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Cat Food Ingredient

Calcium Carbonate

Our ingredient score: 3 / 5 · Mineral · How We Score

Calcium carbonate provides calcium, the building block of bones and teeth. Calcium is also needed for muscle contraction, nerve signaling and blood clotting. In pet foods, it is used to set the balance between calcium and phosphorus; this balance is especially important for bone development in growing kittens. If more is used than needed, it can upset this balance, but it is carefully adjusted in foods. It is one of the most common calcium sources in pet food.

Common Questions

Why does calcium balance matter for kittens?

The balance between calcium and phosphorus is especially important for bone development in growing kittens, which is why calcium carbonate amounts are carefully adjusted in foods.

Is calcium carbonate safe for cats?

Calcium carbonate is a common calcium source, the same compound found in limestone and eggshell. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that calcium and phosphorus deficiencies are uncommon in dogs and cats eating complete and balanced diets, which add calcium sources like this one in measured amounts. If your cat has kidney disease or urinary stones, ask your veterinarian about its calcium intake.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Why is calcium carbonate in cat food?

Calcium carbonate is added to raise the calcium content of a food and to balance it against phosphorus. Muscle meat is high in phosphorus and low in calcium, so recipes without much bone need an added calcium source. Calcium carbonate is inexpensive and contains a high share of calcium by weight.

Is calcium carbonate the same as eggshell powder?

Eggshell is mostly calcium carbonate, so the two supply calcium in a similar form. On a cat food label, calcium carbonate usually means a purified mineral source rather than ground eggshell. Some home-prepared diets use eggshell powder, and a veterinary nutritionist can check whether a homemade recipe has the right calcium amount.

Does cat food need added calcium if it contains bone?

Not always. Bone meal and ground bone already supply calcium and phosphorus, so foods with a lot of bone may need less added calcium. Formulators test the finished food and add calcium carbonate or another source only when needed to reach the target. That is why some labels list it and others do not.

How does Pettings score calcium carbonate?

Pettings gives calcium carbonate 3 out of 5 and lists it as a mineral. It appears on 92 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. Our How We Score page explains how ingredient scores are set. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.

How Foods With Calcium Carbonate Compare

Calcium Carbonate is on the label of 92 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. Their average Ingredients score is 52 out of 100. The 57 foods without it average 66.

An average describes the foods, not this ingredient alone: one ingredient is only a small part of a food's score.

Top-Ranked Foods Without Calcium Carbonate

  1. Orijen Guardian 8 (91)
  2. Orijen Kitten (91)
  3. Orijen Original Cat (91)
  4. Acana Highest Protein Wild Atlantic (90)
  5. Go! Solutions Carnivore Grain Free Chicken, Turkey + Duck Recipe (90)

Ranked the same way as our best lists: nothing on the Avoid List and a Nutrition score of at least 6/10 first, then by Ingredients score.

Foods With Calcium Carbonate (92)