Biotin (Vitamin B7)

A biotin deficiency can lead to hair loss and dry skin.

Biotin, also called vitamin B7, is a water-soluble B vitamin that cat food makers add in small amounts. The Merck Veterinary Manual describes biotin as a cofactor for four carboxylase reactions in mammals and says it can come from the diet or be made by gut bacteria. Naturally occurring deficiency is very rare in cats. If your cat has a medical condition, ask your veterinarian before giving any extra biotin.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Biotin is added so the finished food reaches the vitamin levels a complete and balanced cat food is formulated to meet. Meat and eggs carry some biotin naturally, but cooking and storage can lower vitamin content, so manufacturers include a measured amount in the vitamin premix. On a label it usually shows up as biotin or d-biotin, near the end of the ingredient list.

Raw egg whites can tie up biotin. The Merck Veterinary Manual explains that raw egg white contains avidin, a protein that binds biotin and blocks its absorption. Cooking breaks down avidin. This matters mostly for home-prepared or raw diets that use a lot of uncooked egg white; commercial cat foods add biotin to their vitamin mix.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Yes. Biotin has been called vitamin H and vitamin B7, and all three names refer to the same compound. Cat food labels in the United States almost always use the word biotin, sometimes written as d-biotin, which is the natural form of the molecule. If you see any of these names on a bag, they describe the same added B vitamin.

Pettings gives biotin 4 out of 5 and lists it as a vitamin. It appears on 139 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. Added B vitamins like this one score well with us because they help a food meet its nutrient targets. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.