1. Protein. Cats’ dietary protein requirement is 20 g/kg DM or 5 g/100 kcals, twice as much as dogs.
2. No taurine conversion. Unlike other mammals, cats cannot convert other amino acids into taurine, without which blindness, cardiomyopathy, and reproductive problems can occur.
3. Vitamins A and D. Cats lack the enzyme that converts beta-carotene into vitamin A, and they cannot synthesize vitamin D.
4. Arachidonic acid. Cats cannot metabolize the essential amino acid arachidonic acid from linoleinic acid, like dogs can.
5. No liver glucokinase or oral amylase. These enzymes are necessary for efficient digestion of carbohydrates n
