Debunking the Cat Diet Myth

I watch cats eat, then I deal with the poo.  Have done pretty much every day for the last seven years.  I’ve got to know hundreds of cats and their eating habits, and consequently also their digestive systems. 

Most of the cats I know eat a fairly varied diet.  Granted it’s all pretty much processed food, but what I mean is they’ll eat a mix of different product brands, types, textures, and flavours.  Some eat the same day in, day out, but not that many. 

I’ve volunteered in animal sanctuaries for many years too – and the same happens there too.  At the Society for Abandoned Animals we depend upon donations of food from many very kind people.  Which means the cats eat whatever there is, pretty much. 

In the wild they get a varied diet too, depends on what they catch.  Could be mice, rats, voles, birds, even small rabbits, and a good selection of invertebrates as handy snacks to keep them going. 

Cats enjoy variety.  And why not?  Why would we want to bore them by feeding the same thing at every meal, day in and day out, when if living wild they would enjoy variety.  Their digestive systems are robust, they can cope with it. 

Oh, and in case you’d not noticed, cat nutrition is a favourite subject of mine, so have read and researched extensively on the topic for many years.  I’ve talked to animal nutrition experts, and asked questions.  

So I get so frustrated when I hear that old myth trotted out again.  You know, the one that goes “stick to the same food, don’t vary it, or they’ll get upset tummies”. 

I’m not sure where it originated now.  So many vets just spout it out, without even thinking about it.  Perhaps they were just told it one day, and they’ve accepted it on trust, and continue to repeat it.  I don’t know, but that’s how it seems sometimes.  

I was quite shocked to learn through my research (vet nurses and vets themselves) that vets get very little animal nutrition training while they’re learning to be vets.  Vet nurses seem to know more and adopt a much more sensible approach to this subject.  It seems that most of what they know is what they’re told by pet food manufacturers.  Who’d have a vested interest in encouraging animal guardians to keep their beloved furries on the same food and never changing it, wouldn’t you think?  Hardly the best place to go for your animal nutrition knowledge. 

My frustration came to a head just last month when I needed to take one of my charges to the vet.  She’d been sick for a couple of days, and was very listless, not herself at all.  The vet took her temperature, pronounced it high, so probably an infection (agreed), and gave her an antibiotic shot.  And then proceeded to ask me about her diet, had it been changed recently? 

Well, yes it had, but what it had changed to she’d been on for at least a couple of weeks with no ill effects.  Wasn’t listening to me by then.  Told me I had to change it back to what she had been eating before.   And trotted out the myth……….

Oh dear.  Took a deep breath, and told him that in my experience I’d have to disagree.  But of course what did I know?  I am not a qualified vet.  He was friendly and polite, yet rather condescending at the same time.  Yet I’d venture to say I have far more concrete, day to day observational experience with cats, what they eat and how their digestive systems deal with it.  Backed up with a lot of common sense based on what they would eat if living wild, and much self guided learning on a subject that interests me greatly.

I have no axe to grind with vets per se.  But when they find themselves with someone who clearly does have a lot more practical experience in a particular subject, I’d love it if they said “that’s so interesting, tell me more”.  And then we could have a proper discourse on the subject, and both, no doubt, learn more from each other. 

Cats can get upset tummies when changed to a new food, especially if they’ve been on the same food for a long time, absolutely.  But if they eat a varied diet all the time, their digestive systems cope very well.  And they’re much happier.

They’d be even happier if fed a raw diet, lots of contradictory views there too, and perhaps a subject for another time. 

Oh, and while I'm about it, please stick to food intended for cats, ie meat, they're obligate carnivores.  So no pizza!!!