Vet Says Not To Feed Grain Free Food To Cats

[zed xyzed]

To additionally supplement with taurine, Does it have to be prescribed by the vet or you can just add it to the kitty diet?
Thank you!!

you can buy it without prescription just make sure that it is pure taurine, some companies add fillers. BTW there are many studies that show taurine is not toxic or dangerous, what they don't use the pee out. I say better to be safe than sorry. I just add a sprinkle on their food in the morning

Taurine Deficiency in Cats | NASC LIVE

Taurine: Please Make Double Sure Your Cat Gets This Daily

here is one that has no additives L-Taurine 1000mg ~ 200 Capsules - No Additives ~ Naturetition Supplements

 

[JamesCalifornia]

~ I often sprinkled Brewers Yeast on kitty food. This contains Taurine.

 

[Tobermory]

~ I often sprinkled Brewers Yeast on kitty food. This contains Taurine.

Good to know. I had no idea!

 

[5starcathotel]

There is no evidence how much a house cat's extra years of life compare to a stray cat belongs to having a shelter and how much of it belongs to nutrition.

You do have a point. Evolution only has an effect through primary reproductive years, and I think we all know, cats can reproduce in great quantities from 6 months on. That humans can, on average live to around 80yo, would mean almost nothing to Darwin.

 

[JamesCalifornia]

Taurine Deficiency in Cats | NASC LIVE

~ Important to notice that this article shows that just because a cat food has the AAFCO compliance statement does not necessarily mean it is complete ! No wonder fussy cat people worry ...

 

[MissClouseau]

~ Important to notice that this article shows that just because a cat food has the AAFCO compliance statement does not necessarily mean it is complete ! No wonder fussy cat people worry ...

I heard from a USA veterinarian AAFCO standards are for minimums. And that with brands that don't have feeding trials there is less assurance on if there could be a problem for the animal with their maximums.

That's also my main concern with smaller brands. DCM is rare but without knowing the maximums of minerals etc + without feeding trials, harder to know these foods' effect in the longterm. It's like sure, a little bit too much salt one meal does not hurt a healthy human but if it's "a little bit too much salt" every day for months or years, we see its effect in our organs after a while.

 

[kittyhonored]

Rule number 1:Rarely EVER listen to your vet on FOOD ADVICE. They don't have the education and most don't have the motivation to study the topic. Vets recommending food would be like an MD telling you to eat weight watchers. They usually won't because they have no idea what is in the food.

I should make you aware that the VET prescription diets have been using peas for decades, the novel protein diets. Is it possible that it effects absorption of taurine? Absolutely!
But since cats get it supplemented in the food, MOST probably get enough to starve off illness.

The problem is that many pet food companies do not hire qualified nutritionists (with a PhD or DVM) and do not conduct feeding trials on their formulas, and they haven't bothered to research whether or not legumes are an appropriate ingredient in pet foods.

Actually most don't. Don't believe the hype. Even the big ones don't for every line. Prescription diets are the exception. In any case the AAFCO recommendations are used by most companies. You don't need a vet nutritionist for that. Any "food chemist" can calculate. As for food trials...regular pet food don't get food trails and even the vet diets are limited. You really think they are withheld for years from the marketplace so a decade of food trial can be done? Lack of FDA approval gives a lot of lee way.
The sad fact is except for rice and pumpkin, not many other carb/grain sources have ever gotten extensive studies for cats. Therefore, a vet nutritionalist adding it to a food only shows