Cat vitamins and supplements: what do they actually need?

Cats need the right vitamins to live their healthiest lives. In most cases, they can get those vitamins simply by eating high-quality, nutritionally complete and balanced foods.

But in other cases, a vet may recommend adding vitamins or other supplements to a cat’s diet.

Let’s take a look at the roles that vitamins and supplements play in cat health and how best to provide them.

Cat vitamins, explained

Vitamins are essential nutrients that cats must take in through their diet because their bodies can’t make them on their own. They're considered micronutrients, meaning that they are needed in smaller amounts in comparison to macronutrients, like protein and fat. Cats don’t need lots of micronutrients, but they’re still important.

Different vitamins do different things. But, as a group, they're essential for growth, metabolism, and fighting diseases. Cats who are vitamin-deficient can develop skin and coat problems, weight loss or poor growth, lethargy, and neurologic problems.

Commercially available cat foods that follow the guidelines put forth by UK Pet Food contain all the vitamins that cats need to thrive.

On the other hand, cats who are suffering from health problems or who are eating home-prepared diets often do need to take vitamins and other nutritional supplements.

But getting too much or the wrong type of a vitamin or supplement can sometimes be just as dangerous as getting too little!

That's why it's always best to talk to your vet before adding anything to your cat’s diet. They can work out if supplementation is needed and how much.

If you're confused about pet nutrition generally, that's okay - it's a complex topic, and our guide on pet nutrition can help.

What vitamins do cats need to stay healthy?

Vitamins

These are the vitamins that cat foods must contain in appropriate amounts and ratios:

Unlike humans, cats naturally produce vitamin C in their liver. They therefore don’t require it from their diet or from supplements.

Minerals

Minerals are another type of micronutrient, but unlike vitamins, they don’t contain carbon. The minerals that must be included in a cat’s diet include:

Other supplements a vet may recommend

• Antioxidants for feline senior citizens or cats in poor health.

• Herbal remedies or S-Adenosyl Methionine (SAMe) for liver support.

• L-lysine is another essential amino acid which can help manage symptoms of feline herpesvirus (FHV-1).

• Omega-3 fatty acids to reduce inflammation associated with allergies, arthritis, and other health problems.

• Probiotics for digestive health.

• Supplements for painful joints, like chondroitin sulfate, glucosamine, Methylsulfonylmethane (MSM), soybean unsaponifiables (ASU), and hyaluronic acid, as well as omega-3 fatty acids.

• Taurine is an essential amino acid that cats can’t produce on their own. It usually comes from meat, but a vet may recommend supplementation to support heart function, muscle development and healthy pregnancies.

How to treat vitamin deficiency in cats

A veterinarian may suspect that a cat has a vitamin deficiency based on their diet or their clinical signs, but testing vitamin levels in a blood or other tissue sample is usually necessary to confirm the diagnosis.

Here are some signs of vitamin and mineral deficiencies in cats:

• Bone problems - Lack of calcium or phosphorus.

• Coat and skin issues - Lack of Vitamin A, B-complex vitamins, general nutrition or zinc.

• Dental issues - Can be caused by a lack of calcium, phosphorus or Vitamin D.

• Lack of energy - Can indicate iron or B12 issues, especially when combined with pale gums.

• Poor vision and eye health - Dilated pupils and issues with vision can be caused by a lack of taurine.

• Tremors, spasms and seizures - A lack of Vitamin B1, magnesium and calcium can cause this.

However, it’s important to remember that there are many other underlying reasons why your pet may develop these symptoms. They may not necessarily be due to a dietary deficiency. Your vet will recommend appropriate investigations to get to the bottom of things.

While maintaining healthy vitamin and mineral levels in a cat’s body is best achieved through feeding a nutritionally complete and balanced diet, some health problems are managed, at least in part, by giving cats supplements for extra support. For example:

• B vitamins are given to cats with some gastrointestinal diseases.

• Vitamin A and zinc are used to treat certain skin conditions.

• Iron may be prescribed for some types of anaemia.

• Vitamin E and selenium can support the immune system.

• Vitamin K is used to treat cats after they’ve eaten rodenticides that impair blood clotting.

Risks of giving your cat supplements

Most of the time, the biggest risk associated with giving cat vitamins is wasting money. Cats will just pee out water-soluble vitamins (B vitamins, for example) that they don’t need. However, this isn’t the case for the fat-soluble vitamins A and D and some minerals.

When these are given in excess, they can build up to dangerous levels in a cat’s body. Signs that are associated with toxicity include:

Talk to your vet before supplementing your cat’s diet with vitamins and minerals to avoid these types of health problems (and wasting your money!).

While vitamin toxicity is rare, it is possible, which is why it’s important to talk with your vet before giving your cat supplements.

Tips for shopping for cat vitamins and supplements

Your veterinarian can help you pick out the right vitamin or supplement for your cat. The goal is to give your cat the supplements they need while avoiding the ones they don’t.

For example, cats that have inflammatory bowel disease or gastrointestinal lymphoma often need to be on a concentrated Vitamin B12 supplement. But a multivitamin that contains Vitamin B12 and many other vitamins and minerals may not be appropriate.

Unfortunately, vitamins and other nutritional supplements are not prescription medications and are therefore not closely regulated.

Their safety and effectiveness can vary widely. You should start by choosing a product that is designed specifically for animals. Human supplements may not be appropriate, or they might even contain ingredients that are toxic to pets.

Look for brands that employ a veterinary surgeon as part of their team, as this will ensure that pet health is a priority. Beware of big claims or promises of medical cures being made on social media, instead look for products that are backed by scientific research and come recommended by your veterinary surgeon.

A trustworthy supplement will have detailed information on its label. This should include the exact amounts of the active ingredients it contains, as well as the recommended doses of the products for your cat’s bodyweight.

It may also feature approval from UK Pet Food which can verify a product's quality.