the carbohydrate content and risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes in felines. Wet In much of Europe, the UK and the US, canned or wet food (75–78% moisture) generally comes in aluminum or steel cans in sizes. It is also sold in foil pouch form. Renal diet A renal diet is formulated for cats that are living with chronic kidney disease, or CKD. This is a highly prevalent condition in the feline population and is most common in the aging and older domesticated feline. It has been shown that the lifespan of cats experiencing CKD can be extended by as much as 2 years when receiving therapeutic diets rather than regular maintenance diets. These diets are low in protein, low in phosphorus, have a high energy density, a higher fat content and include omega-3 fatty acids. Renal diets with low protein have been adopted by a number of big pet food manufacturers. Although the diet of a healthy cat should be high in protein, at times it is medically necessary for a cat to eat a low protein diet. For cats living with chronic renal disease, low protein diets lower the amount of nitrogenous waste in the body, helping to decrease the strain put on the kidneys. The exact level of protein that is needed for therapeutic CKD diets is unclear. Low protein diets can be formulated as a wet or dry food, with the main difference being the moisture content. Unfortunately, low protein diets are not as palatable to cats as diets high in protein. Low protein diets should not be fed to cats with the liver condition known as hepatic encephalopathy because severe protein restriction can be detrimental to animals with this condition. Cats with this condition should be fed a diet with high quality protein sources that have adequate amounts of the amino acids taurine and arginine. In low protein diets, unless the protein source is a high quality protein such as an animal-based protein, cats (and especially kittens) have been shown to develop retinal degeneration due to a deficiency in taurine, an essential amino acid for cats that is derived from animal protein. Low protein diets have been linked to health defects such as lack of growth, decreased food intake, muscle atrophy, hypoalbuminemia, skin alterations, and more. Cats on lower protein diets are more likely to lose weight, and to lose lean body mass. Low