Dietary Alert: Felines and Water
The amount of water needed by cats will vary dependent upon unique factors, such as age, diet, weight and environment. However, we know that when cats hunt in the wild, their prey contain anywhere from 40% to 80% water. This is part of the rationale behind recipes for canned food, which typically has between 76% and 80% water content.
Although there is no true formula for feline water intake, we do know that cats generally will not consume enough water on their own to sustain optimal organ functioning for a long and healthy life. This is because cats evolved as desert animals, so their sense of thirst is not nearly as acute as that of other mammals. In fact, cats will only drink an average of two milliliters of water for every gram of dry food eaten. This is part of the reason why when some cats eat a diet of only dry food, they can form crystals in the urinary tract.
Based on the physiology and evolution of the cat, we recommend that cats be fed canned food to ensure that they get enough water. Water is not only necessary for a healthy urinary tract – the body requires water to metabolize food and for all other chemical processes occurring on a cellular level.
Cats are incredibly proficient at using the water they consume. According to a study by Wolf in 1959, cats can re-hydrate by drinking seawater!
The problem with eating canned food alone is that cats require a great deal of protein and nutrients. Since most canned food can only have about 20% dry matter, it takes a number of cans of food for the cat to get all its nutritional needs met. In fact, in order to fulfill the nutritional requirement of a 7-9 pound cat, the majority of supermarket canned foods recommend feeding three cans per day! As any cat owner knows, very few cats are capable of consuming that much food on a daily basis.
This is the fundamental question in formulating canned cat food – how to balance the nutritional content and the water necessary to fully hydrate the body. To solve this, Dr. Jane formulated Instinctive Choice. The nutrients in this recipe are almost all-protein, as this is the true source of feline nutrition. And the water in Instinctive Choice is infused with nutrients from meat and fish sources, mimicking the water found in prey – Dr. Jane calls it “biological water”. Think of biological water as a nutrient-dense broth that delivers both the fluids necessary to sufficiently hydrate the body and the additional nourishment to support the functions of a healthy body.
By: Dr. Jane Bicks
Dr. Jane is a Nationally Renowned Product Formulator & Holistic Veterinarian
Dr. Jane Bicks has specialized in natural pet care and pet health for over 20 years. She is the exclusive formulator of Lifes Abundance all natural dog food and natural cat food as well as natural dog treats and cat treats. Dr. Janes commitment to holistic pet care is in everything she makes.
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