Fat Soluble Vitamins for Cats

But they are different than water soluble vitamins in that they dissolve in fat, as where water soluble vitamins are excreted by your cat’s body.

The fat soluble vitamins are Vitamins A, D, E and K.

Fats are enormously important components of your cat’s diet. They provide energy, and the fat acids in your pets body act as carriers of the fat soluble vitamins. There are two types of fat acids in your cat, Arachidonic acids and Linoleic acids.

Arachidonic acids are an unsaturated fatty acid that is essential for the growth of a kitten, and it acts as a precursor to several biological active compounds in your pet body. As such, it plays other roles in the production of membranes as well as fat metabolism.

The release of this fatty acid is triggered by certain hormones that rely on the adequate levels of fat in your cat’s body.

Linoleic acids are essential fatty forms of acids that are found in the omega fatty acid family. It is actually referred to as Omega-6 fatty acids and helps with the protection of your cat’s hair coating, as well as playing a key role in wound healing.

These fat soluble vitamins for cats are absorbed in your pet’s small intestines and stored in their liver where they are released as they are needed. Of the four fat soluble vitamins, only two, Vitamins A and D can accumulate and cause any type of toxicity.

But toxicity is extremely rare.

What Each Vitamin Does:

Vitamin A:

These fat soluble vitamins for cats floats freely in your pet’s bloodstream and can possibly create a toxic affect if they receive too much, but only if those limits exceed the limits that the liver can store.

The main sources of this vitamin will be from the portion of plants that is called carotene.

With dogs, this vitamin is converted very easily by the intestinal cells, but not in cats, as they have a very difficult time converting the actual plant form known as Beta Carotene.

It is extremely important for cat owners to understand that there are different forms of this vitamin, and the form you must use is retinyl palmitate, as it stores very easily in your cats liver.

Because this vitamin stores so easily, it is very difficult to become free floating or cause any toxic effects. With vitamin A supplements you must always make sure it is a brand of quality to ensure this correct form.

It is also important to note that while it could be toxic, there have been virtually no known reported cases of this form of fat soluble vitamins for cats.

These fat soluble vitamins for cats are essential for your pets bone growth, tooth development, as well as cellular reproduction and division. It also helps the skin and the eyes. But it’s most important function in your cat is to keep the mouth, nose, throat, and lungs moist. If not moist, several deficiencies could occur.

Deficiency of this vitamin causes pink eye, retinal degeneration, weight loss, and muscle weakness, as well as reproductive disorders.

Besides supplements, excellent sources are liver, fish oil liver, vegetables, and dairy products.

Vitamin D:

These fat soluble vitamins for cats are also referred to as the sunshine vitamin. This vitamin is converted by ultraviolet rays in the outer layers of your cat’s skin, but a small amount will also come from the diet. However, most commercial cat foods do not add in any vitamin D.

This vitamin plays a major role in regulating your cat’s calcium and phosphorus levels in the bloodstream. It also stimulates kidney conversion of calcium and therefore it actually assists your cat’s body to retain it. It is also instrumental in bone formation and muscle control.

A deficiency of Vitamin D could cause rickets, retard skeletal construction and growth, and a progressive form of paralysis. It is highly recommended to supplement in kittens and only in mature cats if they get very little sunshine.

Cats cannot manufacture this vitamin, and if your adult cat does not get sunshine, it will need supplements.

A toxic reaction to over supplementation can occur, but again it is extremely rare.

Vitamin E:

These fat soluble vitamins for cats are considered the wonder vitamin for cats. It plays a critical role in your cat in the formation of cell membranes, cell respiration, and the metabolism of fats. It also functions as an antioxidant as well as protects against oxidation in several of your cats hormones.

Deficiencies of this vitamin can cause cell damage and the death of skeletal muscles, as well as potential failures in the heart, testes, liver and nerves.

Your cat must have this vitamin to keep its organs functioning properly. A Brown Bowel Syndrome is a deficiency in cats where the bowels ulcerate, hemorrhage, and if severe enough, degenerate.

If cats are fed exclusively fish diets, they will develop another deficiency of vitamin E known as Yellow Fat Disease which could also cause Cats Rippling Disease.

They must have this vitamin for metabolism. It also helps to slow aging as well as boosting the immune system. There is also mounting evidence that this vitamin may help to reduce the risk of heart disease and cancer in cats. Food sources include fats and liver.

There have been no known toxic levels even reported in cats with this vitamin.

Vitamin K:

This form of fat soluble vitamins for cats helps with normal blood functions, as without it, blood will not clot. If they have a deficiency of this vitamin and are injured or cut, they may bleed to death.

There are some other interesting facts about this vitamin. Most all mouse and rat poisons have an ingredient called coumarin that binds the activity of vitamin K by design.

It makes the blood not clot on purpose, killing these rodents. However, cats love the taste, so it is extremely important to keep you cats away from these poisons.

PET LIQUID VITAMINS

Dietary forms of Vitamin K are found in green leafy plants and vegetables and most all kittens and cats will need some form of supplements, there have been no known documented cases of toxin reactions to this vitamin.

Kittens will need to be supplemented with these four fat soluble vitamins for cats much more than adult cats, but all cats must have these vitamins. Just follow the recommended dosages and you will never experience any problems.

The fear pundits most likely have never done any research to back their claims.

Natural Sources for Fat Soluble Vitamins for Cats

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