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.

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