Why Cereals?
The cat’s diet is said to be “ strict carnivore ”. “Strict” means that the Cat has an incompressible need for protein and, in the event of deprivation, his body, which cannot slow down its protein consumption, draws on its own “stock” , ie its muscle mass.
But what do they do with the proteins they ingest? After meals, proteins are broken down by the digestive system into amino acids – their basic building blocks – in order to be absorbed in the intestine and distributed throughout the body. In carnivores, 60% of the proteins ingested are transformed by the liver into glucose and fatty acids , and thus provide the fuel necessary for the body to function: this mechanism is called gluconeogenesis .
The rest remains in the bloodstream as amino acids or is used for the synthesis of new proteins.
By providing carbohydrates in the cat’s diet, we directly provide an efficient source of energy to the body , allowing it to save proteins and devote them to the real protein needs . As there is little or no transformation, the energy efficiency is better. This is the reason why carbohydrates have more calories than protein.
Cereals contains quality protein
Proteins are made up of different amino acids , some of which must be supplied to the cat through food . These amino acids are said to be “essential”. The cat must receive a sufficient quantity every day, an amount which varies according to his age, his lifestyle or his state of health. Like meats, grains are concentrated sources of excellent quality amino acids .
Cereals contain fibre
The husk of the grains of cereals is made up of cellulose as well as many other plant fibers . A diet containing this type of fiber is known to stimulate and regulate digestive transit in cats as well as in humans. Some fibers are also used by the intestinal flora : feeding the “good bacteria” is very important for the cat’s immunity. This allows him to better defend himself against the multiplication of other germs, potentially dangerous for his health.
Cereals contain vitamins
Corn, for example, is a cereal that contains B vitamins which have an important role in tissue formation. Corn is rich in anti-oxidants like polyphenols especially when it is cooked. Finally it contains other nutrients (vitamin E, biotin, phosphorus, copper, iron, zinc) essential for the proper functioning of the body.
History
The first traces of domestication or taming of the Cat date back to the Neolithic , nearly 10,000 years ago. And the remains of cats found in China and dated to 5,000 years ago attest that these felines were already consuming starch through the grains (millet) they ate.
So much so that today, the digestibility of starch in cats is extremely efficient (greater than 97%), provided that the starch is sufficiently cooked.
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