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Cat Food Ingredient

Dicalcium Phosphate

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

Dicalcium and monocalcium phosphate supply calcium and phosphorus together. Added phosphates are absorbed more easily than the phosphorus in meat and bone. In a 2018 study in healthy cats fed high amounts of added phosphate, sodium phosphate led to glucose in the urine, a sign of kidney strain, while calcium monophosphate did not. A meat-based food already contains phosphorus from the meat.

Common Questions

Is dicalcium phosphate safe for cats?

Dicalcium phosphate is a mineral compound that supplies calcium and phosphorus. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that calcium and phosphorus deficiencies are uncommon in dogs and cats eating complete and balanced diets, which use sources like this to reach their targets. If your cat has kidney disease or urinary stones, ask your veterinarian about its calcium and phosphorus intake.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Why is dicalcium phosphate in cat food?

Dicalcium phosphate is added to supply calcium and phosphorus in a single ingredient. Formulators use it to bring a recipe to its target levels of both minerals, especially when the main ingredients do not contain much bone. It usually sits near the end of the ingredient list.

What is the difference between dicalcium phosphate and tricalcium phosphate?

The difference is the ratio of calcium to phosphate. Dicalcium phosphate has two calcium atoms for each pair of phosphate groups in its formula unit, while tricalcium phosphate has three, so it carries more calcium relative to phosphorus. Formulators choose between them depending on how much of each mineral the recipe needs.

Is dicalcium phosphate the same as bone meal?

No. Bone meal is ground, cooked bone. Dicalcium phosphate is a purified mineral compound. Both supply calcium and phosphorus, but dicalcium phosphate has a more consistent composition, which makes the final mineral levels easier to control. Pettings scores bone meal and dicalcium phosphate on separate pages.

How does Pettings score dicalcium phosphate?

Pettings gives dicalcium phosphate 3 out of 5 and lists it as a mineral. It appears on 17 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 Dicalcium Phosphate Compare

Dicalcium Phosphate is on the label of 17 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. Their average Ingredients score is 58 out of 100. The 132 foods without it average 57.

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 Dicalcium Phosphate

  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 Dicalcium Phosphate (17)