Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)

Only a little. Folic acid dissolves in water, and the body keeps limited stores, mainly in the liver, so cats need a regular supply from their food.

Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, a B vitamin cats need for making DNA and red blood cells. The Merck Veterinary Manual notes that in cats, long-term folate deficiency may lead to megaloblastic anemia and higher plasma iron levels. Complete cat foods add folic acid to meet nutrient targets. If your cat has a medical condition, your veterinarian can tell you whether its folate status needs checking.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Folic acid is in cat food to supply vitamin B9. Organ meats contain natural folate, but much of it can be lost during cooking and storage, so manufacturers add a stable synthetic form to the vitamin premix. The amount is small, which is why folic acid usually sits near the end of the ingredient list.

Folate is the general name for vitamin B9 in its natural food forms. Folic acid is the synthetic, more stable form used in supplements and fortified foods, including cat food. The body converts folic acid into the active folate forms it uses. Both names on a label point to the same vitamin.

The Merck Veterinary Manual says that long-term folate deficiency in cats may cause megaloblastic anemia, a type of anemia with unusually large red blood cells, along with raised plasma iron. A cat with anemia can seem tired or weak, and only a veterinarian can find the cause with blood tests. Deficiency is uncommon in cats eating a complete and balanced food.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Pettings gives folic acid 4 out of 5 and lists it as a vitamin. It appears on 148 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. Folic acid is one of the standard B vitamins found in nearly every dry food we track. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.