- Taurine
Cats (and humans) are among the few creatures that lack the ability to produce taurine, so they must get it through their diet.
Taurine deficiency in cats can lead to:
- Hearts that are frail (dilated cardiomyopathy)
- Vision loss
- Problems with digestion
- Taurine is now added to every commercially available cat food; however, it is rarely seen in dog food.
- Arachidonic Acid (AA)
- Arachidonic acid is a fatty acid that cats cannot produce; it must be eaten.
- Low arachidonic-acid levels in cats cause nonspecific indications of sickness, such as:
- Values of the liver and kidneys that are abnormal
- Increased skin issues occur from time to time.
- Because dogs can produce this fatty acid on their own, it is rarely added to dog food.
