Do Vitamins and Minerals for cats actually help?
The answer is a resounding yes, especially with vitamin deficiency.
Your cat could not survive without them.
However, your cat is going to have the same problems with swallowing pills and capsules that you have, and the same problems with after taste of these forms of vitamins. Undoubtedly you are giving your cat what you think is the best premium cat food.
However, the heat that is involved in processing pet foods destroys some of the vital vitamins and minerals, and additional vitamins are destroyed while the product sits on the shelf or in storage facilities, more reasons why you should provide vitamins to your feline friend. This is also not factoring in that these pet foods often times lack the essential vitamins and minerals to begin with.
There are two categories of vitamins; water-soluble and fat soluble vitamins.
Water soluble vitamins include the B vitamins, niacin, pantothenic acid, folic acid, biotin, choline, and vitamin C. If your cat consumes too many of any type of these vitamins, it will eliminate them through urine with no harm to the animal.
Fat-soluble vitamins include vitamin A, D, E, and K. These are vitamins that your feline friend can not get rid of through their urine, and these vitamins should be closely monitored. If given in excess, they could reach toxic levels and potentially poison your pet. You should always check with your veterinarian before giving your cat these particular vitamins.
Your cat will also need essential and trace minerals such as sodium chloride, iron, calcium, phosphorus, zinc, magnesium, and potassium, even though they are a very small part of the dietary balance required for cats; they will help to ensure good and proper health as well as immunities for certain illnesses. There are several very good brands in the marketplace, but again you should check with your veterinarian on particulars on what your feline may be missing.
Male cats, especially, may be subject to developing urinary tract infections and vitamin deficiency if fed a diet high in calcium and magnesium, as cats require a diet low in calcium and magnesium.
fish is high in both of these minerals and you should avoid feeding your cat extra-ordinary high amounts of fish, even though cats love fish.
Vitamin and mineral supplements will play a major role in preventing vitamin deficiency in your feline, and proper supplements are a must for their healthy lifestyle. Vitamin C, for example, is very important in the synthesis of collagen, which is the most distributed tissue in the body.
There was at one time a belief that there was not a dietary need for vitamin C in cats and that they could synthesize their own vitamin C. However, several recent studies have shown that cats "do not" produce enough vitamin C and there indeed is a need for supplements.
Your cat is carnivores; which means it requires food that is high in protein that includes certain types of acids like fat and taurine.Cats will not get enough protein if fed a vegetarian diet.
They must have meat.
In nature, the mouse that they would catch and eat consists mostly of muscle tissue which is a main source of protein and amino acids, bones which are sources of calcium, and hair, consisting of fiber, certain minerals, and protein.
The inner organs of a mouse will provide your cat with types of predigested grains of vitamin B and enzymes. One unusual characteristic of cats is that they "cannot form vitamin A from beta-carotene".Cats are also quite inefficient at converting the vitamin niacin from amino acid.
Your feline friend may resist at taking vitamins and mineral supplements simply because they have a very hard time swallowing them, but they are essential for their overall health. Liquid vitamins may be a much easier way to supplement your companion, so before you give up, you might want to try the liquid form.
I am an avid lover of pets and my wife and I have had several pets throughout our years. We are especially fond of dogs, and we have a 12 year old Dalmatian (our 3rd) and a "mutt" that we rescued when someone threw him away to die in a vacant field. He found us, nearly starved to death, and weighed about 2 pounds. After severe bouts of mange and severe dehydration, and over 1,000.00 in veterinarian bills, we saved the little guys life, and he is one of the best, if not the best, dogs we have ever had and today is a muscular, fit, and firm 70 pound best friend
After finishing my MBA, which at middle age was not easy, I decided to keep the research work ethics that I acquired, and devote about two hours each night in understanding the health benefits of supplementation for both humans and pets and how they might strengthen our, as well as our pets, immune system in a pre-emptive approach to health rather than a reactionary approach. Both of my daughters are avid cat lovers, and asked me to help them with health concerns and challenges with their cats. I am not a veterinarian nor claim to be, just a lover of pets that loves to research and pass on some knowledge that might be helpful, or at least stimulating to the thought process. Several of the articles that I have written can be found on my website; Liquid Vitamins & Minerals for Humans & Pets, http://www.liquid-vitamins-minerals-humans-pets.com/
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