Insoluble fibres, satiety and food intake in cats fed kibble diets

Author(s)

Loureiro, B. A. ; Sakomura, N. K. ; Vasconcellos, R. S. ; Sembenelli, G. ; Gomes, M. O. S. ; Monti, M. ; Malheiros, E. B. ; Kawauchi, I. M. ; Carciofi, A. C.

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: JOURNAL OF ANIMAL PHYSIOLOGY AND ANIMAL NUTRITION; v. 101, n. 5, p. 824-834, OCT 2017.
• Web of Science Citations: 4

Abstract

Fibre is generally considered to dilute food energy, alter intestinal transit time and promote satiety; however, in cats, conflicting results have been found. In this study, two insoluble fibres were evaluated in four feline diets: control (no added fibre); diet with 10% sugar cane fibre; diet with 20% sugar cane fibre; and diet with 10% cellulose. The experiment was conducted with 32 cats, eight animals per diet, over 42days: 1-7 for diet adaptation; 8-14 for total collection of faeces for digestibility; 15-17 for fresh faeces collection for fermentation products measurements; 18-20 for gastrointestinal transit time determination; 21 and 37 to evaluate the pattern of food intake; and 22 and 42 to assess satiety. Means were compared by analysis of variance and orthogonal contrasts, and the pattern of food intake was compared by repeated-measures analysis of variance (p<0.05). The cats exhibited increased food intake after fibre addition to the diets (p<0.05), achieving similar energy consumption. Cellulose and the two levels of sugar cane fibre reduced nutrient availability and energy digestibility, but only sugar cane fibre reduced fat digestibility (p<0.05). Faecal output and the number of defecations per day increased with fibre inclusion (p<0.05). Gastrointestinal transit time did not change with sugar cane fibre inclusion, but it was reduced with cellulose addition (p=0.032). The pattern of food intake did not change, but cats fed fibre-supplemented diets exhibited greater consumption of a challenge meal, increasing energy intake (p<0.01) when exposed to a palatable, energy-dense food. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 09/13156-3 - Evaluation of nutritional and functional properties of fiber cane sugar in diets of cats
• Grantee: Bruna Agy Loureiro
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Master