Your Cat's Nutritional Needs - Quincy News, Weather, Sports, and
Radio  Your Cat's Nutritional Needs  By Ann Acker, Studio One
Networks  Providing your cat with a healthy daily diet is one of
the most important duties of any pet owner. But understanding
the ingredients, and knowing which ones are best at fortifying
your pet can be a challenge.  The best place to start is by
learning about the building blocks of nutrition. Nutrients are
divided into a few subcategories -- protein, carbohydrates,
fats, vitamins and minerals, and water. Each nutrient benefits
your cat in a variety of ways. Here's your easy-to-digest guide
to the essentials of cat nutrition.  Common pet food protein
sources include meat, poultry, fish and some plant ingredients
like corn gluten and soybean meal.  Protein is best known for
supplying amino acids, or protein subunits, to build hair, skin,
nails, muscles, tendons, ligaments and cartilage. It also plays
a main role in hormone production.  Cats, true carnivores,
require essential amino