Cat Food Vitamins & Minerals - How They Benefit Your Cat’s Health

Protein may be the most necessary nutrient to a cat’s diet, but other types of nutrients play an important role in your cat’s health.

Minerals are required in a cat’s diet to keep him healthy, and mineral deficiencies can appear as an illness, according to Nina Anderson and Howard Peiper, authors of “Super Nutrition for Animals,” Safe Goods. For example, a nutritional deficiency of the mineral zinc can lead to growth problems in cats. Zinc works with many different enzymes in the body and is essential to protecting the body’s tissue from free radicals, they say. Additionally, calcium deficiency can cause weak bones. Copper deficiency can be expressed as loss of hair pigment. Potassium deficiency contributes to heart problems and general fatigue, among other ailments.

There needs to be a healthy balance between vitamins and minerals, and just as deficiencies are detrimental to health, so are excessive amounts. Too much calcium can lead to kidney stones or failure. The balancing nutrients for calcium are magnesium, vitamin D and boron. Anderson and Peiper say that pet owners can have their cats’ hair analyzed for a mineral analysis. Having the results of the nutrient mineral levels and toxic metal levels can assist you in determining if a mineral supplement program is necessary.

Minerals important to a cat’s growth and maintenance include: calcium for strong bones and muscles, chloride for kidney function, chromium for cardiovascular health, copper for healthy circulatory system, fluorine for strong teeth and bones, iodine for good thyroid function, manganese for the metabolism, pantothenic acid for the circulatory system, phosphorus for the metabolism and healthy bone growth, potassium for nerve and muscle functioning, selenium to work with other vitamins and minerals for muscle health, sulfur to build amino acids and zinc for hair and skin.

The authors also note that pets can receive minerals from vegetable sources but food processing of pet foods (high temperature cooking) can deplete these crucial nutrients. They recommend supplementing a pet’s diet with a general complete mineral supplement; however, because over supplementing can be hazardous to your cat’s healthy, you should seek the advice of your veterinarian before adding them.

Other important nutrients in a cat’s diet include enzymes, which work in the metabolism to help cells with energy production, in the digestive system to break down food and with antioxidants to help fight free radicals. Free radicals are atoms that have an odd number of electrons. They can be released during metabolism or from environmental toxins. They can do damage by reacting with cell membranes or DNA. Prevention of free radical damage relies on antioxidants. Some antioxidants include beta carotene and vitamins C and E, among others.

Raw food contains enzymes, and, according to Peiper and Anderson, cooked food does not contain live enzymes. If there aren’t enough enzymes, the body can’t break down and metabolize food efficiently. They recommend also taking caution when adding enzymes to the diet because, when in excess, they are stored in the liver and muscles. Again, confer with your veterinarian.

Essential fatty acids, required for healthy growth and gleaming coat, are nutrients required for overall health. They include alpha linolenic and linoleic acids. These acids aren’t stored in the body and must be eaten but high processing again destroys them. Also, Peiper and Anderson note that most pet foods have one essential fatty and not another, and a healthy balance is needed. Adding essential fatty acids to a cat’s diet can be almost a makeover, curing dry skin and sometimes hair loss. It can also reduce shedding, feline acne and hairballs.

Vitamins, like other nutrients, lose their effectiveness in processing and storage. Cat food manufacturers try to add them back into the formulas to balance the loss. Because cats are unable to convert beta carotene to vitamin A (unlike dogs and people), they require vitamin A in their diets. Additionally, vitamin C is thought to assist a pet’s health, especially in times health and stress. Peiper and Anderson say that vitamins A, C and E help fight infection and free radicals. They believe they may help in preventing cataracts.

Particular foods are good sources of nutrients, for example, vitamin E in egg yolks and liver as well as corn and sunflower oils. Nutritional yeast is a good source for B vitamins like niacin, biotin, pantothenic acid, thiamin and folic acid). Kelp, sometimes added to premium foods, is a source of calcium, potassium, magnesium and iodine as well as vitamin C. Liver and eggs are good sources for vitamin A. Cod liver oil is a source vitamin A as well as unsaturated fatty acids.

Richard Pitcairn, author of “Dr. Pitcairn’s Complete Guide to the Natural Health for Dogs and Cats,” Rodale, recommends specific food items when preparing homemade meals: cottage cheese—for calcium, vitamin A and protein; oats—for calcium, iron, protein; cheddar cheese for calcium and vitamin A; low-fat yogurt for vitamin B and calcium; canned salmon for vitamin A, calcium and protein; canned mackerel for calcium and protein; lean hamburger for iron and protein, among others. He also recommends growing wheatgrass in pots for cats to munch on when necessary for vitamins and minerals.

And, finally, let’s talk a bit about water, practically a nutrient in its own right. Those old wives tales that tell of the fact that you’ll never see a cat drinking water are not true. Cats living primarily on dry food must drink a lot of water. Their bodies (and ours!) are made primarily of water, but cats are made to take in most of their hydration through eating as they would in the wild. Dry food dehydrates them, so ensure they have good access to clean water at all times or supply canned wet food. Many holistic practitioners add water to dry food and even to already wet food to increase a pet’s hydration. Most holistic veterinarians recommend against offering regular tap water to pets because of the chlorine, fluorine and other treatments that can make a pet sick. They recommend a filter system, and there are several that are inexpensive and can attach right to your faucet.

If considering supplementing your cat’s diet, keep in mind that regarding vitamins, minerals and enzymes, nutritional needs vary in cats and nutritional supplies in cat foods vary. Ask your veterinarian if you think your cat would benefit from vitamin/mineral supplements.

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