Diabetic Cat Food

Is Rad Cat Good For Overweight Cats And Cats With Diabetes?

Rad Cat diets are designed to provide meals that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, which is beneficial for weight loss and for cats that are diabetic. Cats are designed by nature to metabolize proteins more efficiently than carbohydrates, which sets them apart from other omnivores, like dogs and humans. Cats have a limited ability to utilize carbohydrates as energy. They are metabolically adapted to use protein and fat as their energy source and do best when fed a diet that reflects that of their wild ancestors - mostly meat and very little carbohydrate intake. It's the ingestion of proteins and fats that helps give cats a feeling of satiety and triggers the mechanism in their brains that tells them they can stop eating. Cats that "graze" during the day often eat due to this lack of satiety and their bodies experience rapid rising and falling of glucose levels throughout the day.
When cats eat a high protein, low carbohydrate diet, satiety is reached sooner and glucose is released more slowly by the transformation of protein to glucose (gluconeogenesis). This means cats will not have a need to "graze" throughout the day. Also, less unused energy (carbs) will be stored as fat. This brings about natural weight loss and lower blood sugar levels.
A cat's pancreas isn't designed to release large quantities of insulin to counterbalance constant rises in blood glucose. The pancreas in cats produces a limited amount of insulin and can become overwhelmed by the demand. This can lead to a considerable amount of stress on the pancreas, resulting in suppression and, therefore, eventually, diabetes. All of this free-flowing sugar in the bloodstream that is not used for energy is converted into fat and is one of the main contributors to feline obesity.
Physiologically, cats also have a limited capacity for the digestion of carbohydrates. Cats lack salivary amylase (an enzyme) and have limited amounts of pancreatic amylase, which aids in the breakdown of carbohydrates. The presence of high carbs in their diet may also lead to decreased protein digestibility and intestinal disturbances.
Cats on portion-controlled diets that limit carbohydrate intake will often have limited intake of protein and other essential nutrients. Weight loss may be noted, but possibly at the expense of lean muscle mass, not just fat. Weight-loss formulas may also contain higher quantities of insoluble fiber that can increase stool volume by pulling large amounts of moisture into the stool. This can lead to dehydration in cats that aren't drinking a sufficient amount of water (which can happen especially in cats eating dry food). This dehydration can be a significant contributor to urinary tract disorders (FLUTD).
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