I wanted to call this Carnivorous Cat Carrot Confessions, but decided that even for me that was a long title. As a total aside – part of me was terrified to use the word “confessions” in the title. Years ago, in what I think might have been my 4th or 5th blog post ever, I used the word “seducing” in the title. I’m not even going to give you the whole phrase. I was APPALLED at the hits on my blog and the URLs that sent people to my post. EUWWW. I changed the name of that post and it took weeks for all of the cached hits to finally vanish. As part of my TRUE CONFESSION (I’m sooooo daring!) I actually called this Cat Carrot Confessions. I then took a phone call, came back, looked at the title, shuddered, and changed the title. Ah, the power of the internet to ruin perfectly good words.
ANYWAY….
Cats are, so says the internet, obligate carnivores. I found a very interesting article that may or may not be accurate (the problem with the internet) but it supports my point of view so I’m using it. 🙂 Now I’ll pick and choose the facts that *I* find important. The author described the term “obligate carnivore” as an animal that MUST eat meat for survival. Cats –> eat meat. The author also states that cats have lost certain metabolic functions because the cats don’t NEED that function. Her example was on carbohydrates – you don’t need to break down carbohydrates if you are not eating carbohydrates. She (the author) goes on with some great examples of other meat-eating creatures and how no one would dream of feeding them vegetables but somehow we think it is okay to give carbs to our cats. Another article on “Vegetarian Cat?” put it even more succinctly: cats eat meat and if their health will be in trouble if you try to turn them into herbivores.
This brings us to carrots. According to Wikipedia, “Carrots are 88% water, 4.7% sugar, 0.9% protein, 2.8% dietary fiber, 1% ash and 0.2% fat.” See that 4.7% sugar 2.8% dietary fiber? There are carbs in them thar sugars and fibers.
Meat –> no carbohydrates.
Carrots –> carbohydrates.
Cats –> NEED meat.
Cats –> do NOT need carrots.
WHY ARE THERE CARROTS IN THE CANNED CAT FOOD??????
MY cats live a very good life and are very spoiled. My vet always says she wants to come back as one of my cats. I try to feed them well. Okay – I don’t take anywhere near as wonderful care of MY cats as @catsherdyou does of HER cats, but I’m pretty good. There are 3 of them now and they get wet food in the morning and evening. I use a mixture of prescription kidney diet and an over-the-counter (very expensive) brand. One of my girls has kidney and thyroid issues and that means I need to get medicine into her morning and night. Some people have cats that you can pick up and hold and cuddle, but my 2 big girls missed that memo. I cannot hold those cats. That means the medicine is delivered ground up and in the wet food. Which means I stand there watching the 3 of them eat and making sure that each eats from the correct dish (at least until all the treated food has been consumed). 3 cats. Two are over 15 years old, one is nearly 5. Not ONE of those cats eats the stupid carrots that are in the food. Even the PRESCRIPTION food has carrots in it!!!! (and potatoes!!!) Cats excel at pushing food around on the plate and picking only the preferred morsels from the middle of the dish. Once the food is pushed to the sides, it as if the dish was completely empty. Sad/accusing eyes implore me to “fix it”. I push all the food back to the center of the dish, add more warm water and replace the dish. The carrots are NEVER a preferred morsel. There are always carrots left on the plates.
Cats. Carrots. Where is the confession? I’ve begun picking out the carrots before I even put the dishes down. I don’t know who in canned cat food land or prescription cat food land thought carrots belonged in cat food, but I’m here to tell you that my cats don’t agree. Me-euwww.
I confess, your Honor – I remove the offending carrots.
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