1. Acid-base balance affects dietary choice in cats.
- Author
-
Cook NE, Rogers QR, and Morris JG
- Subjects
- Acidosis metabolism, Acidosis physiopathology, Acidosis veterinary, Amino Acids metabolism, Analysis of Variance, Animals, Caseins administration & dosage, Cat Diseases metabolism, Cat Diseases physiopathology, Cats blood, Cats metabolism, Diet, Protein-Restricted standards, Diet, Protein-Restricted veterinary, Dietary Proteins administration & dosage, Eating physiology, Homeostasis physiology, Lactalbumin standards, Male, Potassium blood, Sodium blood, Glycine max standards, Specific Pathogen-Free Organisms, Taurine blood, Weight Gain physiology, Acid-Base Equilibrium physiology, Cats physiology, Diet veterinary, Food Preferences physiology
- Abstract
The effect of acid-base status on self-selection of dietary protein was examined in three groups of adult male cats fed 20% soybean-protein and lactalbumin diets formulated to produce acidic, neutral or alkaline status. In two experiments, cats were offered a choice between the 20% protein diets or (1) the same diet with additional protein as casein (49% total crude protein) or (2) the same diet with added soybean-protein and lactalbumin (43% crude protein). Casein contained 0.63 mmol H+/g and caused all three groups to avoid the high casein diets by day 4. The high soybean-protein-lactalbumin diets did not contain added acid but would produce some extra acid upon catabolism of the sulfur-containing amino acids. Again, all three groups avoided the high protein diets by day 4. In a third choice trial, cats adapted to three low protein diets containing appropriate electrolytes to cause neutrality, acidemia or alkalemia, were offered a choice between: neutral vs. acidic; acidic vs. neutral or basic vs. acidic. The cats chose the neutral, neutral and basic diet respectively, restoring or maintaining acid-base homeostasis for each situation. The diets producing acidosis lowered serum sodium and potassium concentrations. We conclude that cats select appropriate diets in an attempt to maintain acid-base homeostasis. more...
- Published
- 1996
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