IMPORTANT INFORMATION

Do you brush your teeth every day? Most people do because they know how important oral hygiene is for their overall health. Now, consider this—your cat can’t brush their own teeth or check for plaque and tartar buildup. Their oral health is entirely your responsibility.  

At our cattery, we take oral health seriously. Each cat has their teeth brushed regularly because maintaining good dental hygiene is essential to their well-being. We recommend brushing at least twice per week to prevent plaque accumulation, tartar formation, and the development of painful dental diseases.  

The process is simple and takes just a couple of minutes. We use a 360° toothbrush, which allows for more effective cleaning with minimal effort. For toothpaste, we use either Virbac enzymatic toothpaste, specifically designed for pets, or pure virgin coconut oil, which has natural antibacterial properties. A small amount of toothpaste or coconut oil is applied to the brush before gently introducing it to the cat’s mouth. The cat is then encouraged to chew on the brush while we hold it in place, ensuring both sides of their mouth are cleaned.  

Consistent brushing helps prevent common feline dental issues such as gingivitis, periodontal disease, and tooth resorption, which can cause significant pain and lead to tooth loss. Poor dental health doesn’t just affect the mouth—bacteria from untreated dental infections can enter the bloodstream, potentially leading to heart, liver, and kidney disease.  

A simple commitment to brushing your cat’s teeth twice a week can have a lasting impact on their health and quality of life. It’s a small effort with significant benefits, ensuring your cat remains comfortable, healthy, and free from preventable dental problems.

What is Taurine?
Taurine is an essential amino acid for cats, meaning they must obtain it directly from their diet. Unlike many other species, felines lack the necessary enzymes to synthesize sufficient taurine from precursor amino acids such as methionine and cysteine. Taurine is found exclusively in animal-based proteins, making it a fundamental component of a biologically appropriate feline diet.  

The consequences of taurine deficiency:

- A lack of sufficient taurine in a cat’s diet can lead to serious, often irreversible health problems, including dilated cardiomyopathy, DCM, and heart failure. Taurine is essential for maintaining normal cardiac muscle function. Without adequate taurine, the heart muscle weakens, leading to DCM, a condition in which the heart becomes enlarged and fails to pump blood efficiently. This can result in congestive heart failure, fluid accumulation in the lungs and abdomen, lethargy, respiratory distress, and potential sudden death. Taurine-deficient DCM can sometimes be reversed with dietary correction, but if left untreated, it can be fatal.  

- Feline central retinal degeneration, FCRD, and blindness can also occur due to taurine deficiency. Taurine plays a key role in maintaining retinal photoreceptor cells. Deficiency leads to progressive degeneration of the retina, resulting in gradual loss of vision and permanent blindness if not corrected early.  

- Digestive health and bile acid production are affected by taurine levels. Taurine is required for bile acid conjugation, which aids in fat digestion and nutrient absorption. Without sufficient taurine, cats may experience poor fat metabolism and gastrointestinal issues such as diarrhea and malabsorption.  

- Reproductive and developmental issues arise when pregnant and lactating queens do not receive adequate taurine intake to support fetal and neonatal development. Deficiencies during pregnancy can result in poor fetal development, increased risk of stillbirths and neonatal mortality, and weakened immune function in kittens.  

- Immune system dysfunction and cellular health. Taurine helps regulate immune system function and contributes to cell membrane stability. A deficiency can increase susceptibility to infections, oxidative stress, and inflammatory conditions.  

Taurine requirements in Canada:

In Canada, the oversight of pet food by the Canadian Food Inspection Agency, CFIA, is limited to compliance with regulatory requirements for import and export of animal products and by-products.  

Minimum dietary taurine requirements for cats, dry matter basis:

Kittens and reproducing cats require 0.2 percent taurine in dry food and 0.25 percent in wet food. Adult cats require 0.1 percent taurine in dry food and 0.2 percent in wet food. These are minimum baseline levels, but factors such as processing losses, bioavailability, and individual metabolic needs often necessitate higher dietary taurine intake.  

How anti-nutritional ingredients block taurine absorption:

Even when a diet contains taurine, certain ingredients can block its absorption, increase its excretion, or interfere with bile acid metabolism, leading to taurine depletion.  

- Lentils, peas, chickpeas, and other legumes have become a common replacement for grains in grain-free pet foods, but they pose significant nutritional risks. They contain phytates and lectins that bind to minerals and interfere with taurine metabolism. They are high in fibre, which increases bile acid loss and accelerates taurine depletion. High-legume diets have been associated with diet-related DCM. Feline digestion is not adapted to process large amounts of plant-based proteins, making legume-heavy diets inappropriate.  

- High-fibre diets and bile acid loss. Dietary fibre affects taurine levels by increasing bile acid excretion, which depletes taurine stores, thus reducing taurine reabsorption, and leading to chronic deficiency. Since taurine is reabsorbed through bile salt recycling, excessive fibre in the diet can disrupt this process, making it difficult for cats to maintain adequate taurine levels.  

- Heat-processed dry kibble and taurine loss. Taurine is a heat-sensitive amino acid that degrades during the high-temperature extrusion process used in dry food production. Even when taurine is supplemented after processing, factors such as ingredient interactions and storage conditions can further reduce its bioavailability. Kibble-based diets are inherently less reliable for maintaining adequate taurine levels compared to fresh, raw, or lightly cooked diets.  

- Plant-based and vegan diets present a nutritional deficiency risk. Taurine is only found in animal-based proteins. Plant-based and vegan diets rely on synthetic taurine supplementation, which does not fully address the broader deficiencies in amino acids such as methionine, arginine, and lysine, essential fatty acids such as EPA and DHA, and bioavailable vitamins such as A, D, and B12. Cats on plant-based diets are at high risk of taurine deficiency, even when synthetic taurine is added.  

- Raw fish containing thiaminase. Certain raw fish species such as smelt and carp contain thiaminase, an enzyme that breaks down thiamine, vitamin B1. While thiaminase does not directly degrade taurine, thiamine deficiency can negatively impact neurological function, metabolism, and overall health, compounding the effects of poor taurine absorption.  

Taurine-rich and bioavailable food sources:

To ensure optimal taurine intake, feline diets should focus on high-quality animal proteins with minimal plant-based fillers.  

Best natural sources of taurine:

- Dark muscle meats such as chicken thighs, turkey, beef, and lamb.
- Cardiac muscle such as heart tissue is one of the richest taurine sources. 

- Marine proteins such as clams, mussels, shrimp, and other shellfish are excellent options.
- Whole-prey diets are often naturally balanced in taurine and essential amino acids.

Fresh and raw diets preserve taurine bioavailability better than heavily processed foods.  

Taurine supplementation and deficiency prevention: If a cat’s diet lacks sufficient taurine due to low animal protein content, high fibre, or processing losses, supplementation may be necessary.  

Supplementation guidelines:

Taurine supplements are available in powder, capsule, or tablet form. The recommended supplemental dosages are ten milligrams per kilogram of body weight per day, depending on dietary composition and individual needs.

Cats with DCM, FCRD, or metabolic conditions may require higher doses under veterinary guidance.  

Taurine is an essential, non-negotiable nutrient that supports cardiac health, vision, digestion, reproduction, and immune function in cats. However, the widespread inclusion of lentils, peas, chickpeas, and high-fibre plant ingredients in commercial pet food presents a serious risk to taurine absorption and bioavailability.  

For optimal feline health, diets should be rich in high-quality animal proteins, avoid plant-based fillers that block taurine absorption, and minimize legume-heavy, grain-free, and highly processed kibble diets. Understanding and addressing taurine-related dietary risks is crucial in preventing life-threatening deficiencies and ensuring long-term feline health and well-being.