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The amino acid taurine is essential for the health of cats
Taurine is a sulfur-containing amino acid and named after the Latin Taurus, which means bull or ox, as it was first isolated from ox bile in 1827 by the German scientists Gmelin and Tiedemann. Taurine is also known as 2-aminoethanesulfonic acid and is generally found in the tissues of animals. It is necessary for normal heart function, vision & reproduction, nervous and immune system and for healthy reproduction.
Most animals can manufacture taurine from other amino acids in their body if they suffer a deficiency. Cats cannot manufacture Taurine from other building block amino acids (methionine and cysteine). Therefore it is essential that cats obtain Taurine in their diet on a daily basis.
If you do feed your cat a homemade diet, you must add a Taurine supplement
Taurine is very often overlooked in homemade diets which can have harmful effects on your cat. Even though taurine is found in the raw meat home made diet, it is so critical that we include taurine in the homemade raw meat cat food as well to avoid defiecencies.
Cooking destroys this essential nutrient in food. Although raw meats contain certain amounts of taurine, cooked food breaks down taurine and may thus fall short of the daily requirement. Since cooked diets are lower in taurine, pet owners should administer taurine supplements to avoid health concerns.
With prolonged deficiencies, cats can develop
- central retina degeneration, resulting in blindness
- dilated cardiomyopathy, a heart disease
- weakened immune system
- deficiencies on reproduction
Recommended use
The dosage of Taurine to be given depends on the kind of feeding method used. Raw meat and especially raw heart contain Taurine, but it is recommended to supplement the cat’s diet additionally.
Typical dosage
25-50 mg/kg BM per day/per cat mixed with water/food. Do not over-supplement and always mix with water.
Taurine occurs naturally in animal based proteins such as seafood and meat, mainly heart, liver and brain. It is not found in plants. Taurine can also be given as a powdered supplement.
Please note:
No additional supplementation with Taurine is necessary or in any way recommended when feeding cat food made using TCPremix. Catfood made with TCPremix and according to our instructions provides your cat with a minimum of 200mg Taurine per daily serving.