CLINICAL MEDICINE

Detailed explanation-1: -Compared to the body size of almost any mammal, cats have the shortest digestive tract. Longer guts, as represented by herbivores, take more time to digest and ferment bacteria from plants. Since carnivores consume highly digestible raw meat, there is no need for a long digestive tract.

Detailed explanation-2: -Carnivores also have a shorter gastrointestinal tract meant for easily-digestible foods. Humans have a much longer tract that allows complex foods more time to break down before elimination.

Detailed explanation-3: -Carnivorous animals have intestinal tracts that are 3-6x their body length, while herbivores have intestinal tracts 10-12x their body length. Human beings have the same intestinal tract ratio as herbivores.

Detailed explanation-4: -Most herbivores have an intestinal tract roughly >10x the length of their bodies in order to process the plant materials, but carnivores that do not need to ferment plant materials tend to have much shorter digestive tracts; roughly 3-5 x the length of the body.

Detailed explanation-5: -Practically the whole of the gastrointestinal tract of a carnivore is sterile. The hydrochloric acid in the stomach ensures that most bacteria and other micro-organisms in swallowed food are killed. Those that escape the stomach are rarely able to survive the digestive processes – they are, after all, made of protein.