Taurine and other supplements?

Can you guys share what brand of taurine (link if possible) and other supplements you regularly use for your cats? and how often you use it?

Taurine Solgar 500mg capsule
I use one capsule split between the 8 cats every-other-day at one meal.


Vitamin E Solgar liquid
I use one drop per meal every-other day (20iu).


Probiotic Natural Factors Acidophilus + Bifidus
I sprinkle on one capsule at breakfast every day


Omega 3 Pure Alaska Omega
I puncture the capsule and add about 3 drops to each cat's meal at each meal



Calcium supplements:

NOW MCHA
I target 1.3:1 Ca ratio. I use 3/4 - one capsule per ounce of meat and one capsule - 1 1/4 capsule per ounce of organs (though I tend to feed organs 0.5 ounces at a time).


Eggshell http://knowwhatyoufeed.net/shop_online.html (Scroll down to the last item on the page)

I use 1/32 teaspoon per ounce of meat and 3/64 teaspoon per ounce of organs.

Remember: gizzards and heart are muscle meat for these calculations.

awesome, thanks!

I realize I haven't been adding supplements, and I think I need to start that. And your post is very helpful!

Well, there are two lines of thinking on the supplements. If you're feeding whole prey model correctly (with the proper ratio of meat/bones/organs), some feel no supplements are necessary. Theoretically they're not.

But I don't know what I'm not feeding them because I'm not feeding whole prey. And the meat I feed them is not the meat they eat naturally in the wild - it's fattier, and with a different nutritional composition because of the food IT eats. It's also not eaten as soon as it's killed.

So I supplement to "adjust" for those differences.

OH!!!! Re: the calcium. I do NOT use BOTH at the same time. It is EITHER eggshell OR the NOW calcium hydroxyapatite. I alternate each week which one I'm using.

LDG said:

OH!!!! Re: the calcium. I do NOT use BOTH at the same time. It is EITHER eggshell OR the NOW calcium hydroxyapatite. I alternate each week which one I'm using.

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Do the cats have a preference?

They like both.

Taurine: NOW Taurine Powder, 100% Pure, free-form I use 1/16 tsp per meal, but not on heart meals. Hope doesn't get it, as call of the wild already has Taurine. Once in a blue moon I add a spoon for her.

Omega-3: Krill oil - Schiff MegaRed 500mg, 1gel Cap a day, in the morning

Probiotics: Proviable-DC for dogs and Cats..... but I think I will buy the one from Laurie next time - cheaper and stronger :nod: My cats do very well on Proviable though.... will see!

and recently, for Hairballs Constipation: Egg Lecithin The dosage I have seen around has been 1/2 capsule 2x a week, but there are people feeding a dash a day..... So I started feeding 1/2 capsule a day. My kids need serious help, especially Bugsy.

Calcium: Eggshells The same eggshells Laurie feeds

Last but not least..... This is what I balance Hope's meals with - she loves it: Wysong Call of the Wild in addition, she gets Omega-3.

COTW does not have omega-3? I thought it was supposed to have everything.

EmilyMayWilcha said:

COTW does not have omega-3? I thought it was supposed to have everything.

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There's really no way to provide O3s in dry form for a cat---they can't process ground flax seed. Only way is in oil or by feeding oily fish. Besides, if you used grass-fed meat you wouldn't need O3 supplementation.

Willowy said:

There's really no way to provide O3s in dry form for a cat---they can't process ground flax seed. Only way is in oil or by feeding oily fish. Besides, if you used grass-fed meat you wouldn't need O3 supplementation.

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I saw tablets on Amazon that claim to have omega-3.

Willowy said:

There's really no way to provide O3s in dry form for a cat---they can't process ground flax seed. Only way is in oil or by feeding oily fish. Besides, if you used grass-fed meat you wouldn't need O3 supplementation.

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That's actually not true. While the omega 3 in grass fed animals is higher than in factory farmed animals, the fat profile still doesn't look like that of a cat's natural prey.

When a supplement says "complete" as in the AAFCO "complete and balanced" it doesn't necessarily include omega 3, because there's no AAFCO requirement for omega 3 in cats. None for probiotics either.

And as Willowy points out, omega 3 basically has to be provided in an "oil" format. Omega 3 fatty acids are highly unstable and are susceptible to oxidation. This is why so many recipes add Vitamin E - it's to help prevent oxidation of the omega 3 supplement. They are degraded or destroyed with high heat (and light), so putting them through some process that turns them into powder kills any efficacy. In fact, because they're affected so easily by processing, it's important to purchase a high quality supplement.

Any canned or kibble cat food that claims to have omega 3s most likely does not have effective omega 3 available to the cat. It needs to be added at the time they eat it. Or if making home made raw, it needs to have vitamin E added to preserve it from oxidation while sitting in the freezer.

Here's an excellent discussion of grass-fed vs non-grass fed beef: http://www.nutritionj.com/content/9/1/10

EmilyMayWilcha said:

I saw tablets on Amazon that claim to have omega-3.

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Yes. . .humans can process flax seed. Maybe dogs, too. Cats can't.

LDG--that's interesting about the difference. I thought it would have a better balance than that.

Cats don't have the necessary digestive enzymes to utilize any plant-based source of omega 3s.

And from my understanding of omega 3s, even the plant based ones have to be processed properly. Flax seed OIL - so capsules - yes. Tablets? I wouldn't believe they'd be effective.

LDG said:

Cats don't have the necessary digestive enzymes to utilize any plant-based source of omega 3s.
And from my understanding of omega 3s, even the plant based ones have to be processed properly. Flax seed OIL - so capsules - yes. Tablets? I wouldn't believe they'd be effective.

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What flaxseed are you talking about? I was searching for fish oil when I saw these in the Cat Heath Care department:

This is the supplement: http://www.4pawspetsupplements.com/index.php/dog-fish-oil-with-quercitin-and-vitamin-e.html

If it can be crumbled/crushed (under "directions"), I very much doubt there's any usable EPA/DHA in it. The benefit anyone sees from using that supplement must be due to all the other stuff in it. This is the ingredient list:

Fish Oil (18/12) (EPA 180mg, DHA 120mg)
* Fish Oil contains DHA and EPA to help support the cardiovascular system.
* Fish Oil provides dietary support for joint health.
* Fish Oil (EPA & DHA) are necessary for optimal eye and brain function.
* Fish Oil (EPA & DHA) are necessary for cardiovascular health.
* Fish oil helps maintain normal healthy cognitive and nervous system health.
* Fish Oil (EPA & DHA) are necessary for joint health.

Vitamin A (Retinol) (5mg)
* Vitamin A is necessary for eye health.
* Vitamin A is essential for normal vision.
* Vitamin A provides dietary support for eye health.
* Adequate vitamin A promotes normal healthy skin appearance and texture.
* Vitamin A is essential for healthy skin.
* Vitamin A supports the normal renewal of skin cells.

Vitamin B‐1 (Thiamine) (0.5mg)
* Vitamin B‐1 plays a role in energy metabolism.
* Vitamin B‐1 is essential for proper nerve and muscle function.
* Vitamin B‐1 is necessary for proper muscle function.
* Thiamine plays an important role in the metabolism of carbohydrates and branchedchain amino acids.

Vitamin B‐12 (0.03mg)
* Vitamin B‐12 is essential for energy production and red blood cells.
* Vitamin B‐12 is essential for nerve tissue formation.
* Vitamin B‐12 is essential for the metabolism of carbohydrates.
* Vitamin B‐12 may play a role in the maintenance of normal homocysteine levels.
* Vitamin B‐12 is required for proper red blood cell formation.
* Vitamin B‐12 is essential for proper neurological function.
* Vitamin B‐12 is only found in foods from animal sources.

Vitamin E (120mg)
* Vitamin E is essential for the functioning of red blood cells.
* Vitamin E provides dietary support for natural resistance.
* Vitamin E provides dietary support for a healthy nervous system function.
* Daily supplementation with Vitamin E provides dietary support for healthy heart, lung, and digestive tract function.
* Vitamin E provides dietary support for a healthy nervous system.
* Vitamin E protects the structural elements of cell membranes.

MSM (45mg)
* MSM provides an important component for joint cartilage.
* MSM is a dietary source of sulfur, an essential component of collagen.

GLA (SAFFLOWER OIL) (45mg)
QUERCITIN (150mg)
BIOTIN (0.2mg)
PANTHOTHENIC ACID (3mg)

:lol3:

This is the one I use:

Omega 3 Pure Alaska Omega
This is the description of the product:

http://www.alaskaproteinrecovery.com/salmonoil

LDG said:

.
Probiotic Natural Factors Acidophilus + Bifidus I sprinkle on one capsule at breakfast every day
Omega 3 Pure Alaska Omega I puncture the capsule and add about 3 drops to each cat's meal at each meal
.

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Thanks, Laurie :sun:... I just ordered both of these supplements. I have not used an O3 yet and want to start right away. You use three drops for all three meals a day? Could you use, let's say, do nine drops for one meal per day? I guess I am lazy..... :sulk: :lol3: Anyway, I was just going to ask you which you use and found it here!! :bigwink:

Feralvr said:

Thanks, Laurie :sun:... I just ordered both of these supplements. I have not used an O3 yet and want to start right away. You use three drops for all three meals a day? Could you use, let's say, do nine drops for one meal per day? I guess I am lazy..... :sulk: :lol3: Anyway, I was just going to ask you which you use and found it here!! :bigwink:

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I don't see why not. I think Flowerbelle would balk at 9 drops, but Billy and Chumley wouldn't. :lol3: