Taurine for cats: benefits and harms, content in food and feed

When choosing one food or another for a purring pet, the owner carefully studies the composition. Ingredients in the form of meat, vegetables, fruits and vitamins are clear to everyone, but all sorts of components in the form of DHA, EHA, taurine and other obscure substances raise doubts and questions. What are they and will they harm the health of the animal? Today we will talk about such a component as taurine for cats, which is quite often found in food.

Why do cats need taurine?

Taurine is an amino acid that helps cells produce proteins necessary for the proper functioning of the cat's body. Participates in the formation of bile to digest fats in the small intestine, reduce cholesterol and blood pressure. The benefit of the amino acid lies in its assistance in metabolic processes, storage and transportation of nutrients. The element is needed to control blood sugar levels, maintain the health of the urinary system, and visual organs.

Cats, unlike humans and dogs, do not produce taurine. The amino acid must be supplied to them with food.

In cats, the need for taurine is 400 mg per 1 kg of body weight.

If you do not receive enough of this acid, your health begins to deteriorate over time. Deficiency develops between 5 months and 2 years. The process is long and symptoms do not appear externally.

Vitamin A ¶

Here we discover another significant difference between a cat and other mammals. It has been proven that a cat's body cannot convert beta-carotene into vitamin A; Therefore, cats must receive ready-made sources of vitamin A from their food, of which the simplest are retinol derivatives (retinyl acetate and retinyl palmitate). The consequences of vitamin A deficiency are decreased visual function, damage to the epithelial layers of the skin, for example, the epithelium of the bronchi, respiratory tract, salivary glands and seminiferous tubules, reproductive problems in female cats, primarily disruption or termination of pregnancy and small litters.

Excess vitamin A is just as dangerous as its deficiency. Bone disease leading to lameness and brittleness of the limbs, accompanied by gingivitis and loss of teeth, has been described in cats that have been fed an excess of this vitamin for a long time, either in the form of vitamin A itself or from a diet containing large amounts of raw liver.

What does taurine deficiency lead to?

Sulfonic acid is concentrated in high proportions in the heart, brain, and retina. Therefore, these organs suffer the most from amino acid deficiency. If there is not enough taurine in the feed, the reserves of this amino acid in the tissues begin to gradually be used up. It all starts with plasma and blood, then muscles, retina, and nervous tissue are involved.

When “complete” industrial feeds first began to be produced (60s of the 20th century), animals feeding on them lost their eyesight and experienced heart problems. Research has found that the reason is the lack of taurine in the feed.

Amino acid in industrial feeds

We reviewed several popular brands of dry cat food. The dosage of taurine may vary from batch to batch, so the data presented in the table is an average.

Symptoms of Taurine Deficiency

There are no direct symptoms of taurine deficiency. All signs are associated with developing diseases, primarily dilated cardiomyopathy and retinal degeneration. Therefore, differential diagnosis with these diseases is carried out.

If a plasma analysis shows a taurine content of less than 25 nmol/ml, then they speak of taurine deficiency. In healthy cats, this figure is 50 nmol/ml or higher. However, the result is influenced by how much amino acid was supplied with food before the study or by prolonged fasting. Therefore, it is difficult to judge from the result how much substance the animal lacks. More accurate data is shown by whole blood analysis. A cat is healthy if the taurine level in whole blood is 250 nmol/ml or higher. If it is lower, a deficiency is diagnosed.

What does an overdose lead to?

An excess of taurine in cats is rare. More often in kittens. Leads to muscle weakness and the development of chest pathology - funnel chest.

Congestive heart failure

Taurine is approved for use in the treatment of congestive heart failure (CHF) in Japan [17]. Like other drugs used to treat CHF, taurine not only reduces symptoms (exertional dyspnea and edema) but also eliminates or reduces the need for other drugs such as digoxin [17]. Taurine has a moderate positive inotropic effect and promotes natriuresis and diuresis, but its main therapeutic effect when taken chronically is to reduce the action of norepinephrine and angiotensin II, which play a role in reducing myocardial performance through increasing afterload pressure, ventricular remodeling and fluid redistribution. Taurine effectively reduces the unwanted effects of norepinephrine through its ability to reduce excess catecholamines (via changes in Ca2+ transport) and attenuate cell signaling (via changes in Ca2+ transport, reactive oxygen species and protein phosphorylation). Although recent studies have shown improvements in exercise capacity in patients with CHF with taurine use [18], it remains unknown whether taurine reduces the risk of heart failure in the general population. In addition, the reduction of mortality rates in patients with CHF when taking taurine has not been studied. There is evidence to suggest that taurine may prolong the lifespan of patients with CHF because it increases the myocardial high-energy phosphate content, which is an important determinant of mortality among patients with CHF [8].

How to fix the situation

Cats begin to replenish taurine by correcting their diet. The animal is switched to premium and super premium food, or meat and fish are introduced into the diet. The transition to a new type of food or a new brand of food is carried out gradually, over 2 weeks, to avoid stomach and intestinal upset.

But in addition to replenishing the diet with amino acids, tablets or powders are additionally prescribed. For example, Debikor. The dose for a cat is 250 mg twice a day. The course is at least 3 months. The “excess” substance, which is not absorbed by the body, is excreted in the urine without causing harm to health. The animal's condition returns to normal within 1-2 weeks.

Literature

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Where is taurine found?

Most taurine is found in meat, liver, heart, and kidneys. Found in small quantities in dairy products and eggs. Plant products practically do not contain this substance. The highest concentrations are in raw meat and fish. During heat treatment, the taurine contained in them is destroyed. The leaders in amino acid levels are turkey meat and tuna fish.

Taurine in industrially produced cat food is guaranteed to be in the “premium” and “super premium” classes. In industrial economy class feeds, the additive is minimal or absent.

If the animal eats vegetarian food or the composition contains cereals in the first place, then the cat does not receive acid in the required volume. She needs supplements.

The study determined the minimum level of taurine in cat food:

• For dry granules - 1 -1.2 g per 1 kg of feed (0.1-0.12%).
• For canned food - no less than 1.7 g, and better - 2-2.5 g per 1 kg (0.2-0.25%).

It has been scientifically proven that even a dose of 10 g of taurine per kilogram of feed is safe for animals.

Vitamin D ¶

The vitamin D requirements of cats are not well understood. There are two opposing opinions, and both are based on research. In the body of most mammals, vitamin D3 under the influence of ultraviolet rays of sunlight can be formed from lipids in the skin (provitamin D), so it is likely that adult animals, if they need supplements of this vitamin in their food, only in small doses. Studies have reported that cats, even while growing and in the absence of direct ultraviolet rays, show little dependence on dietary sources of vitamin D, provided their diet contains sufficient concentrations (and the correct ratios) of calcium and phosphorus. Other studies suggest that the synthesis of vitamin D3 in the skin may be insufficient in domestic cats. If this applies to other felines, they need a vitamin D3 supplement. But, in any case, it must be remembered that excess vitamin D in the diet is dangerous and can lead to mineralization of all soft tissues of the body.

Best Taurine Supplements

Taurine is available in the form of powder, tablets, solutions, and dragees. The doctor will tell you which feed additive to choose for your pet, focusing on the animal’s health, age, and physiological characteristics.

The following feed additives are considered good:

• Beaphar's Top 10 is a multivitamin supplement containing essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids. It has a shrimp flavor and is well eaten by cats. This is a big plus, since giving a pill to a cat is not easy and is a real stress for the pet. Weakness, lethargy, bad mood - indications for using Top 10.
• Omega NEO - a multivitamin delicacy contains mussels, seaweed, squid liver - components rich in Omega-3 essential fatty acids, taurine, biotin and vitamins. The smell and taste of the treat is attractive to cats. The palatability is excellent.
• Canina Taurin – available in powder form for mixing into food. Suitable for any type of food. The Kanina company produces a vitamin gel, which can also be added to canned food or taken from a syringe.
• Ceva is an inexpensive multivitamin tablet with taurine and biotin. There are supplements for adults and kittens. They are used both as a feed additive and as a treat to reward cats.
• GimPet - the company produces vitamins in fancy shapes: mice, hearts, pads, etc. A variety of Schnurries - heart-shaped vitamins for cats. According to reviews from cat breeders, multi-colored hearts have become favorites for many cats. Pets also love Topinis “mice” with cottage cheese, milk, salmon, chicken - they all contain taurine.
• Doctor Zoo is a line of various food additives. Vitamins “Health and Beauty” and “Health of Skin and Coat” are produced with taurine. Suitable for any method of nutrition.

Prevention

Seafood, raw meat, especially heart or brain are rich in taurine. It is better to give meat to the animal, having previously chopped it into medium pieces, since finely chopped and beaten meat contains less taurine.

To prevent diseases during natural or economical feeding, it is best to use nutritional supplements. Their use protects the cat’s retina from atrophy and helps the animal feel healthy.