Lysine is one of the most common ingredients in treats for cats. Cat treats are oftentimes designed to be tasty and rewarding eating experiences for pets, but many treats also contain helpful nutrients as well. Although it's important that you not let your cat's treat schedule infringe upon his meals, lysine treats will provide your cat with an essential nutrient that he may not get enough of through other means.
Lysine is a vital nutrient for your pet, but it's not one that his own body can manufacture by itself. This makes it a great ingredient in both cat foods and also in specialized types of cat treats that contain helpful nutrients. Before you give your pet lysine specific cat treats, read on for a brief overview of this compound and its benefits.
Lysine and Cats
Lysine is a form of an amino acid. Amino acids are types of protein groups that perform a wide range of functions in the body. Variously, they are responsible for regulating and promoting, among other things:
- healthy metabolic systems
- digestion
- hormone creation
- organ function
Lysine in particular is helpful in the production of collagen and other chemicals. These chemicals, in turn, will help your cat's body to produce the skin and hair cells that it needs to protect its inner organs. Thus, a diet that is rich in lysine will oftentimes help to lead to a cat with a healthy coat and healthy skin as well.
Lysine Treats
A number of specialized types of cat treats provide your pet with lysine. These treats are available in grocery stores and pet stores. Lysine treats do not require any sort of veterinary recommendation, although if you're considering giving your pet a healthy type of treat that will help to aid in his overall body health, it's a good idea to consult with your vet first in order to find the best treats to give your pet.
As with other treats, lysine treats will likely be high in fat content. They will not provide your pet with the full mixture of nutrients that a high quality food will. Therefore, it's crucial that you not feed your cat too many lysine treats, no matter how he may ask for them. While it's true that lysine will not build up to dangerous levels in your pet's body, you should also know that feeding him too many lysine treats may lead to overweight issues, refusal to eat regular food and more.
As your cat doesn't eat his regular food, he will suffer from an imbalance of other nutrients, though his lysine levels may be adequate.
Lysine is found in many different meat products. Lysine cat treats are likely to contain a red meat source or a soy type source as well.
For more information about these or other types of cat treats, consult with your veterinarian.