Multi-Vitamin for Cats

Many pet owners wish to provide their animals with the best health possible by giving them a multi-vitamin for cats. Cats require a certain careful balance of vitamins and minerals as well as other nutrients in order to function at their best. By ingesting the proper combination of these vitamins, your cat will remain healthy and strong and is more likely to enjoy a long, happy, and illness free life.

The exact vitamins which your cat will need are slightly different from the vitamins which you may see in a human multi-vitamin supplement, however, so it's a good idea to familiarize yourself with the basics of feline nutrition before you purchase anything.

Benefits of Multi-Vitamins for Cats

Ideally, a good cat food will provide your pet with all of the different vitamins and nutrients that he needs. However, there are a number of reasons why he may still require a vitamin supplement as well. First, many cat foods do not provide the highest quality nutrients as a result of lower quality ingredients in the food. Second, sitting on the shelf for weeks or even longer can mean that the vitamins and nutrients which are naturally in cat food are reduced in quantity, thereby not giving your cat the nutrition he requires. For this reason, multi-vitamins are a good supplement to help your cat overall.

Components of a Cat Good Multi-Vitamin

Cats require certain enzymes and amino acids that can only be found in meat sources. For this reason, cats that do not eat meat will not be healthy and, ultimately, will not survive. Thus, many of the multi-vitamin supplements that are available for cats focus on some of these types of nutrients which are usually found in meat sources. These include:

  • Niacin
  • Riboflavin
  • Taurine
  • Thiamin

Additionally, cats require a mixture of different water- and fat-soluble vitamins for good health as well. These include:

  • Vitamin A
  • Vitamin D
  • Vitamin E
  • Vitamin B complex

Be aware that a cat's body naturally produces enough Vitamin C and Vitamin K to survive healthily, so it's not necessary to have either of these components in a multi-vitamin supplement for your cat. Other nutrients, like calcium and other elements, may be present in low quantities but are generally not needed if your pet has a quality food source.

Risks of Multi-Vitamins for Cats

It's important to be aware of the fact that giving your pet too much of certain vitamins and minerals can actually increase the risk of his developing health problems. Fat soluble vitamins, like several of those listed above, are not likely to pass through his system and can build up to toxic levels if given in too great a quantity. Other nutrients like calcium and magnesium are only necessary in such small levels that giving them to your cat in a multi-vitamin can actually put him at risk as well.

For these reasons, it's crucial that you discuss any plans to give your pet a vitamin supplement with your vet first.

 

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