
What Is Taurine?
Hello everyone, taurine is beneficial for your cats for numerous reasons. If your cat has ever experienced diseases affecting the heart, eye, digestion, reproduction, or other symptoms, it could be traced back to a lack of taurine. So why would you want to give your cat taurine? Cats cannot produce taurine and must receive it from their diet. So what is it? Taurine is an amino acid that cats need to function. As stated earlier it affects parts of the cats such as hearts and eyes. Taurine is found in animal-based proteins or supplements.
Heart Health:
- Prevents Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM)
- Regulates heart function
Vision
- Protects retinal health
- Prevents retinal degeneration
Digestive Health
- Aids in bile acid production
Other Benefits
- Immune system support
- Reproductive health (pregnancy)
What Meats Are Cat Safe?
Cats’ natural diet consists of poultry, and birds mostly. Think turkey and chicken. I love giving my cats liver and the meat from uncut chicken thighs. Both are extremely cheap. I remove the skin and bones and make homemade cat food for them. I will link to a recipe that I make that contains taurine. Another budget-friendly poultry option for your cat is chicken livers. When boiled and then blended with a small amount of cat-safe oil, it’s a gravy base for your homemade cat food.
Find Wet Cat Foods With Taurine
If you want to know what wet cat foods I recommend that contain taurine click here.
How Much Should They Have?
Adult cats | 200-250 mg per day |
Kittens | 400-500 mg per kilogram of body weight per day* |
Pregnant | Slightly higher than adult requirements |
*Exact needs for kittens vary by age and weight.
“I’m worried about giving my cat too much taurine”
The chance of toxicity overdose for excessive taurine in cats is uncommon. That being said it’s important to follow your supplement dosage.
Sources Of Taurine
- Dry food: ~1,000 mg/kg
- Wet food: ~2,000 mg/kg
Natural sources:
Fresh meats like chicken, turkey, and fish are rich in taurine.
Supplementation Options For Taurine
If your cat’s diet is homemade or lacks taurine, you may need to supplement it. Speak with a veterinarian to determine the right dose and form of taurine supplement.
Once You Know The Right Dose
Once you’ve spoken to a vet and approved the right dose for your cat, you either purchase it from them or online. You do not need a RX or a prescription from your doctor to purchase it online. I do recommend buying it yourself as it will save you more money. It’s important to know that you get a taurine safe for your cats. Ones labeled for cats usually have a fishier taste that your cat will enjoy. The benefits of taurine for your cats cannot be understated.
What Do I Recommend?
Below will be a recommendation for a taurine powder that is high quality and also cheap per oz. This will last around three months for two cats in total. If you ever need to supplement your cat’s taurine.
- What Is Taurine?
- Heart Health:
- Vision
- Digestive Health
- Other Benefits
- What Meats Are Cat Safe?
- Find Wet Cat Foods With Taurine
- How Much Should They Have?
- "I'm worried about giving my cat too much taurine"
- Sources Of Taurine
- Natural sources:
- Supplementation Options For Taurine
- Once You Know The Right Dose
- What Do I Recommend?
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