2016 ACVIM Forum Research Abstract Program

A controlled trial was conducted with clinically healthy cats (n = 24). Mean body weight was 4.9 kg and all cats had ideal body condition score of 3 on a 5-point scale. All cats were fed a "washout" diet (commercial feline diet) for five weeks, and were then fed one of three test diets high in one of protein, fat or carbohydrate for five weeks. Diets were dry extruded formulations, and each test diet provided approximately 50% of energy from the test macronutrient, and 25% of energy from each of the other two test macronutrients. Leptin concentrations were measured during two feeding patterns: a meal-feeding test (once daily feeding) and an ad libitum-feeding test, conducted 4 weeks after commencement of the test diets. During the meal-feeding test, cats ate 90 -100% of the 12 hour ad libitum intake as a single meal in 0.5 hour. Blood samples (4 mL), were collected over 24 hours in the meal feeding test and 12 hours in the ad libitum test.