Ketogenic Diet for Cats - A Low Carb Diet for Your Cat

A staggering 50% of the world’s cat population is obese - Why? And
what are the risks associated with feline obesity?

The cat is considered obese when body weight exceeds 10 - 20% of its
ideal weight.

This “Fat Cat” epidemic has been with us since the advent of the kibble-in-
a-bag convenience that has been with us for so many decades.
Inappropriate ingredients, the most problematic being grains with their
high load of carbohydrates - this is the primary culprit. And then you mix
these carb-dense foods with an habitual, always-available, free-feeding
regimen and your feline companion is putting on the pounds to the point
of obesity and a decline in general health.
Some of the health risks that you might expect include: insulin
resistance, diabetes mellitus, lower urinary tract disease including
struvite crystals, osteoarthritis and skin problems, an inability to clean
themselves, poor coat due to inability to groom.

The Cat and the Ketogenic Diet

If you have been exposed to the latest information on how the ketogenic
diet can greatly benefit human beings, and considering how well we
manage to control our weight (and health) on this meat-based meal
plan, it makes obvious sense that our carnivorous feline friends might
benefit from such a diet.

We humans, when converting to a ketogenic diet, go through a period
called ketosis, where, in essence, our metabolic system stops its
reliance on carbohydrates and starts relying on fat and protein. At this
point our body makes something called ketones, which it uses for fuel.
Cats, on the other hand, do not rely on ketones. Cats, being obligate
carnivores, do a straight protein (amino acid)/fat conversion to glucose,
which is used for energy. Cats have a very efficient metabolic system
which is a part of what makes them the perfect predator. As much as
they do not rely on ketones, they still rely on fats and proteins for
energy, however much more efficiently than humans.

The ketogenic diet is the obvious choice for cats if we wish to see them
live a long and healthy life. Some of the benefits we might expect are:
less risk of cancers, as cancers respond well to the ketogenic diet,
better brain function, seizures and age-related neurological disorders
avoided, weight management, diabetes has been known to go into
remission in cats.

We, at Know Better Pet Food, believe that an obligate carnivore such as
our cat companion deserves the best that we can provide in the way of
dietary requirements. The ketogenic diet goes hand-in-hand with that
philosophy.

Click Here for further product information and recipe ideas for healthy homemade cat food.