Purrs In Our Hearts - Cat Forum UK
Cat Health & Behaviour => Health & Behaviour General => Topic started by: Mymblesdaughter on November 29, 2011, 13:52:22 PM
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I've just found out the two cat foods I use don't have added taurine. Herrmanns wet food and Porta 21 dry. I'm a bit worried, what would people recommend should I add it to their food? Will it naturally be in the food as they are both good quality high meat content.
It's so difficult it's taken me a while to find these foods that the cats and I like and now I find they might be missing out on something vital. Although at the moment they are really healthy and have lovely coats.
Thanks
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Gillian is the expert on this. maybe you could sent her a message?
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Will it naturally be in the food as they are both good quality high meat content.
Taurine IS naturally occurring in meat, so with a high meat content food, I would have thought here should be sufficient, but I know processing can deplete taurine somewhat - might be worth emailing the makers and seeing what they say about taurine in their foods. :)
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When you say they don't have 'added taurine', do they list the taurine content at all? I know nothing (or very little!) about nutrional requirements but I just looked on the back of the Bozita pack as an example and it has 'additives' listed as being vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin E, copper sulphate.
There is no added taurine but listed under 'Nutritional value' is protein and in brackets 'Taurine 0.07%' The Bozita packaging says 'contains all vitamins and minerals your cat needs' so even though there's no added taurine the natural taurine content is enough.
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Thanks guys. I emailed zooplus to ask and they just said it wasn't listed as an added ingredient. So they would recommend adding a taurine supplement they sell. I didn't feel that really answered the question so thought I'd look further into it. The Porta says it has 0.17% per Kg but the Hermmann's has no information on the packets. Having looked around on the internet it seems some people feel that many cat food don't have enough taurine.
They have oily fish twice a week as well as their usual stuff but just to be safe I'm going to add some seaweed and possibly krill if i can find it (as apparently these are good for taurine). It would seem a bit crazy to buy all organic additive free food then have to add a supplement.
I think maybe I just worry too much.