The role of fiber in cat’s diet

It is one of the most complicated questions. And here’s why. Cats do need fiber. But not the kind of fiber we all consume. 

Cats are carnivores by nature. Of course, thousands of years of evolution corrected their digestive system but not that much. Their stomach is still the stomach of a carnivore that needs a lot of protein to feel good. 

However, animal-based fibers can be an effective treatment for your cat. They can lower toxins in your pet’s organism and better fatty acid profile. So why is this fiber so healthy? And what kind of fiber do cats actually need?

How does your cat’s digestive system work?

Let’s start with the fact that your cat’s digestive tract is very short. It is much shorter than that of any dog or omnivore on this planet. The length of your fluffy’s tract can be 2.5 to 3 times its body length. 

So let’s say your cat is 13 inches long. You may expect that its tract will be 32 to 39 inches. A dog of the same size can have a tract that is 50 to 60 inches. In fact, the tract starts from the mouth and ends in the anus where feces passes through.

We all know that digestion begins in the mouth. To digest carbohydrates, one needs to have a certain amount of salivary amylase in spit. Cats don’t have it at all. Moreover, carbs are the main component of all the plants. And that’s one of the reasons why these pets don’t eat plants at all.

When the food reaches your cat’s stomach, gastric acids start to break everything. They don’t care if a bone gets into this section of the tract. Acids will destroy it. At this stage nutrient absorption also occurs. 

Then the colon absorbs water from all the food on its way. If you ever wondered, why your cat’s feces are watery or super-hard, here’s the answer. It all depends on how fast the food slurry moves through the gut.

The carnivore’s diet

What are wild cats usually doing in the wild? If you think they drink milk and play with flowers, you are so wrong. First, they eat the flesh and bones of prey animals. The skin of such animals is also rich in fiber. It is the main compound of their body hair. The last thing carnivores eat in the wild is the carcass’ gut. It is their dessert that contains plant fibers. That’s why many cat owners think it is healthy to give their four-legged friend the plant-based fibers. But they are wrong. Such fibers are already digested by an animal. Cats simply don’t have to digest them for the second time. All the prey animals are either omnivores or herbivores. Their stomach can easily digest the plant food. So when carnivores eat the contents of the omnivores/herbivores stomach they get an already processed food. However, cats and other wild animals usually don’t eat the stomach at all.

Animal vs Plant Fibers

Animal-based fibers can be found in ligaments, cartilage, tendons, bones, and fur of prey animals. These parts are not completely digested. That’s why they are intestinal fibers. Another well-known example of animal fiber is the fur that a cat swallows when it licks off its hair. 

So can plant-based fibers reproduce the benefits of animal fibers? 

Plant fibers are presented in different types. Some substances are very easy to digest and ferment. They look like a gel that absorbs water. Such fibers add liquid to your cat’s feces. That’s how it can move faster through the gut. 

Actually, this type of fiber can be very useful to cats that suffer from constipation. It also produces short-chain fatty acids. There are intestinal bacteria in your cat’s stomach. They ferment the plant-based fibers and form the fatty acids your four-legged friend needs. 

However, some plant-based fibers are very hard to ferment. They slow down the feces moving through the gut of your cat. It is easy to assume that such a type of fiber is good for cats who have diarrhea. 

Is it okay to include plant fibers in your cat’s diet?

As we already mentioned, plant fibers play an important role in the treatment of both constipation and diarrhea. This is a serious argument to include them in your cat’s everyday meal. Also fiber-rich diet helps to prevent smelly poop in cats. However, it’s not that simple.

If your cat is on a raw, whole-prey diet, it will have smaller, yet more-formed feces. The smell will also be not as distinctive as that one of the cats that eat food from the supermarket. That means that other cats won’t be attracted to your home as much. It’s very convenient. 

Whole prey animals contain about 0.55% of plant fibers. They are presented in a fully-digested form. As for the average amount of fiber in cat’s food, it usually reaches 5%. It is 10 times higher than your fluffy needs. 

Wet cat food usually contains  0.5 to 0.6% of fiber. Dry food is much higher in fiber because of the economical reasons. The thing is that it is easier and cheaper to increase the bulk of the product with fiber than with nutritional elements. 

As a result, you have 2 options to follow. You can develop a raw, whole-prey animal diet for your kitty. If you cannot give your cat such fiber, you need to buy some wet food instead. 

How much fiber do cats need?

Generally speaking, cats need to have a crude fiber level of around 1.5%-3.5%.

The right amount of dietary fiber is the main issue. You should remember that your cat doesn’t need a lot. 

Make sure you consulted your vet first before starting to develop the new diet schedule. You need to know all about your cat’s health. Get your pet tested, find out if it has diarrhea or constipation before choosing the right type of fiber. 

This substance can become a great treatment for many illnesses. However, you shouldn’t include too much, no matter how serious your cat suffers. Less is more.

Author bio: Jimmie O’Chutt is CEO at CatPet.club – online magazine dedicated to cat nutrition, care and entertainment. If you’re looking for expert commentary on cat diet – feel free to reach out!