What Is Taurine In Cat Food And Why Do Cats Need It? Best Analysis

What is taurine in cat food? Taurine is a naturally occurring amino acid that helps regulate the body’s water levels. Taurine also has antioxidant properties that are important to overall good health.

Cats need taurine in their diets as well, although it cannot be produced by their bodies and must be supplied via food or supplements ̶, typically in cat food.

Taurine is also an additive in some pet foods and can be found in the ingredients of some commercial diets. While the health benefits of taurine are significant, these nutrients are sensitive to extreme temperatures. They may not be stable when cooked at certain high temperatures for long periods.

Each individual’s dietary needs vary; even healthy adult cats require supplementation with taurine. These dietary requirements can be met through regular supplementation with a taurine supplement to ensure adequate intake.

What is taurine in cat food?

Basically, taurine is an amino acid, or protein building block, derived from a sulfur-containing substance called cysteine.

In addition to its important role in the functioning of muscles and eyes, taurine also works with the body’s insulin system and has been shown to help regulate blood sugar levels.

Taurine is found in larger amounts in animal protein than vegetable protein, so carnivores that eat meat are more likely to get plenty of taurine than vegetarian animals like rabbits or guinea pigs.

The research conducted by the University of Missouri-Columbia’s Animal Science Department shows that taurine supplementation for adult cats increases lean body mass, decreases fat mass, and decreases serum cholesterol levels.

Taurine is also an important factor in a cat’s ability to maintain healthy eyes and overall health. More than 80% of the body’s taurine is found in the eyes, and a cat’s vision depends on having enough of this nutrient.

The cat vision supplement that cats need ̶ whether they’re eating conventionally prepared or raw foods ̶ is based on their diet. Still, without adequate mineral supplementation, your feline family pet can develop vision problems. Fortunately, taurine supplements are available to help ensure your cat continues to see clearly.

Why Do Cats Need It?

A cat’s body can use what it needs to produce taurine, but when a cat eats food that does not contain this amino acid, it cannot produce enough and will end up excreting the excess. This can lead to serious health problems.

As a result, feeding your cat foods containing taurine will help keep her from developing a deficiency characterized by poor growth, blindness, and even heart and reproductive system complications.

What happens if taurine levels are deficient?

Without sufficient taurine and other essential amino acids, your cat can develop an eye condition called keratitis ̶, a serious condition that will only worsen without attention.

Keratitis results in loss of vision, often worsening when your feline family pet is exposed to lighting. This can be a serious problem, as cats are susceptible to damage if they are denied a steady supply of vitamin A.

Keratitis can also cause problems with the cornea and even the eye’s lens. Keratitis is a condition that will get progressively worse over time, so it’s important to treat this as soon as it develops.

Cats also need taurine in their diets, although it cannot be produced by their bodies and must be supplied via food or supplements!

Taurine is also an additive in some pet foods and can be found in the ingredients of some commercial diets.

How safe is taurine in cat food?

You may be concerned about the safety of taurine supplements for cats, but don’t worry. Taurine is a fairly safe amino acid supplement to provide your feline family pet, particularly when it’s used as part of a complete diet.

What Are The Benefits?

There are many health benefits from taurine supplementation. These include:

Taurine is important to heart health, as well as the vision health and reproductive system function ̶ particularly in cats with diabetes who are taking insulin injections.

Taurine supplementation can also help reduce the development of atherosclerosis, and some studies show taurine plays a role in helping reduce cholesterol levels.

Most commercial cat foods already contain taurine, but many raw diets do not. The addition of taurine to commercial diets is not regulated, so the amount in any given diet may be less than what’s on the package label.

Where do I obtain taurine and do I need a prescription?

If you’re unsure whether your cat’s diet is up to par, talk to your vet.

Your vet will be able to analyze your cat’s food and tell you if it’s lacking taurine, mineral, or vitamin C ̶ especially if you’re using a raw diet.

If he determines that her diet is lacking something nutritious, he can recommend adding a taurine supplement to the food and provide you with further supplementation instructions.

The Importance of Taurine in Cat Food

If you’re using commercial cat food, you can rest assured that the food contains enough taurine for your cat’s needs.

Taurine is an amino acid used in taurine production and energy production, so it’s found almost exclusively in meat products.

Because it’s found in large amounts only in animal foods, carnivores usually require taurine supplements. Cats are more likely to develop vitamin deficiencies when they eat vegetarian diets than other carnivores.

How much taurine is enough?

The amount of taurine in a diet will depend on the cat’s age and the pet’s size. Smaller cats require smaller amounts of taurine, while larger cats need larger daily supplements.

Cats also differ in their ability to process taurine properly, so if your cat has any problems with her kidneys, you’ll need to feed her a diet with higher amounts.

Taurine is also important for pregnant and nursing mothers as it helps to prevent fetal death. The taurine your cat needs will vary based on the cat’s size and the type of diet she is following.

Here are some suggested taurine amounts:

Cats of all ages in good health should be fed a diet that contains 0.10% to 0.25% taurine daily, with optimum levels at 0.15%. Cats that are ill or elderly need more ̶, about 0.4% to 1%.

Your cat is also at risk of developing retinal degeneration if her diet contains too little taurine, so if she has eye problems, consult your vet about a supplement.

Remember, even though the food may have adequate amounts of taurine, it’s not enough to prevent the development of problems if it doesn’t have enough other helpful nutrients.

Cats need a stable source of protein and fat in their diets and should receive a balanced diet with complete proteins from all the essential amino acids.

Why Does IAMS Add Taurine to Cat Diets?

As with IAMS cat food, taurine is added to help prevent cat food-related health problems.

Iams was the first brand of cat food to add taurine to its formulas, and since then, many leading brands have followed suit. Taurine helps keep your cat’s health at the forefront and will ensure that she has a long and healthy life.

Keratitis is not the only problem that taurine protects against. Either ̶ it also reduces the risk of developing a fatty liver and related liver problems.

What Are Some Effects of Taurine Deficiency?

As your cat ages, she may notice that her eyes slowly turn yellow ̶ this can be a sign of taurine deficiency.

As the condition gets progressively worse, your cat’s vision may start to deteriorate. Her pupils may dilate with light and she may also experience pain in her eyes.

Your vet will be able to analyze your cat’s diet ̶ if it contains enough other nutrients necessary for her health and well-being, then she should have no problems. He can recommend a taurine supplement if her diet has too little of something essential.

What Are Some Benefits of Taurine Supplementation?

Taurine supplementation may help a cat with diabetic issues; cats receiving insulin injections will have a decreased glucose response and improved insulin sensitivity when they receive daily doses of taurine supplements.

There is also evidence that taurine supplementation may benefit people with heart disease and high cholesterol levels, as well as those suffering from liver disease.

Final Thoughts

A perfectly healthy diet is not enough to keep your pet cat healthy and happy.

A diet that is nutritionally balanced with complete proteins, essential amino acids, and a variety of other nutrients will help provide your cat with the energy she needs to stay healthy and happy ̶, keeping her away from illness and disrepair.

Talk to your vet first if you’re considering introducing a taurine supplement to your cat’s diet. He’ll be able to analyze your cat’s food and tell you if it contains adequate levels of taurine or not.

If it doesn’t contain sufficient amounts, he can recommend a supplement and tell you how much to give her daily.

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