Feeding the cat

Question 1

5 traits of a cat

Answer 1

• nocturnal (crepuscular)
• predators
• territorial
• solitary
• maternal

Question 2

hunting behavior sense

Answer 2

• sound (motion)
• sight
• scent
• texture
• taste

Question 3

at what temp do cats most prefer their food

Answer 3

body temp (37C)

Question 4

how often to cats like to eat

Answer 4

10-20 small meals/day

Question 5

what is a cat’s natural food consumption based on

Answer 5

energy density, not bulk of food

Question 6

what taste buds do cats lack

Answer 6

sweet (sucrose)

Question 7

neophilia

Answer 7

love of new

Question 8

neophobia

Answer 8

fear of new

Question 9

what enzyme do cats lack

Answer 9

salivary amylase

Question 10

what are nutritional age effects

Answer 10

lowered thirst and total body water, more fragile water balance

Question 11

are a cat’s enzymes adaptive or non-adaptive

Answer 11

non-adaptive (always on and active at a certain level)

Question 12

what nutrients are essential in cat but not dogs

Answer 12

arginine, taurine, arachidonic acid, niacin

Question 13

what happens when cats lack arginine in diet

Answer 13

hyperamonemia from inability to perform urea cycle –> seizures, death

Question 14

what happens when cats lack taurine in diet

Answer 14

cardiac and eye issues

Question 15

what AA are associated with taurine

Answer 15

cysteine and methionine (sulfur-containing)

Question 16

what nutrient can cats consume high amounts of that dogs can’t

Answer 16

fat (up to 65% of diet)

Question 17

what type of fat do cats not tolerate well

Answer 17

medium chain triglycerides

Question 18

do cats have high or low fructokinase/glucokinase activity

Answer 18

low

Question 19

do cats or dogs have higher gluconeogenesis

Answer 19

cats

Question 20

what vitamins are very important in cats

Answer 20

A and D

Question 21

how must vitamin A be supplied

Answer 21

not as beta-carotene

Question 22

when might a cat require dietary vitamin k

Answer 22

long-term antibiotic therapy

Question 23

how does feline sodium requirement compare do canine requirement

Answer 23

feline requirement is 3x that of a dog

Question 24

what does magnesium excess lead to

Answer 24

struvites

Question 25

what disease can an all meat diet cause

Answer 25

secondary nutritional hyperparathyroidism

Question 26

what is wrong with an all meat diet

Answer 26

high P, low Ca

Question 27

what are problems with feeding tuna

Answer 27

thiaminase –> thiamin deficiency, steatitis (vitamin E deficiency)

Question 28

what 2 things cause cervical ventroflexion

Answer 28

thiamin deficiency, hypokalemia (low K)

Question 29

what is polioencephalomalacia

Answer 29

disturbance in thiamine metabolism –> secondary to acidosis, braken fern, high S diets

Question 30

what nutrients are most important in reproducing cats (7)

Answer 30

• energy density
• protein
• fat
• calcium/phosphorus
• carbs
• taurine
• copper

Question 31

when do energy needs in pregnant cat increase

Answer 31

steadily throughout pregnancy

Question 32

how much weight should kittens gain

Answer 32

50-100 g/week

Question 33

when should you start feeding kittens food

Answer 33

3 weeks

Question 34

when should you wean kittens

Answer 34

8-10 weeks

Question 35

how much does neutering reduce DER

Answer 35

25%