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Cat Food Ingredient

Yucca Extract

Our ingredient score: 3 / 5 · Herb or plant extract · How We Score

Yucca schidigera is a plant that grows in the desert, and its extract is used in cat food to reduce stool and urine odor. Studies in cats and dogs have shown that it noticeably reduces stool odor; this effect is thought to come from the saponins it contains. This makes the litter box smell milder, especially for cats that live indoors. It has also been suggested to have a mild anti-inflammatory effect, but this rests mostly on laboratory studies. No harm is known at the amounts used in cat food.

Yucca Extract also appears on labels as Dried Yucca Schidigera Extract, Yucca Schidigera Extract.

Common Questions

Does yucca have anti-inflammatory effects in cats?

A mild anti-inflammatory effect has been suggested, but this rests mostly on laboratory studies.

Is yucca extract safe for cats?

Yucca extract comes from Yucca schidigera, a desert plant, and is used in small amounts in many pet foods. A published study looked at yucca extract and fecal odor in dogs and cats. We found no FDA guidance specific to yucca in cat food. If your cat has a medical condition, ask your veterinarian whether this ingredient matters for its diet.

Source: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Why is yucca extract in cat food?

Yucca extract is added mainly to reduce stool and urine odor. The plant contains saponins and other compounds that are thought to bind ammonia and other smelly compounds. The Pettings page describes it as used in cat food to reduce stool and urine odor.

Does yucca reduce litter box smell?

Yucca extract is used for that purpose, and there is some research behind it. A study titled The ameliorating effect of Yucca schidigera extract on canine and feline faecal aroma tested it in dogs and cats. Litter box odor also depends on the litter and how often the box is cleaned, so results at home vary.

Source: pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Is yucca the same as yuca or cassava?

No, yucca and yuca are different plants. Yucca schidigera, used in pet food as an extract, is a desert plant related to agave. Yuca, also called cassava, is a starchy tropical root eaten as food. The similar spelling causes confusion, but yucca extract on a cat food label always means the desert plant.

How does Pettings score yucca extract?

Pettings gives yucca extract 3 out of 5 and lists it as an herb or plant extract. It appears on 36 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. It is one of the most common plant extracts in the dry foods we track. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.

How Foods With Yucca Extract Compare

Yucca Extract is on the label of 36 of the 149 dry cat foods we list. Their average Ingredients score is 70 out of 100. The 113 foods without it average 53.

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 Yucca Extract

  1. Orijen Guardian 8 (91)
  2. Orijen Kitten (91)
  3. Orijen Original Cat (91)
  4. Acana Highest Protein Wild Atlantic (90)
  5. Instinct Raw Boost Kibble Real Chicken Recipe (88)

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 Yucca Extract (36)