Green Tea Extract
Our ingredient score: 2 / 5 · Herb or plant extract · How We Score
Green tea extract contains strong antioxidants called polyphenols and is added to cat food to help protect cells. However, green tea can contain caffeine, and cats are much more sensitive to caffeine than people are. Cat foods use very small amounts; a decaffeinated extract contains little caffeine. Still, it is not a necessary ingredient in a cat's diet.
Common Questions
Are cats sensitive to caffeine?
Yes. Cats are much more sensitive to caffeine than people are, which is why some foods use a decaffeinated green tea extract.
Is green tea extract bad for cats?
Green tea extract is a concentrate made from tea leaves, and pet foods use it for its polyphenols, a group of plant antioxidants. FDA lists tea among natural extractives with GRAS status in 21 CFR 582.20. Research in cats is limited, and a study in dogs measured how green tea catechins are absorbed. If your cat has a medical condition, ask your veterinarian about its food.
Source: ecfr.gov
Why is green tea extract in cat food?
Green tea extract is added as a natural antioxidant source. Its main compounds are catechins, polyphenols that can slow oxidation of fats in a food and are studied for effects in the body. The Pettings page says it is added to help protect cells, though proof of benefit in cats at food levels is limited.
Does green tea extract in cat food contain caffeine?
It can, unless the extract is decaffeinated. Tea leaves naturally contain caffeine, and labels rarely say whether the extract used was decaffeinated. The Merck Veterinary Manual names caffeine as one of the methylxanthines behind chocolate toxicosis in animals. The small amount of extract used in dry cat food limits exposure, but labels do not state caffeine content.
Source: merckvetmanual.com
What are catechins in green tea?
Catechins are plant polyphenols found in tea leaves, with EGCG being the best known. They act as antioxidants in lab tests. A study in beagles measured how green tea catechins are absorbed and cleared, and research in cats is scarce. The amount reaching a cat from dry food is small.
Source: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
How does Pettings score green tea extract?
Pettings gives green tea extract 2 out of 5 and lists it as an herb or plant extract. It appears on 4 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. The page describes it as a source of strong antioxidants called polyphenols. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.
How Foods With Green Tea Extract Compare
Green Tea Extract is on the label of 4 of the 149 dry cat foods we list.