THE EFFECTS OF AD-LIBITUM FEEDING AND CALORIC DILUTION ON THE DOMESTIC CATS ABILITY TO MAINTAIN ENERGY-BALANCE

The ability of the cat to regulate caloric intake and to compensate fo r caloric dilution was studied. Six mature cats previously fed to main tain bodyweight were fed ad libitum for 80 days. Three of the six cats were given diets diluted with 10% indigestible cellulose during the l ast 20 days of the study to assess their ability to compensate for sho rt-term caloric dilutions. Bodyweight and food and water intake were m easured daily. It was hypothesized that cats would regulate caloric in take over the long term when fed a diet of constant caloric density, b ut their response would be too slow to compensate for a short-term cal oric dilution (20 days). The cats required almost 80 days to reduce th eir intake to a maintenance level. By the conclusion of the study, all cats were eating at or near their maintenance requirement. Their init ial high-caloric intake and their slow adjustment, however, led to a h igh incidence of obesity (67%). The cats consumed 20.87 fewer Kcals pe r day during the dilution period than in the period prior to dilution. This represented a decrease in intake beyond the 10% accounted for by the dilution and may be explained by altered or decreased palatabilit y or increased gastric fill associated with the cellulose diluent. Cha nges in gastrointestinal motility and microflora could also exist whic h would influence intake.