What is the main food of the Cat family how are the cats' teeth fitted for this?

Answer 1

Cats are strict carnivores (meat eaters), so meat is their main or only food source. A cat's teeth are perfectly adapted to such a specialised diet:

• Incisors (teeth at front of the mouth) are very short in cats this is because these teeth are meant for the cutting of fruit and vegetables - wich cats don't eat. Instead, cats can use their incisors for scraping meat off bones or for grooming.
• Canines (the sharp long pointy teeth at either side of incisors) are very long on a cat and other predators. These are the most important because they are meant for holding down prey and tearing meat.
• Premolars and Molars (the side teeth) are also very important as cats use these sharp teeth to cut and shear off chunks of meat. In other mammals - particularly omnivores such as pigs and humans, the premolars and molars are flat grinding teeth used to deal with vegetable matter.

Even domestic cats aren't all that different from big cats such as lions. They have exactly the same type of teeth that is perfect for tearing and rendering flesh and crunching up bone. Pet cats - like their wild cousins, get all their nutrition from meat-based proteins and fats, so feeding a pet cat food high in meat content and no grains or cereals is the best way to ensure your cat gets all the nutrition it needs.

Humans - who are omnivores - eat both plant and meat. Our teeth are slightly different compared to a cat:

• Incisors (the teeth at front of the mouth) are medium size meant for cutting fruit and veg.
• Canines (the sharp long pointy teeth at either side of incisors) are much smaller - only a little bit longer than our incisors - but these are still meant for tearing meat.
• Premolars and Molars (the stubby teeth that go around the rest of the mouth) are flat and are designed to chew. It is impossible to eat without using these they are very important.

Answer 2

Cats are obligate carnivores, so meat is their main or only food source. A cat's teeth are perfectly adapted to such a specialised diet:

• Incisors (teeth at front of the mouth) are very short in cats. Cats can use their incisors for scraping meat off bones or for grooming.
• Canines (the sharp long pointy teeth at either side of incisors) are very long on a cat and other predators. These are the most important because they are meant for holding down prey and tearing meat.
• Premolars and Molars (the side teeth) are also very important as cats use these sharp teeth to cut and shear off chunks of meat, which the cat will then swallow whole. In other mammals - particularly omnivores such as pigs and humans, the premolars and molars are flat grinding teeth used to deal with vegetable matter.

Even domestic cats aren't all that different from big cats such as lions. They have exactly the same type of teeth that is perfect for tearing and rendering flesh and crunching up bone. Pet cats - like their wild cousins, get all their nutrition from meat-based proteins and fats, so feeding a pet cat food high in meat content and no grains or cereals is the best way to ensure your cat gets all the nutrition it needs.