What Should I Feed My Cat? 

The single most important step you can take to keep your cat healthy is to choose a high quality, species appropriate diet. Many popular commercial diets, which are heavily processed, high in sugar and fat, and have a high glycemic index, trigger an inflammatory response in the body. Cats often suffer from conditions such as Inflammatory Bowel Disease, cystitis, colitis, cholangial hepatitis, pancreatitis, and cancer. These are all chronic conditions that are rooted in inflammatory processes. Some commercial cat foods have changed very little for decades despite advances in human nutrition clearly demonstrating the relationship between poor diet, inflammation, obesity, and insulin resistance. Much of this information is based on studies in animals and cats, being obligate carnivores, are likely even more susceptible to this process. Veterinarians have been conventionally trained based on researched funded by major pet food manufacturers, to learn about deficiencies but not about how diet can prevent disease. It is the hope of the American Holistic Veterinary Association that veterinary researchers, independent from pet food manufacturers, will embrace the pursuit of evidence based support of fresh, whole food diets to prevent disease in cats and dogs. No one doubts the implications of this model for humans.

Sometimes a cat owner's efforts to provide a healthful and illness preventing diet to their pet are met with disdain from the cat. Cats invented the word finicky. They may have developed cravings, like humans are known to do, for high glycemic foods. However, once a change is made, those cravings are soon lost. This appears to be the case with cats who eat dry food only and are overweight. It can be difficult to get them off of dry foods and onto a moist, low glycemic diet. However, those cravings do go away and so does the extra weight, and the cat will show enthusiasm for the new diet. Make slow changes. Go to www.catinfo.com for Dr. Pierson's helpful tips for changing diets for a stubborn cat. 

There are two instances where you must be cautious about withholding a preferred food from your pet. A sick cat who is losing weight must be offered anything they will eat until they are strong enough to change to a more optimal diet. An overweight cat must not be allowed to have rapid weight loss, even over a couple of days, because they are predisposed to serious liver problems. Most importantly, be patient and persistent because it is worth the effort. 

How Do Poor Diets Cause Illness?

If scientific details don't interest you, feel free to skip this section and know that diets high in fat, sugar, and glycemic index trigger a vicious cycle in the body that leads to chronic illness. Once ingested, an inflammatory response releases cytokins such as Interleukin -6, especially in overweight individuals. This promotes release of active oxygen species such as C-reactive protein (CRP). We can test for CRP levels in a patient; high levels indicating high levels of inflammation. Free radicals are generated leading to oxidative stress and more inflammation, triggering a vicious cycle. Eventually, pancreas cells lose sensitivity resulting in insulin resistance. The immune system is compromised, decreasing the body's ability to remove cancer cells, and kidney and liver functions are affected with chronic inflammation.

Commercial Canned Grain Free Cat Food