Animal Talk – July 2019

q&a

CATSLIFE

T

here are many expert vegans who have prepared exclusive balanced vegan diets for their cats.

However, unlike dogs, cats are obligate carnivores, which makes the consumption of meat

essential, and it is our opinion that a vegan diet for cats is inappropriate.

Taurine is essential for all animals, but because it is absent in plant material, herbivores

and omnivores must synthesise it from other amino acids in their diet. In order for

obligate carnivores to get enough taurine, they must eat other animals that contain

taurine in their meat and organs. Cats need taurine in their diet.

Also, the digestive tracts of animals give clues as to what kind of diet they can

eat. The shorter the length of the small intestine, the less capable the animals

are of digesting plant materials. If you compare the length of the small

intestine in a cat (obligate carnivores) with that of a dog, the cat’s small

intestine is shorter relative to the animal’s body length. This

confirms that cats have less ability to digest vegetable and

plant matter and are meat dependent.

Paul Jacobson, pet nutrition company owner

Vegan cat

Can my cat be a vegan?

T

here can be a number of different reasons

for your cat’s inappropriate urination,

from medical causes to behavioural problems.

Because your cat is in her senior years, I will

strongly recommend you take her to your vet for

a health check to ensure she does not have a

medical condition that is causing this behaviour.

Diseases like chronic kidney disease, bladder

infections and diabetes, to name a few, could

all be causes for her urinating on the bed.

Once medical causes have been ruled out, a

behavioural cause is more likely.

Ensure she has access to clean litter trays

at all times. If you have other cats, you should

have a litter box for each cat plus one extra;

for example, if you have two cats, you should

have three litter boxes at various points around

the house. Also, make sure there are no other

reasons why she will not use the litter tray,

like another cat who chases her, or possibly a

litterbox that is in a high-traffic area.

Dr Vanessa Mcclure, veterinarian

Bed wetting

My 12-year-old cat suddenly started urinating

on my daughter’s bed. What could be the

C reason for her behaviour?

ats can make over 100 different vocal sounds,

while dogs can only make about 10. These

sounds encompass a variety of meows, purrs,

gurgles and ‘meeps’. The more you talk to your cat,

the more your cat will talk back and extend her

vocabulary. This will help deepen your bond too.

Hissing, spitting and growling are obvious signs of

hostility. In other words, your cat wants the threat

Oh, so vocal

Are cats more vocal than dogs?

to go away. Spitting is usually accompanied by a

quick forward swat and retreat. Cats who are trying

to avoid being attacked or who are protecting their

young display this sort of behaviour.

All cats purr at the same frequency of 25 cycles

per second. Exactly how they do this remains

a mystery.

Small animal veterinarian

Meow

Cats have 200 million

odour-sensitive cells in

their noses; humans only

have five million.