HUSBANDRY PORTFOLIO FOR THE CHEETAH (ACINONYX JUBATUS)
Diet and Nutrition
Cheetahs are a carnivorous species that are primarily solitary hunters, however, occasionally they hunt in small groups. They are the fastest land mammal on the planet (Sharpe et al. 1996). The behavioural and physiological adaptations of the Cheetah have consequences on their nutritional requirements. These requirements must be adapted and carefully implemented within a captive environment.
Physiological Adaptations
Cheetahs are morphologically and behaviourally unlike many of the large exotic cat species as they have multiple physical adaptations such as spine flexibility and non-retractable claws, these adaptations are to cope with their extreme speeds and agility (Shoemaker et al (1997). Cheetahs have small skulls and small canines in comparison to other large felids. This is because they have a larger nasal passage for higher air intake when exercising. Because of the smaller skull and teeth, the cheetah is incapable of crushing thick bones. Cheetahs naturally hunt small antelope and gazelle (Nowak, 1999), and will eat the bones of a newborn but only the thinner bones of an adult (Ewer, 1973; Phillips, 1993). This must be taken into consideration when feeding captive cheetahs. Furthermore, cheetahs will often kill prey with a body weight less than their own.
Figure 1: Running cheetah (taken by author)
The digestive tract of cats has a large absorptive surface are which increases the rate of nutrient digestion as they have a high protein and low carbohydrate diet. The saliva of the cat does not contain the enzyme a-amylase. This enzyme breaks down carbohydrate and therefore this contributes towards why cats are strict carnivores, they are physiologically unable to break down starch well (NRC, 2006). Their gastrointestinal tract is relatively short as seen in Figure 2. The cecum is very small, with an unsacculated colon (Stevens and Hume, 1995). This short digestive tract means there is a short fermentation process and most nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine (Stevens et al, 2004). The small intestine is a host to a large array of bacteria, allowing easy adaptations to a variety of food.
The Digestive System
Cheetahs are predominantly carnivores and are monogastric animals, which can be seen in Figure 2. Therefore, their diet mainly consists of fat and protein, with little carbohydrate (Mcdonald et al, 2011). The domestic cat has a close lineage to exotic felids and therefore the physiology and dietary requirements are based upon the domestic cat (Vester et al 2009). However, it is believed that the domestic cat may have adapted to a diet with higher carbohydrate concentrations (Plantinga et al, 2011) and therefore it is important to take this into consideration when forming the ideal captive diet for Cheetahs. Not only this, it is also important to consider the wild-type diet of exotic animals. Vester et al (2008) investigated the digestibility of a commercial raw beef based diet on four species of large exotic felids and concluded that the wild-type diet of each species should be considered when formulating diet plans. For example, the cheetah was the only species in the study to indicate faecal fermentative end products as they had higher levels of faecal ammonia.
Figure 2: Domestic cat (Felis domestica) digestive tract (Stevens and Hume 1995)
Nutrient Requirements
When looking at small and medium sized cats (up to 40 kg body weight) 4 to 8 percent of their body weight should be fed daily (Zutrition, 2016). However, a fully-grown cheetah tends to be 35kg or more. Using this estimation, a 40kg cheetah would require 2.4kg of feed per day. This quantity of feed would contain very high levels of ME, in turn potentially causing obesity and nutritional problems. The Species Survival Plan created by the Association of Zoos and Aquaria (AZA) recommend between 1.2 and 1.4kg of feed per day for adult cheetahs. Therefore, this needs to be considered when formulating a diet plan. Within this 1.2kg of feed given to a captive cheetah, Merck Sharp & Dohme Veterinary Manuals recommend exotic feline diets on a dry matter basis should contain between 45-50% protein, 30-35% fat, 3-4% crude fibre, 1.2-1.5% calcium, 1-1.2% phosphorous ad 20,000-40,000 IU vitamin A/kg.
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It is recommended that young growing cats may require 10-25% of their body weight in food per day, however, fat content must be monitored and adjusted accordingly as it is recommended less than 10% fat should be fed in order to avoid obesity. It is common to fast exotic cats to mimic their natural lifestyle and to reduce the occurrence of stereotypical behaviours (Altman et al. 2005). This fasting also helps to reduce the occurrence of obesity in captivity (Zutrition, 2016).
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In the winter months it is important to feed animals 10-20% more food in order to compensate for the higher energy expenditure for thermoregulation. The opposite should be done in the summer months, this is to mimic their natural, wild-type behaviour in which their appetite would drop in warmer temperatures (Zutrition, 2016).
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Vitamin and mineral deficiencies are common in animals within a captive environment due the complexity of nutrient requirements and availability of ingredients. Exotic cats are unable to convert carotene to vitamin A, tryptophan to niacin, and linoleic acid to arachidonic acid. They also are suspected to be unable to synthesize adequate taurine and could be susceptible to ammonia toxicity if fed an arginine-deficient diet (MSD Manuals, 2016). Taurine is an essential amino acid for cats. Taurine deficiencies can cause a number of different problems in felids, for example, it has been linked to progressive retinal atrophy, cardiomyopathy and lower reproductive success. Commercial feed is more likely to have more adequate levels of taurine. However, Dierenfeld (1993) found that chicken did have adequate levels of taurine but only marginally. This again indicates a varied diet is the best option for these animals. Forty-seven cheetahs surveyed for blood values did not directly indicate taurine deficiencies as being a common or direct threat to captive cheetahs. There are abundant amounts of Taurine in mammalian tissues, therefore feeding beef and carcasses should supply sufficient levels of taurine (Markwell et al 1994). Nonetheless, these nutrients should be considered dietary essentials for all felids (MSD Manuals, 2016).
Diet and Nutrition
Preventative Health
