

Wheatgerm, corn, sweetcorn, and other vegetable proteinsĪll organ or muscle meat contains taurine, but its digestibility will influence how much your cat must eat to ingest enough.

The most frequently used protein sources and their biological values are as follows:īiological value (how much of a protein source a cat can use) The efficiency of each common protein source can be measured by looking at its biological value-what percentage of the protein source is metabolisable. In theory, a cat can eat a vegetarian diet but would have to consume considerably larger quantities to satisfy the amino acid requirement. What foods contain taurine for cats ?Ĭats have evolved as obligate carnivores, and their bodies can process animal protein much more efficiently than protein from vegetable sources.
#TAURINE FOR CATS BENEFITS FULL#
Taurine is linked to the failure to carry kittens to full term, retarded growth in kittens, and poor health among pregnant queens.īoth mummy and her kittens need high levels of taurine in their food to ensure healthy growth. The relevance of taurine for cats’ reproductive function Your cat may then stop eating, which can cause further complications and damage. The inability to produce bile can lead to diarrhoea and nausea. The delivery of essential fatty acids to maintain cell structure.Without sufficient taurine, felines cannot process the fats they need for: Taurine helps a cat’s body produce bile, which allows fat to be digested. The role of taurine in maintaining digestive tract health in cats This can cause gradual heart failure in a cat that isn’t getting enough taurine. If the mineral levels in a feline heart are imbalanced, the heart muscles can no longer contract correctly. In the 1980s, taurine was found to play a role in maintaining the correct level of calcium and other minerals on either side of the membranes in a cat’s heart. The amino acid is also found in the retina itself, meaning that a lack of taurine can lead to:

These cells-known as rods and cones due to their respective shapes-process light coming into the eye and turn it into neurological impulses for the brain to interpret. Taurine forms a large part of the light-sensing cells in a cat’s retina.

The importance of taurine for cats’ eyesight Taurine is responsible for the health and maintenance of the following systems in a cat’s body: Source: Arina Krasnikova What does taurine do? Most animals can synthesise taurine from the proteins they eat by breaking them down into their constituent amino acids and recombining them as taurine.Ĭats can’t do this, so they need relatively large amounts of taurine in the ready-made form in their food. Taurine is an amino acid that cats need in their diet.Īmino acids are the building blocks of proteins and are essential for the formation and maintenance of: Untamed takes you through the science behind taurine in cat food and helps you ensure the diet you choose keeps your feline as healthy as possible. Ĭommercial cat foods-whether wet or dry -contain enough taurine for your cat’s needs, but you may need to exercise more care with homemade, raw, or tailor-made food to make sure your cat gets the necessary amounts. Since the mid-1980s, feline nutritionists have understood the role of taurine in keeping cats healthy, as well as knowing the long-term consequences of too little of this amino acid in your kitty’s food. Why is taurine in cat food essential ? Untamed has the answer!Īs a cat parent, you will most likely have heard of taurine and how important it is in your cat’s diet.
