How to Keep Your Cat Thriving: Using Food as Medicine for Cats 

Cats have been domesticated and able to survive off of kibble for a long time. However, by using high quality food as medicine before having to see a vet, you will not only be saving money, but you’ll also be improving the overall health of your cat! By feeding your cat canned or raw food, you will be able to avoid vet bills and prescription diets. 

Here at Healthy Pet Products we offer holistic alternatives to vet recommended prescription foods. We want you to know that we offer many high quality, alternative options if your vet recommends a prescription food that doesn’t work for your cat. A high-quality diet will help your cat absorb nutrients with little to no energy, eliminate stress, and filter out poor ingredients from internal organs. By understanding the basics of a cat’s biology and learning the importance of high quality, minimally processed foods, you can help ensure that their body will thrive. 

Obligate Carnivores 

Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that cats need meat—it is a biological necessity for them. A cat’s body meets their blood glucose requirement using protein, rather than carbohydrate breakdown. 

Over the years, the digestive system of the cat has evolved: they have become adapted to eating and breaking down raw flesh. Raw flesh/meat is incredibly digestible which works perfectly with the short and acidic digestive tract of a cat. 

Because cats’ digestive system cannot properly break down carbohydrates and raw meat has practically no carbs, a raw diet is the best solution for a cat. Also, cats’ bodies function best with minimally processed protein because that protein contains the hydration and mineral source that they cannot get from water alone. 

Cats needs minimally processed, high in water content and animal protein diets to prevent UTIs, stones, kidney issues, weight issues, muscle atrophy, etc. 

A Cat’s Prey 

A cat’s normal prey contains approximately 70-75% water. Dry food only contains anywhere from about 5 to 10% water, while canned foods contain approximately 78% water. Canned foods, therefore, most closely approximate the natural diet of the cat and are better suited to meet the cat’s water needs. 

Is Kibble the Best Option for a Cat? 

As previously mentioned, a cat’s digestive tract is very short and acidic. Kibble is very hard for cats to break down and digest (You might notice your cat throws up soon after eating. Most of the time you’ll see full pieces of kibble. When cats eat, they don’t usually break down pieces of food with their teeth before they swallow. This, along with their digestive system not being able to process kibble fully, can result in vomiting after eating). 

Kibble is also significantly processed, as well as high in carbs, sugars, and plant protein. Plant protein is much cheaper for many companies to incorporate. It is highly important to read the ingredient label when looking for a food for your cat; you’ll be able to distinguish the difference between high protein levels and protein levels that include plant matter. Peas/legumes are the most common source of “protein” that kibble companies will put into the ingredient label to seem healthy. Kibble requires binding agents that keep the shape of the food pieces, and those binders are typically full of plant protein, carbs, and sugars. Just like humans, a high carb and sugar diet limits the body; weight gain, kidney issues, diabetes, etc., can all result from a high carb/sugar diet. 

Crystals & UTIs 

Cats are prone to crystals and UTIs typically due to a high carb/sugar diet (kibble), and lacking the necessary hydration and minerals needed to break down/prevent crystal buildup. Because cats are desert animals, their thirst drive is a lot lower than most animals. This means they do not naturally gravitate to water to hydrate themselves. Therefore, water rich foods are going to be their best source of nutrients and “medicine.” 

A raw diet and a canned/wet diet are going to be less processed and take less zero-energy for a cat to process and break down. The body will be able to absorb the nutrition easier, putting significantly less stress on the body internally. A strict wet, raw, water, high animal protein diet is going to provide the best results. 

Confused? Not Sure Where to Begin? 

Come visit us at one of our three Healthy Pet Products locations and speak to an associate for more help or any questions you may have! Your pet’s health and well-being is always our top priority! Stop in and let us help you help your cat thrive! 

You can also visit catinfo.org for more information!