Effects of short-chain fructooligosaccharides and galactooligosaccharides, individually and in combination, on nutrient digestibility, fecal fermentative metabolite concentrations, and large bowel microbial ecology of healthy adult cats
Short-chain fructooligosaccharides (scFOS) and galactooligosaccharides (GOS) are non-digestible oligosaccharides that result in a prebiotic effect in some animal species; however, the cat has not been well studied in this regard. This experiment evaluated scFOS and GOS supplementation on nutrient digestibility, fermentative end-product production, and fecal microbial ecology of cats. Eight healthy adult cats were fed diets containing no prebiotic, 0.5% scFOS, 0.5% GOS, or 0.5% scFOS + 0.5% GOS (scFOS+GOS) in a replicated 4x4 Latin square design. Apparent total tract crude protein digestibility was decreased (P < 0.05) when cats were fed a diet containing scFOS + GOS compared to the other treatments. Dry matter, OM, acid hydrolyzed fat, and GE digestibilities were not different among treatments. Cats fed scFOS-, GOS-, and scFOS+GOS-supplemented diets had greater (P < 0.05) fecal Bifidobacterium spp. populations compared to cats fed the control diet. Fecal pH was lower (P < 0.05) for cats fed the scFOS+GOS-supplemented diet compared to the control. Butyrate (P = 0.05) and valerate (P < 0.05) concentrations were higher when cats consumed the scFOS+GOS diet. Acetate tended to be greater (P = 0.10) when cats were fed the scFOS+GOS diet. Total SCFA (P = 0.06) and total BCFA (P = 0.06) concentrations also tended to be greater when cats consumed the scFOS+GOS treatment. Fecal protein catabolites, including ammonia, 4-methylphenol, indole, and biogenic amines, did not differ among treatments, nor did blood lymphocytes, neutrophils, or total white blood cell counts, or fecal DM concentration and output. Low level supplementation of scFOS, GOS, and their combination exert positive effects on select indices of gut health in cats.
cat, short-chain fructooligosaccharides, galactooligosaccharides, microbiota, protein catabolites, nutrient digestibility
University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign
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University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign