It is a sulfur amino acid that, exceptionally, does not build muscle proteins and is found in free form in tissues. Its highest concentrations are found in places where cells work hardest: in the heart, retina, brain and muscles. It is also crucial for the digestion of fats [1].
Species difference: Dogs can produce it in the liver from methionine and cysteine. Cats have lost this ability, and because they lose huge amounts of it in their feces every day (it is used to bind bile acids), taurine is an absolutely essential amino acid for them [1]. Important! : Taurine escapes with water, so do not throw away the water after defrosting or cooking the meat.
What it is found in: It is found only in animal tissues: hearts (poultry, beef), brain and dark meat (turkey leg, duck). It should also be included in the cats’ diet in the form of a supplement.
Deficiency (in cats): Develops undetectably at first. After a long time, a deficient diet causes irreversible blindness (retinal degeneration) [3], fatal heart disease (dilated cardiomyopathy - DCM) [2] and congenital defects in litters.
Excess: It is efficiently removed from the body along with urine, regardless of whether it comes from a heavily meaty diet or additional supplementation with [1].
Sources
- National Research Council (NRC) (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats. National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10668/nutrient-requirements-of-dogs-and-cats
- Pion PD, Kittleson MD, Rogers QR, Morris JG (1987). Myocardial failure in cats associated with low plasma taurine: a reversible cardiomyopathy. Science 237(4816):764–768. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.3616607
- Hayes KC, Carey RE, Schmidt SY (1975). Retinal degeneration associated with taurine deficiency in the cat. Science 188(4191):949–951. https://doi.org/10.1126/science.1138364