Taurine

Shellfish, fish, the dark meat of chicken and heart are natural sources of taurine. Many cat foods also add it separately to make sure a cat's needs are met.

Taurine is an amino acid that cats cannot make in large enough amounts, so it has to come from food. The Merck Veterinary Manual says plant proteins contain no taurine, so cats need animal protein or added synthetic taurine. AAFCO sets minimums for cat food. If your cat has heart disease or another medical condition, your veterinarian can tell you whether its diet needs changes.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Taurine is added because cats depend on food for it. The Merck Veterinary Manual links taurine deficiency to dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart muscle disease, and to central retinal degeneration. Plant proteins contain none, so makers add synthetic taurine to clear AAFCO minimums whatever the meat content. Nearly every dry cat food lists it.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

Low taurine can lead to serious disease in cats. The Merck Veterinary Manual says taurine deficiency can cause dilated cardiomyopathy, a weakening of the heart muscle, and central retinal degeneration, which can lead to blindness. Tufts veterinary nutritionists add that queens may also develop reproductive problems. Signs develop slowly, so routine veterinary checkups matter.

Source: merckvetmanual.com

AAFCO cat food nutrient profiles require at least 0.10% taurine on a dry matter basis for extruded dry food and 0.20% for canned food. The same minimums apply to adult maintenance and to growth and reproduction. AAFCO lists no maximum for taurine. A food that says complete and balanced is meant to meet these figures.

Source: aafco.org

Pettings gives taurine 5 out of 5 and lists it as a cat food ingredient. It appears on 146 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It is the top score on our scale and one of the most common ingredients in our list. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.