tho... its only a matter of time!

 

[douglas99]

I just got a box of cat food from the cupboard to see what it said on the label. For the chicken one it says

" Composition: meat and animal derivatives (including 4% chicken), minerals, various sugars."

The other ones also have only 4% of the named meat in them. Maybe wet food isn't so good for them either.

If you look at dry food, it often has a higher percentage of protein and fat than wet food in reality.

Most wet food actually has a very high percentage of rice as a filler.
Like all the big food industry, it's just marketed well, and most people think they're buying 100% meat, not 4%

 

[noblehead]

If you look at dry food, it often has a higher percentage of protein and fat than wet food in reality.

Most wet food actually has a very high percentage of rice as a filler.
Like all the big food industry, it's just marketed well, and most people think they're buying 100% meat, not 4%

Surprised at that, one would think it would be the other way round.

Don't own cats but we've always fed our dog dried food, our vet recommends it and uses dried food (good quality) to feed his own dogs.

 

[Squire Fulwood]

Many years ago I was listening to the JY Prog and the editor of The Grocer (Tony D'Angeli) was a weekly guest. He said that it surprised him that cat food only had four percent protein in it. Jim asked him what the rest of it was and he said cereal. So I knew about it but never thought of it as a problem.

 

[Engineer88]

I just got a box of cat food from the cupboard to see what it said on the label. For the chicken one it says

" Composition: meat and animal derivatives (including 4% chicken), minerals, various sugars."

The other ones also have only 4% of the named meat in them. Maybe wet food isn't so good for them either.

depends what you feed (as with everything) felix or whiskers are generally **** but there are more decent foods such as natures menu pouches coming to market.

The obvious trade off is the price - some months my cats get natures menu others they get felix depening on what cash I have available. they always have the best biscuits I can get my hands on (often meowing heads or Aatu) they also have raw sometimes.

My dog is raw fed.

*DISCLAIMER* I am working towards a qualification in animal nutrition

 

[douglas99]

depends what you feed (as with everything) felix or whiskers are generally **** but there are more decent foods such as natures menu pouches coming to market.

The obvious trade off is the price - some months my cats get natures menu others they get felix depening on what cash I have available. they always have the best biscuits I can get my hands on (often meowing heads or Aatu) they also have raw sometimes.

My dog is raw fed.

*DISCLAIMER* I am working towards a qualification in animal nutrition

At £6 or £7 a kg, fresh food would be cheaper?

 

[Robinredbreast]

I have owned cats for 3 decades, never had a fat cat or any with diabetes. Pebbles, who is 8 this year is fed Whiskas dry cat food and she has tuna and chicken as a treat and Harley who will be 18 this year, has mainly wet food, with a few biscuits and tuna and chicken too, Pebbles has always been a very good weight, 4 kilo's and Harley is a little underweight now, he's an OAP.

 

[Brunneria]

We fed the cats raw food, and now we feed raw to the dogs too. One of the dogs is intolerant of gluten, so that gives us extra motivation (you do NOT need a description of what happens when he eats gluten!)

The 'meat and animal derivatives' ingredient in pet food is basically the slurry they scrape off the slaughterhouse floor, with the stuff they wouldn't even put in sausages added. I wouldn't give any pet any food that had that listed in the ingredients.
The official description is vague enough that they can put anything into it.
http://www.best-dog-food-review.com/67901/67927.html

 

[Engineer88]

At £6 or £7 a kg, fresh food would be cheaper?

Potentially but cats need a high volume of taurine containing meat or an additive (heart type meat) as well as organ and liver (I believe its 10% of daily total as organ and a percentage of that needs to be liver), as well as 20% bone. So its not as straight forwards as slapping a chicken leg in front of them and have at it. Though some will also give that a go too!

 

[douglas99]

Liver was reduced to 38p in Tesco's yeterday

 

[Nicksu]

Raw food is the best for cats being the carnivores they are - problem is getting the little devils off the dry food - its addictive to them - just like carbs are to us.

 

[Brunneria]

Raw food is the best for cats being the carnivores they are - problem is getting the little devils off the dry food - its addictive to them - just like carbs are to us.

Oh yes. lol. One of our cats was really showing his age, and couldn't climb out of the garden any more - so he became trapped with the diet (raw) we fed them. Astonishing what a difference it made. His fur started to shine like a mirror, his eyes cleared, his claws stopped fraying, and he lived several more years of gleaming health. When he eventually died of a series of strokes the vet didn't believe he was 19 years, and said that he sees cats half the age, in worse condition.

Meanwhile, the younger cat would eat a little of what we put down at home, then go and steal 'junk food' from the neighbouring cats' bowls. He was always in OK health, but never GREAT health.

 

[Brunneria]

Potentially but cats need a high volume of taurine containing meat or an additive (heart type meat) as well as organ and liver (I believe its 10% of daily total as organ and a percentage of that needs to be liver), as well as 20% bone. So its not as straight forwards as slapping a chicken leg in front of them and have at it. Though some will also give that a go too!

Yes, we feed 80% muscle, 10% organ meat and 10% bone - as an average across the week. So sometimes we give all muscle meat, and sometimes just a meaty bone. And while liver is a superfood, we try not to give too much, because of the high Vit A. Oh, and a few raw bits of fruit and veg, too. They (dogs) love the odd blueberry.

 

[Tabbyjoolz]

Victor, the beautiful cat in my avatar, developed diabetes towards the end of his life. He wasn't fat, ate a mixed diet which included fresh meat and fish, as well as canned food and some biscuits.

The vet put it down to "old age" (he was nearly 17) and Victor endured a few months of insulin twice daily. One evening he staggered in, gave a very weird meow, then started fitting. I rubbed some sugary water into his gums and the fit passed, and then I managed to get him to eat a little. When I got him to the vet, the vet did a blood glucose test and found that he was back in the normal range.

We stopped the insulin - turns out diabetes in cats can reverse itself - and Victor enjoyed another four months of normal life before succumbing to lymphoma.He was a true old soldier.

 

[Nicksu]

Victor, the beautiful cat in my avatar, developed diabetes towards the end of his life. He wasn't fat, ate a mixed diet which included fresh meat and fish, as well as canned food and some biscuits.

The vet put it down to "old age" (he was nearly 17) and Victor endured a few months of insulin twice daily. One evening he staggered in, gave a very weird meow, then started fitting. I rubbed some sugary water into his gums and the fit passed, and then I managed to get him to eat a little. When I got him to the vet, the vet did a blood glucose test and found that he was back in the normal range.

We stopped the insulin - turns out diabetes in cats can reverse itself - and Victor enjoyed another four months of normal life before succumbing to lymphoma.He was a true old soldier.

Bless him! - my old lady was 19 when I had to bite the bullet and take her for the kindest injection. She didn't have many teeth left at the finish and she had gone downhill in her last months but she could still tell my other cat off !

 

[Resurgam]

I fondly remember my little cat calmly settling down in front of the heaped up dinner intended for my strapping great black Labrador dog and helping herself to a tablespoon full of the best bits each evening - whilst the poor dog looked on anxiously in case she ate all of it (you could see him thinking) When she had finished she stepped aside and there was a huge sigh of relief and then he leaped on the bowl with great enthusiasm and finished off what was left. If I ever offered her any in her own bowl it was looked upon with distain - she had to pick which bits she would eat, not her Human. These two were so funny -