Ron Hines DVM PhD 6/21/06

The great cats are unique in their nutritional requirements. They require a diet very high in protein and fat - considerably higher than other large carnivores. These large cats, like their domestic cousins, have lost the ability to convert provitamin carotenoids such as beta carotene into active Vitamin A or retinol. Arachadonic acid, a fatty acid derivative, found in the membranes of all body cells, is also essential in the diet of large cats. The lack of an amino acid, taurine, leads to vision problems (central retinal degeneration), heart failure (acute cardiomyopathy), immune system dysfunction and blood clotting disorders. Adequate amounts of the B-vitamin, niacin or nicotinic acid, is also very important in the diets of large cats. It is necessary for many aspects of health, growth, and reproduction. When these ingredients are lacking in the diet, metabolic disease and reproductive failure occur. They are also quite sensitive to arginine, methionine and cystine deficiencies. None of these deficiencies occur when large cats eat whole prey animals. They often do occur when the cats are fed solely unsuplemented meat and meat byproduct.

Calcium:
Calcium deficiencies are most obvious in young, growing animals or those that are nursing young. When great cats consume whole animals including bone they ingest calcium and phosphorus in a ratio of approximate two parts calcium to one part phosphorus. This is an ideal ration allowing for the growth and maintenance of strong bones and joints. When they eat primarily chunk meats without the bones, this ratio is reversed (1:15 to 1:30). After a period of time on a reversed Ca:P ratio young animals develop a bone and joint disease called rickets while older animals develop soft bones, bone and joint pain, arthritis and lameness (osteomalacia). To prevent these diseases, the diets of captive cats must be fortified with calcium at one-half to one percent of the dry weight of the diet.

A second much better way to prevent calcium deficiency is to feed bones with scant meat attached on two days per week when meat is withheld. This should consist of horse or beef shanks, thighbones and pelvis, oxtails, ribs and vertebral bones as well as turkey or chicken necks and backs two days per week. Feeding bones two days a week also keep teeth and gums in good condition and removes tartar – a significant problem in captive large cats. Tartar and resulting loose teeth and dental abscesses lead to bacteremias (blood poisoning) which ultimately damages the heart, liver and kidneys.

Vitamin A:
Vitamin A is essential to the linings of the respiratory and digestive system. A lack of vitamin A predisposes large cats to sinusitis and other respiratory and digestive tract infections as well as to blindness, conjunctivitis, incoordination and pelvic limb paralysis. Sperm quantity and quality and subsequent male fertility is reduced when insufficient vitamin A is fed. Deficient animals have poor hair coats and are listless and apathetic. In the wild great cats receive adequate amounts of vitamin A by consuming the livers of their prey. Fed whole prey in captivity they also receive adequate vitamin A. However vitamin A levels are much too low in lean meat. Because it is stored for long periods in the cat’s liver, there is a long lag time before deficiency disease occurs. To prevent these diseases, every four pounds of chunk meat should be fortified with 7,000 IU of vitamin A.

How Much To Feed:
Various field studies have estimated that mature wild tigers and lions consume between 10 and 25 pounds of prey a day. This is between 4 and 7% of their body weight. This is only a theoretical average. In the wild tigers and lions will gorge up to one hundred pounds at one sitting and then fast for many days.. In captivity tigers and lions eat considerably less because of sedentary life styles that burn fewer calories. Captive adult large cats should eat between 4 and 6% of their body weight or between 9-18 pounds of chunk meat when fed five days a week. Because temperature, habitats and exercise differ at every facility, they should be fed no more than the minimum amount that keeps them in lean condition. I see much more obesity among captive cats than excessive thinness.

Prepared Diets:
Several commercial sources exist for great cat diets. These diets are packed in frozen sausage-like casings containing all parts of the prey animal other than the hooves and hide. Some are based on horsemeat and others on beef. They are formulated to meet all the nutritional requirements of great cats and are esthetically pleasing to zoo visitors. The daily portion can be band-sawed frozen and allowed to thaw in the cat’s enclosure. The disadvantage of these products is that they do not give the cats enough dental exercise to prevent tartar buildup and gum disease. They are also quite boring and unfair to the cats who derive pleasure dismembering carcasses. If these diets are fed, bones should be fed at least two days a week to keep the cats happy and occupied. Prepared diets also come canned but are expensive to use with large cats. A 275 pound adult non-breeding female Bengal tiger requires about 9.6 pounds of commercial frozen prepared diet five days a week while a 350 pound adult male Bengal requires about 12 pounds.

Chunk Meat Diet:
With the exceptions of calcium, and vitamins A and D, red beef or horse meat is nutritionally adequate for all of the great cats. These large cats are best fed five days a week and fasted two days. With this schedule their alertness, appetite and general condition remains good. On the days that the cats are not fed, they should be given bones with meat shreds still attached. Never feed large cats cooked meat. Cooking destroys too much of the essential amino acid, taurine.

I do not like to feed fish- containing products to exotic cats. Fish sources used in animal feeds often contain rancid oils that liberate free radicals, which damage the body. If fish is fed the diet should be heavily supplement with thiamine and vitamin E.

Preparation:
Freezer temperature should be maintained at zero to minus 10F. For every 5 degrees above zero the storage life of meat is cut in half. A butcher’s band saw and a scale are essential. Meats should be fed frozen or just after thawing. Every organization keeping great cats should keep a log as to how much meat each cat consumes. This amount will vary depending on the season, pregnancy, lactation and growth. Feeding as much as the cat will eat leads to obesity. Great cats eat up to twenty percent more during cold winter weather and up to twenty percent less on hot summer days. Meat that is not consumed in twenty four hours should be discarded. Feed from stainless steel dishes; aluminum dishes will discolor the teeth.

Supplementation Of Meat Diets:

Calcium: If for some reason bones are not being consumed then add twenty-crushed 750 mg Calcium carbonate tablets (Equate 750mg Antacid tablets, WalMart Stores Inc.) to every four pounds of meat. Calcium supplementation is not required if bones are fed two days per week. Chicken backs and necks are commonly fed but I prefer some cattle or horse bones. The most economical source of calcium carbonate is oyster shell which is sold as a poultry supplement at all feed stores. Triple the amount of calcium provided to growing youngsters, pregnant and nursing females.

Vitamin A: Add two crushed generic compete adult multivitamin containing among its ingredients 3,500 vitamin A, 400 IU vitamin D and 1.5mg Thiamine to every four pounds of meat (Equate Complete Multivitamins, WalMart Stores Inc. or another generic equivalent of Centrum). Do not supplement if liver is being fed.

Vitamin E: Puncture and drip one 400IU vitamin E capsule (Spring Valley, WalMart Stores Inc.) on every four pounds of meat.

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Vitamin C: Add one crushed 500mg vitamin C tablet to every four pounds of meat (Spring Valley, WalMart Stores Inc.).

Vitamin D: Vitamin D levels may be low in animals fed beef or horse with most of the fat trimmed away. Carcass fat is a major source of this fat-soluble vitamin. I have seen cats survive on a chunk meat diet with no supplementation when chicken necks were fed twice a week. Apparently there is enough vitamin A and D in the chicken fat to sustain these animals. However, the use of crushed generic Centrum tablets will insure that the cats receive sufficient vitamin D.

Fat: Chunk meat diets fed to great cats are usually composed of very lean meat. Great cats require considerably more fat than these diets provide. When adequate fat is not provided cats exhibit dandruff, a dry, dull hair coat and abnormal stools. Their general health also declines. Feeding chicken backs and necks two days a week instead of chunk beef or horse meat prevents this problem.

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