Taurine is an amino acid that can only be found in animal-based proteins, such as chicken, pork, beef, etc. It plays an important role in maintaining healthy vision, digestion, heart muscle function, maintaining normal pregnancy and fetal development, and maintaining a healthy immune system.
Taurine is an essential amino acid required by cats. Essential amino acids are amino acids that the body cannot synthesise on their own and hence it needs to be supplemented into their diet. Taurine can be readily obtained in a cat's diet containing animal-based protein. However, it needs to be consumed on a daily basis as it cannot be stored in the body in large quantities.
Symptoms of Taurine deficiency may take several months to surface, signs include:
- Vision impairment: feline central retinal degeneration (FCRD) which can lead to irreversible blindness
- Weakening of heart muscles: dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) which can lead to heart failure and death
- Abnormal pregnancy: small litter sizes, low birth weights, or fetal abnormalities affecting the growth and development of kittens
How to avoid this?
- Ensure that your cat’s diet contains high-quality animal-based proteins
- Taurine supplements can be added to your cat’s diet especially for growth and development and heart disease
Candioli Vigorpet Vitamin & Amino Acid Paste 50g
Vigorpet Cats paste provides an adequate intake of vitamins and amino acids useful in case of; weakness, post-surgical recovery, infections, metabolic imbalances, fasting, aging, growing, pregnancy, and lactation. It is an easy to give paste loved by cats due to its excellent palatability
It can be used to stimulate general conditions thanks to its content of branched amino acids.
A cat’s health can deteriorate very quickly when they fall sick. Hence, it is important for cat owners to take the necessary preventative healthcare having annual vet checkups or semi-annual checkups if your cat is sick/older!
This way we can ensure our little ones can enjoy a higher quality of life!