| Title: | Absence of a salt (NaCl) preference or appetite in sodium-replete or depleted kittens |
| Author(s): | Yu S; Rogers QR; Morris JG; |
| Address: | "Department of Molecular Biosciences, School of Veterinary Medicine, University of California, Davis, CA 95616, USA" |
| ISSN/ISBN: | 0195-6663 (Print) 0195-6663 (Linking) |
| Abstract: | "Many omnivores and herbivores exhibit an appetite for sodium or salt (NaCl) solutions, but a similar sodium appetite has not been demonstrated in carnivores. The choice for or against sodium-adequate diets of sodium-replete and depleted kittens (confirmed by an elevated plasma aldosterone concentration) was examined using a two-bowl choice test. Both bowls contained purified diets, one bowl with one of various levels of sodium (as NaCl) and the other bowl a sodium-deficient diet (0.1 g Na/Kg). Neither sodium-replete nor depleted kittens showed a choice of the diet containing 2 g Na/kg over the deficient diet. Both groups of kittens showed significant aversion to a diet containing 10 g Na/kg diet, with no change in total food intake. Kittens previously exposed to a diet containing 10 g Na/kg diet appeared to have a learned aversion to sodium in subsequent choice tests. We conclude that kittens do not possess an innate sodium appetite and that a sodium appetite is not induced in sodium-depleted kittens" |
| Keywords: | "Animals Appetite/*physiology Cats Diet Eating Female Food Preferences/*physiology Male Nutritional Status Sodium/*deficiency *Sodium, Dietary;" |
| Notes: | "MedlineYu, S Rogers, Q R Morris, J G eng England 1997/08/01 Appetite. 1997 Aug; 29(1):1-10. doi: 10.1006/appe.1996.0088" |
