Did you know that too much canned tuna can have negative consequences on your cat’s health? Cats love to eat fish; it is an excellent source of protein. However, there are important reasons why human-grade canned tuna is not recommended as a steady diet for pets.
It is not nutritionally complete-- Compared to canned tuna formulated for cats, human-grade lack essential vitamins and minerals that cats need every day. It also lacks the amino acid taurine that cats need because they are unable to synthesize it in their bodies. Although many cats crave tuna, there are those that are allergic to fish.
It contains a high level of unsaturated fats --While unsaturated fats can be good for humans, too much of it is unhealthy for cats. Excessive consumption can cause vitamin E deficiency in cats, leading to steatitis (inflammation of fatty tissue), which is a very painful condition.
It contains more mercury than other fish --Traces of mercury have been found in most fish however, tuna contains higher amounts because they are higher up on the food chain. Eating too much tuna can increase a cat’s risk to mercury poisoning.
Your Rochester, NY veterinarian is an important source of information when it comes to meeting your cat’s dietary needs. Click this link to know more: https://rochestercatvet.com/
