FEATURES OF CATS' NUTRITIONAL NEEDS
This analytical review of the literature is devoted to the study of the characteristics of the cat's nutritional needs and discussion of scientific information about them, metabolism, balance of nutrients and energy in the diet of a healthy domestic cat. We investigated the choice of food that prevents obesity and various alimentary diseases. The authors confirmed that macronutrient balance is a major nutritional factor in carnivores. Cats need food containing meat protein as a source of essential and non-essential amino acids and additional nitrogen to synthesize the missing non-essential amino acids with a limited amount of vegetables and grains. Researchers recommend a basic energy requirement of 100 kcal/kg MT0,67 for active, adult cats. The authors have found that the rapid oxidation of animal protein to glucose does not require an increase in the activity of its catabolism enzymes. The special genetically determined nutritional needs of domestic cats confirm that they arose as a result of evolutionary pressure resulting from the need to consume animal tissues. This pressure could contribute to energy conservation by removal of redundant enzymes and modification of their activity. To avoid obesity, cats need to use most of the calories from protein. The question of the danger to cats of grain carbohydrates remains debatable among researchers and requires further research. It is important to meet the behavioral needs of cats for prolonged enjoyment, pleasure and health promotion