Glossary

Taurine

An amino acid cats cannot make in enough quantity and must get from food, essential for heart muscle, eyesight and reproduction.

Also called: amino acid taurine, taurine deficiency

Taurine is an amino acid-like compound that is plentiful in meat, fish and shellfish. Many animals make their own, but cats make too little to meet their needs, so they must eat it. Cats also use taurine to form bile salts, a job that dogs can cover with other compounds, which raises their requirement further.

When food lacks enough taurine, a cat can develop serious problems. In the 1980s researchers showed that deficiency caused dilated cardiomyopathy, a weak and enlarged heart muscle, and a form of retinal degeneration that damages sight. It can also harm pregnancy and kitten growth. Since then, manufacturers have added taurine to commercial foods, and deficiency is now uncommon.

The risk is greatest with home-made, vegetarian or poorly balanced diets, and with raw diets that are not formulated properly. Heat and processing can reduce taurine, so tinned and extruded foods are supplemented to allow for it. See complete and balanced.

Do not give extra taurine unless your vet advises it. Signs such as weakness, breathlessness, poor appetite or failing vision need a prompt vet visit. Ask your vet to review any diet that is not a commercial complete food.

Last reviewed November 7, 2026

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Related terms

Obligate carnivore An animal that must eat animal tissue to get nutrients its body cannot make for itself, as domestic cats must. Arachidonic acid An omega-6 fatty acid that cats cannot make from plant oils in sufficient amounts and so need ready-made from animal fat. Complete and balanced A pet-food label claim that a food supplies all the nutrients a cat needs at a stated life stage, when used as the only diet. Raw diet A diet of uncooked meat, organs and bones, whether home-made or bought, which carries infection and nutrition risks that vets warn about. Grain-free Cat food made without wheat, corn, rice and other grains, which does not make it low in carbohydrate or better for most cats.