Vitamins and dietary supplements for cats

 In the natural environment, cats themselves know what they need for health, but pets sometimes need to be supported with vitamins. We will figure out what and when to give a cat.

What are dietary supplements and vitamins for cats

Vitamins are essential organic substances that enter the body in extremely small doses. As a rule, vitamins come from food and are not synthesized by the body. Vitamins are water-soluble (B, C, P) and fat-soluble (A, D, E, K). Vitamins are necessary for the body to function smoothly. Dietary supplements are biologically active additives. They are not required components of the diet. If the diet is balanced, they are not needed at all – everything you need comes from food.

Do cats need supplements or vitamins?

To understand whether you need to offer additional vitamins or supplements to your cat, contact your veterinarian. He will select the drugs and advise on how best to use them. There are general strengthening drugs (used seasonally, for example, in spring, or during the period of active growth), as well as targeted drugs (improve the condition of coat, skin, musculoskeletal system, etc. .) The need for vitamins or dietary supplements also depends on the age of the cat.

Hypovitaminosis and hypervitaminosis in cats

In the complete absence of vitamins (avitaminosis), severe disorders can develop in the cat’s body, but this almost never occurs in the modern world. More often there is a lack of vitamins – hypovitaminosis. There are 2 types of hypovitaminosis:

1. Primary (exogenous, alimentary) is associated with a lack of intake of vitamins from food.
2. Secondary (endogenous) is associated with a change in the absorption of vitamins by the body. The reasons may be a violation of the process of absorption of vitamins (diseases of the gastrointestinal tract), an increased need for certain vitamins (for example, as a result of a decrease or increase in air temperature), physiological disorders (oxygen starvation, mental or physical stress), pregnancy and etc. There is a vitamin-resistant condition caused by genetic defects in proteins involved in the transport of vitamins and their transformation into active substances.

With a lack of vitamins, proper metabolism is impossible, the risk of infectious diseases increases. Hypervitaminosis also occurs – a metabolic disorder caused by an excess of certain vitamins. This mainly concerns fat-soluble vitamins, which tend to accumulate in the liver. For example, if you overdo it with complexes containing vitamins A and D.

Fortifying preparations for cats

They are prescribed either during the period of seasonal hypovitaminosis (autumn and spring), or during periods of active growth of the kitten, as well as for pregnant cats and elderly pets. They are also prescribed for unbalanced or inadequate feeding. The composition of general strengthening preparations for cats includes all the necessary vitamins and minerals. They are similar in composition.

Targeted drugs for cats

These drugs are designed to “fix” the weaknesses of the cat. They affect the state of individual organs and systems: skin, wool, musculoskeletal system, etc. Available in powders, solutions and tablets. Depending on the purpose, they have a different composition of amino acids, microelements, minerals and vitamins. For example, preparations that affect hair and skin are characterized by a high content of fatty acids, a complete set of amino acids important for skin and wool, and an expanded spectrum of microelements and vitamins.