

Sudden death from heart issues (like dilated cardiomyopathy).Some of the other symptoms of taurine deficiency include: Depending on the severity of the deficiency and the related health problems, a variety of treatment options are available. If you or your veterinarian suspect that your cat has a taurine deficiency, it can be diagnosed with blood tests, chest x-rays, and eye examinations. In many cases, the deficiency isn’t diagnosed until the cat starts showing symptoms of a related complication. The challenge with taurine deficiency is that symptoms tend to develop slowly over time. Taurine deficiency can lead to a number of serious health issues including blindness, heart problems, and tooth decay. Your cat requires plenty of taurine to maintain healthy heart wall muscles – it also plays a role in eye and brain health. For dry food, both kittens and adult cats need at least 0.10% and, in wet food, it should be at least 0.20%.īecause taurine is an essential amino acid for cats, a deficiency can cause serious health problems. If you refer to AAFCO cat food nutrient profiles, you’ll be able to answer the question of what percentage of taurine should be in cat food. Arginine helps the body remove ammonia which is a waste product of protein digestion and breakdown. In addition to supporting protein synthesis, taurine plays a role in heart health, vision, reproduction, and digestion. Taurine is not the only essential amino acid that can only be found in animal proteins – arginine is another. In addition to taurine, the other essential amino acids for cats are: When your cat consumes protein, its body breaks it down into amino acids which can then be used to support a variety of biological processes including building muscle and regulating immune system function. As the building blocks of protein, amino acids are organic compounds made up of carbon, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen. To help you understand the importance of taurine in your cat’s diet, let’s take a moment to review what an amino acid is. Animal-based proteins are also referred to as “complete” proteins because they contain all of the essential amino acids your cat needs, including taurine. Taurine is only found in animal-based proteins like meat, poultry, and fish.

This means that, unlike other amino acids, your cat’s body can’t synthesize taurine on its own and it needs to get it from food. Cats are obligate carnivores (versus dogs who are more akin to omnivores), so they have a biological need for protein in their diet.Īs we’ve already mentioned, taurine is an essential amino acid for cats.

BFF OMG Rainbow-a-Gogo Variety Pack Wet Food.The Honest Kitchen Grain-Free Chicken Recipe Dehydrated Food.Fussie Cat Premium Tuna with Salmon Formula Canned Food.

6 More Top-Rated Cat Foods with Taurine.Blue Buffalo Sensitive Stomach Chicken Recipe.American Journey Turkey & Chicken Recipe Dry Food.Taste of the Wild Rocky Mountain Grain-Free Dry Food.What is the Best Cat Food with Taurine?.
