{"id":350,"date":"2020-11-14T13:37:00","date_gmt":"2020-11-14T13:37:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/?p=350"},"modified":"2020-11-14T13:37:00","modified_gmt":"2020-11-14T13:37:00","slug":"what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/","title":{"rendered":"What Percentage of Taurine Should Be in Cat Food?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>Most cat owners nowadays have already heard of taurine and know a lot that it\u2019s very important to keep their feline friend healthy. But beyond that, most cat owners are not fully aware of what exactly it is as well as why their cat requires it for their nutritional needs. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>This is what you\u2019ll be educated on in this article.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<!--more-->\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_17 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-grey\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" style=\"display: none;\"><i class=\"ez-toc-glyphicon ez-toc-icon-toggle\"><\/i><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class=\"ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1\"><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#How_much_taurine_does_a_cat_need\" title=\"How much taurine does a cat need\">How much taurine does a cat need<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#Health_Role_of_Taurine_in_Cats\" title=\"Health Role of Taurine in Cats\">Health Role of Taurine in Cats<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#Taurine_Daily_Requirement_for_Cats\" title=\"Taurine Daily Requirement for Cats\">Taurine Daily Requirement for Cats<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#Life_Stages_of_Cats\" title=\"Life Stages of Cats\">Life Stages of Cats<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#Taurine_Deficiency_in_Cats\" title=\"Taurine Deficiency in Cats\">Taurine Deficiency in Cats<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#Common_Questions_About_Taurine_in_A_Cats_Diet\" title=\"Common Questions About Taurine in A Cat\u2019s Diet\">Common Questions About Taurine in A Cat\u2019s Diet<\/a><ul class=\"ez-toc-list-level-3\"><li class=\"ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#What_Happens_If_Cats_Dont_Get_Taurine\" title=\"What Happens If Cats Don\u2019t Get Taurine?\">What Happens If Cats Don\u2019t Get Taurine?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#How_Much_Taurine_is_Too_Much\" title=\"How Much Taurine is Too Much?\">How Much Taurine is Too Much?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-9\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#Can_cats_have_too_much_taurine\" title=\"Can cats have too much taurine?\">Can cats have too much taurine?<\/a><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-10\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#Is_My_Cat_Getting_Enough_Taurine\" title=\"Is My Cat Getting Enough Taurine?\">Is My Cat Getting Enough Taurine?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><li class=\"ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2\"><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-11\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_much_taurine_does_a_cat_need\"><\/span><strong>How much taurine does a cat need<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Taurine is a kind of amino acid, and a cat needs at least 100mg, which a cat gets by eating at least 28% protein. So you should look at the amount of protein to get the right percentage of taurine in your cat&#8217;s food. <\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Taurine is only found in proteins from animals. It\u2019s very important for your cat\u2019s normal digestion, muscle function, vision, healthy immune system, and to maintain normal fetal development and pregnancy.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Find the <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-foods-are-high-in-taurine-for-cats\/\">cat foods with high amount of taurine<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Health_Role_of_Taurine_in_Cats\"><\/span><strong>Health Role of Taurine in Cats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The body of your cat uses taurine in order to form proteins. Thus, your cat needs a daily supplementation of taurine for digestion a healthy heart, digestion, and vision. Most mammals can produce taurine from other types of amino acids in their daily diet. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Cats are not so good at producing taurine since they are an obligate carnivore. It means even though cats eat meat, they still have to get lots of nutrients by consuming protein from animals since they can\u2019t be able to create it themselves.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Taurine_Daily_Requirement_for_Cats\"><\/span><strong>Taurine Daily Requirement for Cats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Adult cats need 100mg of taurine daily. As long as your cat\u2019s diet include enough protein, like at least 28%, he must get enough taurine. Also, if you give a special diet to your cat, like home-cooked foods, make sure to talk to your veterinarian about whether your cat needs additional taurine supplementation. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Your cat should also avoid eating dog food for a long period of time since most dog food has only 20% or less protein content compared to cat food. This means your cat won\u2019t be able to get taurine as well as other essential nutrients from dog food.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Life_Stages_of_Cats\"><\/span><strong>Life Stages of Cats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Through different stages of the life of your cat \u2013 kittenhood, adulthood, pregnancy, or old age \u2013 your cat will have slight changes in their nutritional needs. Thus, you need to provide the proper diet for your cat according to his life stage. For example, kitten food needs to have more calories since kittens have higher energy needs. On the other hand, food for adult cats needs to have fewer calories. Regardless, you should always choose higher-quality cat food. They might be pricier compared to cheaper brands, but they will likely contain more essential nutrients and protein your cat needs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Taurine_Deficiency_in_Cats\"><\/span><strong>Taurine Deficiency in Cats<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Your cat\u2019s body can\u2019t store many taurine, which is why he needs to get it daily. To do this, check the list of ingredients on your cat\u2019s food to make sure you are giving him a good and balanced diet. If your cat does not get enough amount of taurine for a long time, like between 5 months to 2 years, chances are your cat will result in having central retinal degeneration that can eventually lead to blindness.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aside from that, if your cat gets less taurine, his heart muscles may weaken and fail. This type of amino acid is also needed for the production of bile, which is why your cat cannot properly digest his food without it. Also, a pregnant cat who does not get more taurine in her diet will possibly have small and underweight kittens.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-can-i-feed-my-cat-if-i-run-out-of-food\/\">What to feed your cat if you run out of cat food<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Common_Questions_About_Taurine_in_A_Cats_Diet\"><\/span><strong>Common Questions About Taurine in A Cat\u2019s Diet<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_Happens_If_Cats_Dont_Get_Taurine\"><\/span><strong>What Happens If Cats Don\u2019t Get Taurine?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>If there\u2019s insufficient taurine, your cat\u2019s retina cells will not function properly and might die, eventually leading to impaired vision and blindness. This is referred to as the degeneration of feline central retinal. Also, taurine is very important for the heart muscle cells of your cat for it to have a normal function.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_Much_Taurine_is_Too_Much\"><\/span><strong>How Much Taurine is Too Much?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It\u2019s important to know how proper taurine supplementation is done. The most common taurine dosages are 500 to 2,000 mg a day. However, the toxicity\u2019s upper limit is much higher, that even doses of 2,000 mg and above seem to be tolerated. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Research on taurine safety suggests that even 3,000 mg of daily taurine consumption for a cat\u2019s entire lifetime is still safe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Can_cats_have_too_much_taurine\"><\/span>Can cats have too much taurine?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>It is nearly impossible for you to give your cat too much taurine. There haven&#8217;t been reports about cats getting too much taurine. Researched numbers for how much you can give a cat every day, is so high that you won&#8217;t reach it even with a lot of taurine in the cat&#8217;s food. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_My_Cat_Getting_Enough_Taurine\"><\/span><strong>Is My Cat Getting Enough Taurine?<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Processing cat greatly affects the levels of taurine if your cat\u2019s diet, in which an increase in dietary fiber may decrease its absorption. <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-foods-are-high-in-taurine-for-cats\/\">Food for cats that contain quality animal-based protein can be able to supply adequate taurine<\/a> levels for a healthy, normal cat. Also, dog food doesn\u2019t contain enough taurine levels to meet the specific requirements of cats so dog food shouldn\u2019t be given to cats.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><strong>Conclusion<\/strong><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Taurine deficiencies in cats are actually easy to avoid through feeding your feline friend good quality cat food that you can buy commercially. Experts recognize Taurine as a very important feline food ingredient so it\u2019s included in every balanced diet for cats. It\u2019s important to make sure that your cat gets enough Taurine especially if you\u2019re feeding him home-made food. It\u2019s also important to bear in mind that <a href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/best-cat-food-for-indoor-cats\/\">you shouldn\u2019t feed your cat dog food<\/a>. Taurine is safe and there haven\u2019t been any toxicity reports from feline population eating too much of this type of amino acid. Therefore, it\u2019s a great idea to supply your cat with additional Taurine supplements, most especially if he suffers from a heart condition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img loading=\"lazy\" width=\"683\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/What-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food_-1-683x1024.png\" alt=\"What Percentage of Taurine Should Be in Cat Food?\" class=\"wp-image-352\" srcset=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/What-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food_-1-683x1024.png 683w, https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/What-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food_-1-200x300.png 200w, https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/What-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food_-1-768x1152.png 768w, https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2020\/04\/What-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food_-1.png 1000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 683px) 100vw, 683px\" \/><\/figure>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Most cat owners nowadays have already heard of taurine and know a lot that it\u2019s very important to keep their feline friend healthy. But beyond that, most cat owners are<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4,"featured_media":351,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[8],"tags":[23],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v16.2 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>What Percentage of Taurine Should Be in Cat Food? [ Detailed Answer ]<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/animalsa2z.com\/what-percentage-of-taurine-should-be-in-cat-food\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"What Percentage of Taurine Should Be in Cat Food? 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