For dogs and cats, egg whites are at the top of the list with a biological value of 100, followed by muscle meat (beef, chicken, lamb) at 92, and organ meats at 90. Wheat and corn are way down the list with biological values of 60 and 54.
According to specialists, at least three types of meat provide optimal nutrition for your cat: chicken, fish and lamb. These three meats serve as high-quality protein sources when they are blended into well-balanced commercial cat foods, and they can satisfy your kitty on several counts.
Cats are obligate carnivores – they rely on animal protein as their main diet. They are physiologically designed to mostly eat meat, and therefore have quite specific dietary needs. A cat's natural diet would consist of animal prey such as birds and small mammals.
While other common farmyard proteins have slightly higher protein and amino acid content, Lamb has more vitamins and minerals that offer cats many benefits.
Wet foods are generally recommended for cats with sensitive stomachs. These is because of the higher moisture content, so they're easier to digest. Also, recipes with novel proteins (like Turkey, Duck, Lamb, etc.) may be easier on your sensitive cat's belly.
The simple answer is that cats are attracted to tuna. They love the powerful smell and the robust flavor of this fish, and a spoonful of tuna has been known to make the medicine go down easily. However, though not on the list of toxic foods for cats, tuna that's meant for people can cause health issues for cats.
Rice protein concentrate is a well-accepted, highly digestible protein source for adult cats.
Cats cannot efficiently digest plant-based proteins, and a high-protein food based on plant proteins will not be nourishing for a cat's unique metabolic needs. In addition to cat food, adding cooked, unprocessed meat such as grilled chicken to a cat's diet can improve its overall protein levels.
The biological value of a protein is determined by how readily the amino acids broken down and used by the body. For dogs and cats, egg whites are at the top of the list with a biological value of 100, followed by muscle meat (beef, chicken, lamb) at 92, and organ meats at 90.
Safely Feeding Eggs to Your Cat
You can feed your cat hard boiled, scrambled, poached or even microwaved eggs as long as they're fully cooked (reaching an internal temperature of 160°F). Just let the egg cool down a bit before serving. Don't add any seasonings to the egg that you feed your cat – not even salt.
They must have meat to get the nutrients they require. While it's perfectly acceptable to feed your cat a commercial dry or wet food, you can offer variety in your feline's diet by feeding it cooked or raw, fresh meat. Many cat's love fish; however, it is not an acceptable food for daily feeding.
Chicken is the most common food allergen in cats, but they can also be allergic to beef, turkey, egg, soy, or milk, as well as less common meat sources such as venison or duck. Cats are very unlikely to be allergic to grains or gluten.
For this reason, cats over the age of 12 should benefit from increased levels of protein in their diet – but this can cause them other problems as excess dietary protein increases the risk of kidney disease, to which cats are increasingly prone as they age.
A published study demonstrated that aging cats should in fact receive diets higher in protein to avoid loss of lean muscle mass. Healthy mature adult/senior cats should not be protein restricted; a diet with a minimum protein allowance of 30–45% dry matter is considered to be moderate protein and is recommended.
In general, hypoallergenic diets that feature novel protein sources such as venison, rabbit, or duck, or hydrolyzed protein diets in which the protein has been broken down into smaller molecules that the immune system is less likely to recognize as allergenic, can be effective for cats with food allergies.
Foods Most Commonly Associated with Allergies
The proteins that cause food allergies in cats can be found in various sources, particularly beef, dairy, fish, chicken and eggs. While these are the most common sources of feline food allergies, other meats, vegetables, and grains can lead to an allergic reaction.
Common meat protein-based foods that cause feline allergies include chicken, beef, lamb, fish and meat byproducts.
White meats such as chicken, turkey, and fish are palatable to dogs and tend to have a low fat content, making them great for pups with digestive issues. As an added bonus, these meats are also a great source of lean and digestible protein.
Easy-to-digest proteins include lean animal proteins (such as chicken breast or fish), egg protein, and milk proteins such as whey protein.
Sardines are also a great source of vitamin B12, which can promote heart health and prevent feline cardiovascular diseases. Dry treats can cause or worsen kidney issues in cats, but sardines can help give your cat some hydration when they aren't drinking much water.
Fish, such as tinned sardines in spring water, tinned tuna and tinned salmon (take care with any fish bones) can be offered as a treat occasionally but please avoid feeding fish constantly because this is not a complete diet.
In the sardines vs. tuna debate, sardines come out on top. Tuna, particularly albacore, tends to have higher mercury levels, which can build up in your cat's system over time and cause health problems. Moreover, sardines contain more of the vital nutrient taurine compared to tuna.