Ten Indicators That Your Feline Could Be Experiencing a Fatal Lack
It is easy for cats to develop a thiamine deficiency, a water-soluble vitamin, due to their need for three times as much of this nutrient as dogs, and if not caught quickly, it can be fatal. Canned cat food is especially at risk due to its processing methods and storage times, which can cause a drastic loss of thiamine, as well as diets that are unbalanced raw or homemade. Symptoms of a thiamine deficiency may not appear for weeks and include general gastrointestinal upset, dilated pupils, ventriflexion, loss of coordination, arching of the head, neck, and spine, a head tilt, falling, circling, stupor, abnormal gait, and seizures. To prevent a thiamine deficiency, it is best to look for human-grade, meat-based, fresher pet foods, or switch to making your pet’s meals at home, while limiting or eliminating raw fish from the diet. If feeding a canned diet, detoxification protocols and stainless steel, glass, or ceramic bowls are recommended.
Since the heat processing and long storage of canned cat food can make thiamine (vitamin B1) levels highly uncertain, cats are vulnerable to deficiencies since they require three times the amount of dietary thiamine as dogs do
Unfortunately, it can take weeks before symptoms of a thiamine deficiency become apparent, so it is important to detect it quickly to treat it effectively
If you are worried about thiamine levels and other issues with canned cat food, think about switching your cat to a healthy and fresh food diet.
Cats are at an elevated risk for a thiamine deficiency due to their need for about three times the amount of this vitamin than dogs. Thiamine, otherwise known as vitamin B1, is a water-soluble nutrient that is absorbed from the daily diet in the small intestine, but the body does not keep stores of it. Greg Aldrich, Ph.D., stated in PetfoodIndustry.com that this deficiency can be easily developed if there is insufficient thiamine present in the diet.
In just a few weeks of being fed an inadequate diet, cats can become paralyzed and the effect can be fatal within a single month.
Including humans, animals require thiamine for their healthy nerve, muscle cell and brain functioning. Without enough of it, the body is not able to turn carbohydrates into energy as effectively. As organs like the brain require a lot of energy to work, a deficiency in thiamine can have a critical effect on them. Additionally, an absence of thiamine can create a lactate accumulation, which can result in acidosis.
The Content of Thiamine in Canned Cat Food Can be Unstable and Unpredictable
Thiamine levels in ultraprocessed pet food present uncommon challenges, leading to the problem of thiamine-deficient pet foods. This is especially relevant for canned cat diets that are labeled as intermittent or supplemental feeding only (unbalanced diets).
A study conducted by specialists in pet food at Kansas State University in 2017 showed that the dimensions of cat food containers had no effect on the decrease of thiamine during production. Evidently, time and temperature were determined to be the main elements responsible for this, as ultraprocessed pet food is manufactured at extremely high temperatures and can remain on store shelves and in freezers for months.
High concentrations of glutamate present in vegetable proteins can destroy the thiamine naturally present in food.
Aldrich commented that there is a high degree of thiamine deterioration in canned food, sometimes even reaching up to 90%. He also noted that moisture and heat present in canned food are major factors contributing to this degradation.
In order to make up for losses of thiamine that occur during production, cat food companies add supplements to their recipes. Nevertheless, nutritional sufficiency is not evaluated after manufacture, leaving the possibility of recalls due to deficient thiamine levels that may only be noticed later.
Alternative Ways for a Cat to Lack Thiamine
Because of the way they’re processed, canned diets are typically lacking in thiamine. However, dry foods which are exposed to air, humidity, or heat can also suffer a decrease in thiamine. Additionally, an unbalanced raw or homemade diet may not contain enough of the nutrient.
Cats that ingest too much raw fish with the thiaminase enzyme, which breaks down thiamine, or pet food with sulfites, which make thiamine inactive, can develop a deficiency in thiamine.
Carbohydrate-rich diets can lead to thiamine deficiency in cats due to the increased metabolic needs. Additionally, cats with intestinal issues that prevent nutrient absorption and those taking diuretics are also at risk for thiamine deficiency.
Potential Indications That Your Cat Could Be Lacking in Thiamine
It can take weeks for a thiamine deficiency to show progressive symptoms, but within the first week of a deficient diet, general GI issues like vomiting, salivation, lack of appetite, and weight reduction can emerge. If the deficiency is not tended to, neurological symptoms will come up later. Such symptoms may include:
The eyes may appear widely open, with the neck bent downwards or curled backwards. A lack of control and balance can be seen in the form of arching the head, neck and spine, a tilt of the head, falling, turning in circles, a state of stupor, an awkward way of walking, and seizures.
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It usually takes around a month for a pet to become severely deficient in thiamine before reaching the terminal stage. If the lack of thiamine is not addressed right away, the pet will expire within only a few days.
It may be difficult to determine if a cat is suffering from a thiamine deficiency since this vitamin can manifest in different forms in the body, and it is not easy to measure the concentrations.
Two exams are usually employed to ascertain the thiamine status of a pet: the erythrocyte transketolase activity assay and high-pressure liquid chromatography. Nevertheless, most of the time, the diagnosis of a thiamine deficiency is based on the pet’s symptoms, their diet, and the reaction to the treatment.
Guaranteeing Your Feline Has Adequate Thiamine Intake
Making sure your cat is getting enough thiamine is essential to its health. Thiamine is a B vitamin that helps many of the body’s functions. It helps to break down carbohydrates and keeps the nervous system healthy.
Ensuring your cat is receiving enough thiamine is key to its wellbeing. Here are some tips for guaranteeing your furry friend is consuming adequate amounts of the B vitamin:
- Check the ingredients of the food you are feeding your cat. Thiamine should be listed in the ingredients.
- If you are feeding your cat a homemade diet, add thiamine to the meals you are making.
- Speak to your veterinarian if you are concerned your cat is not receiving enough thiamine.
Making sure your feline is getting enough thiamine is essential for its health. Checking the ingredients of the food you feed them and speaking to your veterinarian are excellent ways to ensure your cat is receiving enough of the B vitamin.
When it is believed that a cat’s health issue may be due to thiamine deficiency, immediate action should be taken even without a positive identification.
To treat a thiamine deficiency, your vet will give you thiamine injections for three to five days and then you’ll need to administer oral supplementation for two to four weeks, while simultaneously changing the diet.
For your pet’s optimal health, you should choose a high-quality pet food that is fresher. Human-grade, meat-based pet food is ideal, or you could prepare meals for your pet from home, so you can monitor the ingredients.
If you choose to give your pet a diet made at home, ensure that you are following a recipe that has undergone a full nutritional evaluation (which outlines the amount of thiamine it contains), and stick precisely to the instructions.
It is important to either restrict or avoid giving your cat raw fish. When you do want to offer your feline seafood, I suggest sardines packed in water or wild caught, lightly cooked salmon as an occasional treat, rather than a diet based on fish.
Consult with your integrative veterinarian or pet nutritionist about the thiamine levels in your cat’s food to make sure you’re offering the best possible nourishment for your beloved feline.
Concerned About What Your Cat is Eating from a Can?
If you worry about the content of canned pet food, such as thiamine levels and Bisphenol A, I would recommend you switch your cat to a fresh food diet, either you make it yourself or buy it from a store. This will ensure your cat is getting a nutritious diet.
No matter what, do not transition your cat from canned food to kibble. Kibble is not suitable for cats’ diets. Moreover, the food is heated at extremely high temperatures, which can alter the proteins, reduce the nutrients, and potentially increase the risk of cancer for your pet.
To give your feline a healthy diet, you should perform intermittent detoxification. Additionally, to bring more wellbeing, use stainless steel, glass, or ceramic bowls instead of those made out of plastic for food and water.
