Osaka-based Marukan Co., Ltd., the maker of a new range of nutritional cat food with AIM protein to prevent kidney disease, wants to help extend the lives of cats to 30 years.
A product of extensive research by AIM protein specialist Dr. Toru Miyazaki, the AIM30 brand of cat kibble contains the amino acid A-30 to help the AIM do the kidney cleanup.
AIM is a protein in the blood that supports kidney health by removing the waste that accumulates in the body. The problem is, AIM could get stuck up with immunoglobulin (IgM) antibodies so that it can't destroy the dead cells and other debris in a cat, causing kidney problems and renal diseases. It is the A-30's job to disassociate the AIM from the IgM and activate it.
After a soft launch in March 2022, Marukan has so far developed a full range of AIM30 cat food (mostly chicken flavor) and has established a production system to distribute them all over Japan. There were six variants in the original AIM30 kidney healthcare series (for indoor cats at least 11 years old, for indoor cats at least 15 years old, for indoor cats around 20 years old, for castrated adult indoor cats at 11 years old or older, for castrated adult cats, and a general variant for all indoor-bound cats).
To keep cats' lower urinary tract healthy, Marukan adjusted the AIM30's magnesium levels (at about 0.085%), phosphorus (0.9%) and calcium (1.0%). They also included dietary fiber from soy pulp to support the excretion of furballs, lactobacilli to support stomach and gut, agaricus (a genus of mushroom) and sesamin fiber compounds to boost immunity, and roasted linseeds with omega-3 fatty acids for skin and coat support.
Last September, Marukan also added a new fish flavor for kittens and announced a lineup of supplements and treats with A-30.
Marukan said kidney problems are almost present in all cats as they have no innate functional AIM but their bodies already start to accumulate waste in the kidney as soon as they are born. They added that if cats regularly take activating substances through cat food, a certain amount of AIM is constantly activated to remove the waste from their bodies to prevent or reduce destruction of the kidneys by inflammation.
AIM30, Marukan stressed, is not a therapeutic pet food but a comprehensive maintenance nutritional food for cats. People with cats on therapeutic food diets should consult a veterinarian before taking AIM30.
