Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)

Yes. Pantothenic acid is usually added to cat food under the name calcium pantothenate.

Pantothenic acid is vitamin B5, a water-soluble vitamin the body uses to make coenzyme A for energy metabolism. It is part of the B vitamin needs for cats described by the National Research Council in its 2006 report on dog and cat nutrient requirements. Cat foods add it in small amounts. For a cat with a medical condition, ask your veterinarian before using any supplement.

Source: nap.nationalacademies.org

Pantothenic acid is added so the food supplies enough vitamin B5. Liver and eggs contain it, but processing and storage reduce vitamin levels, so manufacturers include a stable form in the vitamin premix. It usually appears near the end of the ingredient list because only a small amount is needed.

Vitamin B5 is part of coenzyme A, a molecule cats use to break down food for energy and to build fatty acids. Because it works inside every cell, a lack of B5 would affect many body systems at once. Deficiency is rare in cats fed a complete and balanced food.

Cats eating a complete and balanced food usually do not need extra vitamin B5. Cornell Feline Health Center says supplements are usually unnecessary when a cat eats a balanced and complete diet and should never be given without a veterinarian's approval. On the label, the added B5 usually appears as d-calcium pantothenate near the end of the list.

Source: vet.cornell.edu

Pettings gives pantothenic acid 4 out of 5 and lists it as a vitamin. It appears on 147 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. Nearly every dry food we track includes it, usually as d-calcium pantothenate. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.