Specialized Dietary Fiber Sources Improved Stool Parameters, Increased Fecal Saccharolytic and Fermentative Metabolites, & Delivered Antioxidant & Antiinflammatory Polyphenols to the Lower Gastrointestinal Tract of Healthy Adult Cats
Authors: Wernimont Susan M. , Fritsch Dale A. , Jackson Matthew I. , Gross Kathy L. 
Published: June 2021

Cats possess a gastrointestinal (GI) microbiome capable of fermenting a range of plant fibers. Specialized fiber sources may offer opportunities to optimize feline health. 46 healthy adult cats were fed control food (CF) for 4 weeks, randomized to one of two test foods (TFA or TFB) for 8 weeks followed by CF for an additional 4 weeks and the opposite test food for 8 weeks (CF: 4129 kcal/kg, 1.6 g total dietary fiber, TDF; 0.7 g soluble fiber, SF; & 0.9 g insoluble fiber, INSF, per 100 kcal; TFA: 4010 kcal/kg, 3.2 g TDF, 0.3 g SF, 2.9 g INSF per 100 kcal; TFB: 3890 kcal/kg, 2.8 g TDF, 0.8 g SF, 2.0 g INSF per 100 kcal). All foods were complete & balanced dry products & met 2017 AAFCO maintenance guidelines. CF fiber sources included cracked pearled barley, corn, dried beet pulp, fructooligosaccharides (FOS) & psyllium seed husk; TFA: corn, ground pecan shells, cracked pearled barley, whole grain oats, dried beet pulp, pea fiber, flaxseed, dried citrus pulp, pumpkin, cranberry pomace, FOS & psyllium seed husk; TFB: corn, psyllium seed husk, chicory & FOS. Feces were collected after 4 weeks of feeding CF & after 4 & 8 weeks of TFA & TFB and scored on a 6 point scale (1=watery to 6=very hard), cleaned, homogenized, & frozen at −70C within 1 hour of defecation. Untargeted metabolomics analysis was performed by a commercial lab. Fecal short chain fatty acids were analyzed using liquid‐liquid extraction & gas chromatography with flame ionization detection. Statistical analysis was performed using mixed models; results significant at p<0.05 are reported. This study was reviewed & approved by the Institutional Animal Care & Use Committee, Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc. Cats had free access to water & were housed with natural daylight & enrichment provided by toys, other cats & people. At 4 & 8 weeks, both TFA & TFB significantly increased fecal acetic & propionic acids, decreased isobutyric, 2‐methylbutyric, & isovaleric acids, increased moisture & decreased pH vs. CF while maintaining acceptable stool scores. TFA and TFB significantly increased fecal saccharolytic products ribulose/xylulose & arabinose as well as fecal anti‐inflammatory & antioxidant plant compounds naringenin, eriodictyol, hesperidin & hesperetin vs. CF at weeks 4 & 8; however, the values for TFA were significantly greater than TFB for all compounds & time points. Only TFA significantly increased fecal saccharolytic product maltose as well as fecal anti‐inflammatory & antioxidant plant compounds limonin, ponciretin, secoisolariciresinol & secoisolariciresinol diglucoside vs. CF & TFB at weeks 4 & 8. TFA with specialized polyphenol‐rich fiber sources increased fecal saccharolytic & fermentative metabolites indicating increased fiber metabolism by GI bacteria. TFA increased anti‐inflammatory & antioxidant plant‐derived polyphenols in the lower GI tract of healthy adult cats, which may have implications for management of feline inflammatory GI diseases.Support or Funding InformationThis study was funded by Hill's Pet Nutrition, Inc.This abstract is from the Experimental Biology 2019 Meeting. There is no full text article associated with this abstract published in The FASEB Journal.