![]() Diet and Chronic Renal Disease. Dogs. and cats should not be so unique that they have chronic renal disease much. This frequency may. Commercial foods can cause problems when they contain excess. Learn the step-by-step process for moving your finicky feline from canned food to an optimally healthy raw food diet. When your cat turns up its nose at its food, it’s not always typical cat behavior. A feline who doesn’t eat can be seriously sick. Karen Becker explains the importance of species-appropriate nutrition and the best diet you can give to your cat. D; earlier it was noted that this vitamin is indirectly a. Vitamin D is added to pet foods during processing and. As with. most vitamins, D is added in excess to insure that an adequate amount. Who adds the vitamins and how they are. The. imprecise addition of vitamin D to milk processed for human consumption has. D toxicity that resulted in some human deaths. How to Care for a Cat with Feline Leukemia. Feline Leukemia Virus (FELV) is a relatively common viral disease of cats. Some cats acquire this infection at a very. The domestic cat (Latin: Felis catus) is a small, typically furry, carnivorous mammal. They are often called house cats when kept as indoor pets or simply cats when. Check out our best wet cat food list for 20, feed your cat the best way possible! We have evaluated the best cat food out there, to help you! About feline urinary tract issues and their relationship to diet. Diet is the brick and mortar of health. This web page lays out some often-ignored principles of feline nutrition and explains why cats have a better chance at optimal. ![]() ![]() Could that. happen to pet foods? It is not likely that large amounts of vitamin D would. Once you’ve established a diet which seems to have improved your pet’s health, it’s time to challenge with foods and look for symptoms to return. Feline Inflammatory Bowel Disease is a serious condition affecting many cats. Fortunately, it is controllable for years with proper cat medicine and diet. But it. is possible that . Over a period of months or years that excess could. An unusually high incidence of chronic renal disease in cats has. D. Excessive dietary levels of calcium and phosphorus can also lead to. Diets should contain proper. The concentration. Increased free intracellular calcium. ![]() ![]() Anything increasing intracellular free calcium. Increased extracellular calcium or phosphorus can. Abnormal extracellular. Crystals cause inflammation, scarring and. Many. different diseases can increase extracellular calcium and phosphorus levels. Causes of high extracellular calcium. Excess dietary calcium or. D also increases extracellular calcium. Excess dietary phosphorus. ![]() Vitamin D Excess. Vitamin D is necessary for dietary calcium and phosphorus absorption. Excess vitamin D. Excess dietary. vitamin D is toxic and has the potential for being the most toxic vitamin. Hypertension. High. Hypertension may be the most critical factor causing. Chronically diseased kidneys have fewer. Hypertension results from increase renal blood flow. Management is. directed at minimizing the renal work load. One primary renal burden is. A. restricted- protein diet is fed to manage this burden. Hypertension and the. Drugs should not. Acidosis and Ammonia. The. kidneys play an important role in maintaining acid base homeostasis. Dietary. protein is metabolized to acid products that the kidneys must excrete. These. acid products result primarily from the metabolism of sulfur- containing. Renal excretion of acid produces ammonia which. Renal ammonia formation can be reduced by feeding. Sulfur- containing amino acids and phosphates are. Plant proteins are low in sulfur amino acids and. The acid effects of a diet can be. Lipids. Abnormal lipid metabolism is found in humans and sometimes in animals with. The abnormalities may result from renal disease and some may. Abnormal changes include hyperlipidemia and. Management can include reducing dietary. Some benefit may be gained by feeding more. Diagnosis. 1,2. There. Nonspecific signs. These signs are not specific for renal disease. Early signs should not be ignored because important signs do not. Renal. disease is diagnosed by laboratory tests that include urinalysis and blood. The urinalysis is helpful in evaluating kidney functions to. It is also helps identify infection and active. Urinalysis can be normal with renal disease, however, so an. Blood. chemistry tests include blood urea and often creatinine determinations which. Blood chemistry tests also include. Potassium is also excreted renally and its blood levels can. The kidney produces erythropoietin that is necessary for bone. Erythropoietin production may be deficient. Erythropoietin is an important treatment for anemia due. Blood. pressure is measured to identify hypertension. Dietary management changes. Other. tests to evaluate for chronic renal disease are not essential. Renal biopsy. gives information on the extent of damage and is usually done for prognosis. Feeding To Restrict Renal Damage. Dietary Protein Selection And Restriction Dietary protein is restricted for some dogs and cats with chronic renal. That restriction reduces the exposure of nephrons to toxins and. As noted above, some products of protein metabolism are. Reducing dietary. Reduced protein. diets limit 1) proteinuria, 2) glomerular damage, and 3) progressive loss of. Protein restriction generally reduces phosphorus intake. Phosphorus is. toxic as already described. It causes calcium phosphate crystalization which. In all of the following diets phosphorus levels are low to. The. optimal value of a restricted protein diet is most importantly determined by. Little of these proteins are. Egg protein has the highest biological value (set at 1. For comparison. biological value for milk protein is 9. Egg protein. is high in sulfur- containing amino acids, however, but unless acidosis is. On the other hand, sulfur- containing amino acids are the first. This means that relative. Diets with proteins from vegetables rather than. Thus, with the possible exception of tofu. Affected dogs require 2. The lower amount can be used when feeding a protein with a high. Feeding low biological value protein requires more work. Feeding a diet containing a high quality. In general, feeding high quality protein. The. amount of protein to feed cats with kidney disease is 2. The diet must. provide a proper balance between the amounts of crude protein and calories. In cats with chronic kidney disease reduce this ratio. The primary. biochemical abnormality with loss of renal function is uremia or azotemia. Based on this, dietary phosphorus intake. The National Research Council (NRC). There is little information from studies on cats to. The level of. phosphorus is about 1. Dogs with chronic. Nutritionists recommend a low dietary level of. Whatever the level, it must be low enough to prevent. The dietary ratio of calcium to phosphorus should be. Calcium can be. supplemented except when blood calcium is increased. Blood. phosphorus levels can be reduced by phosphorus binders given orally. Calcium. carbonate binds phosphorus and can be used unless blood calcium is high. Magnesium can help correct a low magnesium to. Phosphorus is low enough in the following diets that binding agents. In summary, to restrict phosphorus feed a diet that is low. If more severe. restriction requires some of the other measures, renal disease is so severe. Dietary Salt Restriction — Controlling Hypertension. Hypertension of renal circulation may be the critical determinant of renal. As noted earlier, protein restriction relieves. This hypertension can be. Reduction of dietary sodium. Commercial dog foods are high. Manufacturers include up to one percent sodium chloride in dry. With kidney disease. If necessary, sodium intake is restricted to the NRC recommended. Cats tolerate. diets containing one percent salt but that level is excessive. A level of. 0. 2. Reduction of hypertension is also possible with weight reduction in obese. A relationship has been established between obesity and hypertension. Medications can be used to manage hypertension. They may be necessary with. Dietary Potassium Restriction or Supplementation. Chronic renal disease greatly increases urine production in some dogs. Such. animals can lose large amounts of potassium and become deficient. Potassium. depletion can be difficult to identify because blood potassium can be either. Commercial dry dog foods contain from 0. The NRC recommends a dietary level of 0. Cats require supplemention. Acidosis complicating chronic renal disease can worsen. Drugs for acidifying urine can also cause acidosis. Specific treatment for hyperkalemia involves intravenous glucose. Dietary Magnesium Intake. Urinary tract struvite stones form in cats for a number of interrelated. Diets containing greater than 0. In response cat foods were formulated with. This resulted in hypomagnesemia, which increases urinary. Adequate amounts of magnesium. Canine requirements are. Dietary Energy Intake Animals with renal disease are fed to maintain normal body weight. If. necessary caloric intake is adjusted so underweight dogs regain weight. Restricting caloric intake to. Dietary Lipid Selection and Restriction. Reducing dietary saturated fat and cholesterol may benefit dogs with chronic. Non- animal protein is needed for that. Some experimental studies suggest that. Polyunsaturated fatty acids are precursors for leukotrienes. High dietary levels may promote formation of. That is unproven. Dietary fats are important for other reasons. Low- fat diets are unpalatable. These cats also suffer from weight loss, and feeding to promote weight. The dietary fat content on a. Vegetable and fish oils are. Vitamin and Trace Mineral Supplementation. Chronic renal disease is associated with reduced intestinal absorption and. Iron and zinc deficiencies. Iron is. necessary for erythrocyte production and with chronic renal disease often. Vitamin deficiencies are. Diets are supplemented with B complex vitamins, vitamin C and. K. It is dangerous to give additional vitamin D. Commercial pet. foods may contain excess vitamin D that can be responsible for chronic renal. As mentioned earlier vitamin D promotes calcium absorption and high. Chicken fat improves. Increasing dietary chicken fat decreases the protein percent. The diets are all low phosphorus and provide 5. D requirements. Some diets contain minimum amounts of sodium and. Some animals loose excess sodium with chronic renal. Depending on needs diets contain. Potassium depleted animals can be. Some diets are low in. B1. 2 which is probably unimportant unless they are fed for. Substituting chicken or ground beef for eggs enhances flavor. B complex and B1. A vitamin B1. 2 supplement can be given occasionally. The diets are balanced with respect to. Feeding a diet matched to needs can restore phosphorus, potassium and sodium. Blood chemistry panels are done to monitor plasma concentrations. It may not. be necessary to continue feeding a very low phosphorus diet; doing so may. To increase dietary phosphorus substitute bone meal. For example, to one of these diets. NRC. requirements. Normal calcium levels are maintained. At the end of each. Eggs. and Potato. Low Protein, Low phosphorus, High Potassium, Normal Sodium. To feed. this diet with a normal amount of phosphorus substitute 3 grams. Cat - Wikipedia. The domestic cat. They are often called house cats when kept as indoor pets or simply cats when there is no need to distinguish them from other felids and felines. There are more than 7. Cats are similar in anatomy to the other felids, with a strong flexible body, quick reflexes, sharp retractable claws, and teeth adapted to killing small prey. Cat senses fit a crepuscular and predatory ecological niche. Cats can hear sounds too faint or too high in frequency for human ears, such as those made by mice and other small animals. They can see in near darkness. Like most other mammals, cats have poorer color vision and a better sense of smell than humans. Cats, despite being solitary hunters, are a social species and cat communication includes the use of a variety of vocalizations (mewing, purring, trilling, hissing, growling, and grunting), as well as cat pheromones and types of cat- specific body language. Failure to control the breeding of pet cats by neutering, as well as the abandonment of former household pets, has resulted in large numbers of feral cats worldwide, requiring population control. Cats have been known to extirpate a bird species within specific regions and may have contributed to the extinction of isolated island populations. Within this family, domestic cats (Felis catus) are part of the genus. Felis, which is a group of small cats containing about seven species (depending upon classification scheme). Erxleben in 1. 77. The earliest evidence of felines as Egyptian deities comes from a c. BC. In comparison to dogs, cats have not undergone major changes during the domestication process, as the form and behavior of the domestic cat is not radically different from those of wildcats and domestic cats are perfectly capable of surviving in the wild. This limited evolution during domestication means that hybridisation can occur with many other felids, notably the Asian leopard cat. Two main theories are given about how cats were domesticated. In one, people deliberately tamed cats in a process of artificial selection as they were useful predators of vermin. An alternative word with cognates in many languages is English 'puss' ('pussycat'). Attested only from the 1. Dutchpoes or from Low Germanpuuskatte, related to Swedishkattepus, or Norwegianpus, pusekatt. Similar forms exist in Lithuanian pui. The etymology of this word is unknown, but it may have simply arisen from a sound used to attract a cat. The male progenitor of a cat, especially a pedigreed cat, is its . A purebred cat is one whose ancestry contains only individuals of the same breed. Many pedigreed and especially purebred cats are exhibited as show cats. Cats of unrecorded, mixed ancestry are referred to as domestic short- haired or domestic long- haired cats, by coat type, or commonly as random- bred, moggies (chiefly British), or (using terms borrowed from dog breeding) mongrels or mutt- cats. While the African wildcat is the ancestral subspecies from which domestic cats are descended, and wildcats and domestic cats can completely interbreed (being subspecies of the same species), several intermediate stages occur between domestic pet and pedigree cats on one hand and entirely wild animals on the other. The semiferal cat, a mostly outdoor cat, is not owned by any one individual, but is generally friendly to people and may be fed by several households. Feral cats are associated with human habitation areas and may be fed by people or forage for food, but are typically wary of human interaction. Conversely, very small cats, less than 2 kg (4 lb), have been reported. In the Boston area, the average feral adult male will weigh 4 kg (9 lb) and average feral female 3 kg (7 lb). Attached to the spine are 1. When it overpowers its prey, a cat delivers a lethal neck bite with its two long canine teeth, inserting them between two of the prey's vertebrae and severing its spinal cord, causing irreversible paralysis and death. These are vital in feeding, since cats' small molars cannot chew food effectively, and cats are largely incapable of mastication. They walk directly on their toes, with the bones of their feet making up the lower part of the visible leg. This also provides sure footing for their hind paws when they navigate rough terrain. Unlike most mammals, when cats walk, they use a . This trait is shared with camels and giraffes. As a walk speeds up into a trot, a cat's gait changes to be a . This keeps the claws sharp by preventing wear from contact with the ground and allows the silent stalking of prey. The claws on the fore feet are typically sharper than those on the hind feet. They may extend their claws in hunting or self- defense, climbing, kneading, or for extra traction on soft surfaces. Most cats have five claws on their front paws, and four on their rear paws. More proximally is a protrusion which appears to be a sixth . This special feature of the front paws, on the inside of the wrists, is the carpal pad, also found on the paws of big cats and dogs. It has no function in normal walking, but is thought to be an antiskidding device used while jumping. Some breeds of cats are prone to polydactyly (extra toes and claws). Cats have minimal ability to sweat, with glands located primarily in their paw pads. A cat's body temperature does not vary throughout the day; this is part of cats' general lack of circadian rhythms and may reflect their tendency to be active both during the day and at night. However, some of these products still fail to provide all the nutrients cats require. A proposed explanation is that cats use grass as a source of folic acid. Another proposed explanation is that it is used to supply dietary fiber, helping the cat defecate more easily and expel parasites and other harmful material through feces and vomit. Unlike some big cats, such as tigers, domestic cats have slit pupils. However, this appears to be an adaptation to low light levels rather than representing true trichromatic vision. They can hear higher- pitched sounds than either dogs or humans, detecting frequencies from 5. Hz to 7. 9,0. 00 Hz, a range of 1. Cats' hearing is also sensitive and among the best of any mammal. Cats also have a distinct temperature preference for their food, preferring food with a temperature around 3. These provide information on the width of gaps and on the location of objects in the dark, both by touching objects directly and by sensing air currents; they also trigger protective blink reflexes to protect the eyes from damage. In the wild, a higher place may serve as a concealed site from which to hunt; domestic cats may strike prey by pouncing from a perch such as a tree branch, as does a leopard. During a fall from a high place, a cat can reflexively twist its body and right itself using its acute sense of balance and flexibility. An individual cat always rights itself in the same way, provided it has the time to do so, during a fall. The height required for this to occur is around 9. Cats without a tail (e. Manx cats) also have this ability, since a cat mostly moves its hind legs and relies on conservation of angular momentum to set up for landing, and the tail is little used for this feat. In the early 1. 98. Vaccinations are available for many of these diseases, and domestic cats are regularly given treatments to eliminate parasites such as worms and fleas. For example, the painkiller paracetamol (or acetaminophen, sold as Tylenol and Panadol) is extremely toxic to cats: even very small doses need immediate treatment and can be fatal. Pine- Sol, Dettol/Lysol or hexachlorophene). The daily duration of sleep varies, usually between 1. Some cats can sleep as much as 2. While asleep, cats experience short periods of rapid eye movement sleep often accompanied by muscle twitches, which suggests they are dreaming. Outside these neutral areas, territory holders usually chase away stranger cats, at first by staring, hissing, and growling, and if that does not work, by short but noisy and violent attacks. Despite some cats cohabiting in colonies, they do not have a social survival strategy, or a pack mentality, and always hunt alone. In particular, older cats may show aggressiveness towards newly arrived kittens, which may include biting and scratching; this type of behavior is known as feline asocial aggression. Ethologically, the human keeper of a cat may function as a sort of surrogate for the cat's mother. The high- pitched sounds housecats make to solicit food may mimic the cries of a hungry human infant, making them particularly hard for humans to ignore. The tail and ears are particularly important social signal mechanisms in cats. Tail- raising also indicates the cat's position in the group's social hierarchy, with dominant individuals raising their tails less often than subordinate animals. Post- nursing cats often purr as a sign of contentment: when being petted, becoming relaxed. The mechanism by which cats purr is elusive. The cat has no unique anatomical feature that is clearly responsible for the sound. However, felids of the Panthera genus (tiger, lion, jaguar, and leopard) also produce sounds similar to purring, but only when exhaling. These contain keratin which makes them rigid. Some cats, particularly longhaired cats, occasionally regurgitate hairballs of fur that have collected in their stomachs from grooming. These clumps of fur are usually sausage- shaped and about 2–3 cm (0. Hairballs can be prevented with remedies that ease elimination of the hair through the gut, as well as regular grooming of the coat with a comb or stiff brush. In such cases, most fights are won by the heavier male. Neutering will decrease or eliminate this behavior in many cases, suggesting that the behavior is linked to sex hormones. They may also vocalize loudly and bare their teeth in an effort to further intimidate their opponent. Fights usually consist of grappling and delivering powerful slaps to the face and body with the forepaws as well as bites.
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