VMD 513: Pet animal Breeding, Management, Nutrition and Health Care (1+1)

THE ENERGY REQUIREMENT FOR CAT

• The dietary requirement for cat is more than other omnivorous species.
• Domestic cat required high protein along with its need for taurine, arachidonic acid and vitamin A in the diet impose requirement for the inclusion of animal tissues in the diet.

Energy requirement of cats

Age and level of activity	Calculation of energy need	Kcal per day
Adult cat
Inactive	60 kcal x body weight (kg)	240
Moderately active	70 kcal x body weight (kg)	280
Highly active	80 kcal x body weight (kg)	320
Kitten
3 months (1 kg)	250 kcal x body weight (kg)	250
5 month (2.5kg)	130 kcal x body weight (kg)	325

• During pregnancy 1.25 to 1.5 times of maintenance ration can be given up to end of gestation and during lactation it should be increased to 2 to 3.5 times of adult maintenance ration.
• Studies showed that cats required substantially more protein than other mammals including dog.
• Cat can be fed with balanced commercial cat food.
• Under Indian condition mostly cats are fed with homemade food. The recipe of homemade food should be complete and balanced.