The effect of changing the moisture levels of dry extruded and wet canned diets on physical activity in cats

Abstract

Obesity levels in cats are increasing and the main causative factor is higher energy intake v. energy expenditure over time. Therefore, altering energy expenditure by enhancing physical activity of the cat could be a strategy to reduce obesity. Hydrating commercial dry diets with water increased activity in cats; however, no study has compared this approach with feeding high-moisture canned diets. Eight healthy male neutered domestic shorthair cats were fed four different dietary treatments in a Latin square design. Treatments were a canned diet ‘as is’ (82 % moisture) and freeze-dried (4 %), a dry diet ‘as is’ (3 %) and with added water (70 %). Cat activity was measured continuously using Actical® accelerometers. Cats were group housed during the first 14 d of each period and then moved to individual cages for 7 d with faecal and urine production measured over the final 4 d. Intake was similar for each diet. The average activity over 24 h was not different between treatments (P > 0·05). However, the ratio between average activity during the day v. at night was higher when cats were fed the dry diet (P = 0·030). Total water intake and urine volume increased when the canned diet was fed (P < 0·001). The similarity in total activity of the cats on the treatments indicates that dietary moisture or diet type did not have a major effect on these cats. However, the stronger diurnal activity patterns observed in the cats when they were fed the dry diet are intriguing and require further study.

The Fecal Microbiota in the Domestic Cat (Felis catus) Is Influenced by Interactions Between Age and Diet; A Five Year Longitudinal Study

“…Interestingly, some studies have indicated that increased water content promotes physical activity (Deng et al, 2014 ). However, this finding was not replicated in our colony (Thomas et al, 2017 ). While obesity has been observed in young, growing cats (Häring et al, 2013 ), it may be possible that the cats in the current study may develop changes in body composition as they continue to age.…”

Validation of saliva and urine use and sampling time on the doubly labelled water method to measure energy expenditure, body composition and water turnover in male and female cats

“…No differences regarding sex were observed, and the obtained values were in accordance with a previous study using 2 H and cats fed dry diets, which reported 57 ml/kg 0•67 per d (11) . Several factors, however, may interfere in water turnover, and the obtained results cannot be generalised (59,60) . Therefore, evaluating high-moisture foods (>80 %) by the 3 H method, a water flux of 126 ml/kg 0•67 per d was reported (18) .…”

Effects of crude protein and sodium intake on water turnover in cats fed extruded diets

“…Due to the physiological peculiarities of cats regarding water balance, it has been described that dry food intake results in the production of low volume and concentrated urine, as cats may not fully compensate for the low water intake from food by drinking more water (Anderson, 1982;Wellman, Dibartola, & Kohn, 2012). When fed dry diets, the total water intake of cats might be 29% to 63% lower compared with the water intake from the consumption of wet foods (cans and pouches), and the water balance may be maintained by the reduction in renal water excretion (Anderson, 1982;Buckley, Hawthorne, Colyer, & Stevenson, 2011;Carciofi, Bazolli, Zanni, Kihara, & Prada, 2005;Thomas, Post, & Bosch, 2017). This physiological response has been suggested as a possible risk factor for the development of the clinical presentations of lower urinary tract diseases in cats (Buffington et al, 1997;Lekcharoensuk et al, 2001;Walker et al, 1977).…”