Lecture 4b - lifecycle nutrition of cat

Question 1

What would be the main objectives of good feeding program for reproductive cats?

Answer 1

QUEEN SIDE
- good health and body condition
- optimum repro cycle
- healthy kittens

KITTEN SIDE
- health and proper growth
- proper immune fxnn

Question 2

Negative effects on pregnancy if the queen is obese during gestation?

Answer 2

1. Stillbirths
2. Dystocia
3. Cesareans

Question 3

How does the weight of the queen change during gestation?

Answer 3

Increases by 40%
= energy requirement increases

Question 4

How does food intake fluctuate throughout gestation?

Answer 4

Decline in food intake:
- 2 wks after mating (associated with fetal implantation
- last week of gestation

Peak of food intake
- 6-7 wks of gestation

Question 5

What is the MER for pregnant queens?

Answer 5

140 x BW^0.67

Question 6

Does water requirement change during pregnancy?

Answer 6

Some increased need for water due to expansion of extracellular fluid compartments and maternal and fetal tissues

Question 7

Why is protein synthesis greatly increased during gestation?

Answer 7

The fetus and maternal side both need a lot of protein to grow

Question 8

What are the effects of protein deficiency during gestation?

Answer 8

• decrease BW
• increase neonatal mortality
• decrease immunocompetence

SEVERE
- delayed home orientation in kittens
- aberrant locomotor development
- emotional responsiveness

Question 9

What are the effects of taurine deficiency in gestation?

Answer 9

• delayed growth and development
• fetal death near 25th day of gestation
• abortions
• fetal deformities

Question 10

How is the high energy demand during gestation met?

Answer 10

more fat!
- energy is double for fat per gram than it is for protein

Question 11

What is DHA important for?

Answer 11

neural development

Question 12

How do Ca and P requirements change during gestation?

Answer 12

Increased demands for fetal skeletal development
- Ca:P ratio

Question 13

What is the first vitamin that should come to mind when thinking of gestation?

Answer 13

Folic acid

Question 14

What is the most energy and nutrient demanding life stage?

Answer 14

Lactation

Energy needed for milk production
- changes weekly
- effect of litter size on milk yield

Question 15

What happens to food intake at the beginning of lactation?

Answer 15

Food intake drops and is less than what it was at gestation
- negative energy balance = more energy lost than consumed = going towards tissue mobilization

Appetite increases and food intake sky rockets around wk 3

Question 16

What happens to body weight during lactation?

Answer 16

Body wt slowly reduced during lactation bc maternal tissue is being mobilized and used to support milk production

Question 17

When is peak milk production and peak energy demand?

Answer 17

3-4 wks of lactation

Question 18

How are increased energy demands best met during lactation?

Answer 18

Feeding energy-dense foods
- moderate to high fat foods
- increase kitten survival and growth rate