Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) Cat Food Nutrient Profiles a
with Role of Vitamins & Minerals
Nutrient |
Units
(Dry Matter Basis) |
Growth and
reproduction
minimum |
Adult
maintenance
minimum |
Maximum |
Functions |
Signs of deficiency/Excess |
Protein |
% |
30.0 |
26.0 |
|
|
|
Arginine |
% |
1.25 |
1.04 |
|
|
|
Histidine |
% |
0.31 |
0.31 |
|
|
|
Isoleucine |
% |
0.52 |
0.52 |
|
|
|
Leucine |
% |
1.25 |
1.25 |
|
|
|
Lysine |
% |
1.20 |
0.83 |
|
|
|
Methionine + cystine |
% |
1.10 |
1.10 |
|
|
|
Methionine |
% |
0.62 |
0.62 |
1.50 |
|
|
Phenylalanine + tyrosine |
% |
0.88 |
0.88 |
|
|
|
Phenylalanine |
% |
0.42 |
0.42 |
|
|
|
Threonine |
% |
0.73 |
0.73 |
|
|
|
Tryptophan |
% |
0.25 |
0.16 |
|
|
|
Valine |
% |
0.62 |
0.62 |
|
|
|
Fatb |
% |
9.0 |
9.0 |
|
|
|
Linoleic acid |
% |
0.5 |
0.5 |
|
|
|
Arachidonic acid |
% |
0.02 |
0.02 |
|
|
|
Minerals |
Calcium |
% |
1.0 |
0.6 |
|
- Formation of bones and teeth
- Blood coagulation
- Nerve impulse transmission
- Muscle contraction
- Cell signaling
|
- Deficiency
- Nutritional secondary hyperparathyroidism
- loss of bone mineral content, which can lead to collapse and curvature of lumbar vertebrae and pelvic bones
- bone pain, which can progress to pathological fractures
- Excess
- Depressed food intake
- Decreased growth
- Increased bone mineral density
- Increased need for magnesium
|
Phosphorus |
% |
0.8 |
0.5 |
|
- Skeletal structure
- DNA and RNA structure
- Energy metabolism
- Locomotion
- Acid-base balance
|
- Deficiency
- Hemolytic anemia
- Locomotor disturbances
- Metabolic acidosis
|
Potassium |
% |
0.6 |
0.6 |
|
- Acid-base balance
- Nerve-impulse transmission
- Enzymatic reactions
- Transport functions
|
- Deficiency
- Anorexia
- Retarded growth
- Neurological disorders, including ataxia and severe muscle weakness
|
Sodium |
% |
0.2 |
0.2 |
|
- Acid-base balance
- Regulation of osmotic pressure
- Nerve impulse generation and transmission
|
- Deficiency
- Anorexia
- Impaired growth
- Excessive thirst and drinking
- Excessive urination
|
Chlorine / Chloride |
% |
0.3 |
0.3 |
|
- Acid-base balance
- Osmolarity of extracellular fluids
|
- Deficiency
- Increased sodium concentration in renal fluid
- Excess potassium excretion
|
Magnesium c |
% |
0.08 |
0.04 |
|
- Enzyme functions
- Muscle and nerve-cell membrane stability
- Hormone secretion and function
- Mineral structure of bones and teeth
|
- Deficiency
- Poor growth
- Overextension of the carpal joints
- Muscle twitching
- Convulsions
- Excess
- Urinary tract stone formation in the presence of high pH
|
Iron d |
mg/kg |
80.0 |
80.0 |
|
- Hemoglobin and myoglobin synthesis
- Energy metabolism
|
- Deficiency
- Poor growth
- Pale mucous membranes
- Lethargy
- Weakness
- Diarrhea
- Excess
|
Copper (extruded food) e |
mg/kg |
15.0 |
5.0 |
|
- Connective tissue formation
- Iron metabolism
- Blood cell formation
- Melanin pigment formation
- Myelin formation
- Defense against oxidative damage
|
- Deficiency
- Reduced weight gain
- Longer time to conceive
|
Copper (canned food) e |
mg/kg |
5.0 |
5.0 |
|
Manganese |
mg/kg |
7.5 |
7.5 |
|
- Enzyme functions
- Bone development
- Neurological function
|
No studies of deficiency in cats
|
Zinc |
mg/kg |
75.0 |
75.0 |
2000.0 |
- Enzyme reactions
- Cell replication
- Protein and carbohydrate metabolism
- Skin function
- Wound healing
|
- Deficiency
- Skin lesions
- Growth retardation
- Testicular damage
|
Iodine |
mg/kg |
0.35 |
0.35 |
|
- Thyroid hormone synthesis
- Cell differentiation
- Growth and development of puppies
- Regulation of metabolic rate
|
- Deficiency
- Enlargement of thyroid glands
- Excess
- Excessive tearing, salivation, and nasal discharge
- Dandruff
|
Selenium |
mg/kg |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
- Defense against oxidative damage
- Immune response
|
No studies of deficiency in cats
|
Vitamins |
Vitamin A |
IU/kg |
9000.0 |
5000.0 |
750000.0 |
- Vision
- Growth
- Immune function
- Fetal development
- Cellular differentiation
- Transmembrane protein transfer
|
- Deficiency
- Conjunctivitis
- Cataracts, retinal degeneration, and other eye problems
- Weight loss
- Muscle weakness
- Reproductive and developmental disorders
- Excess
- Skeletal lesions in kittens, particularly outgrowths of the cervical vertebrae
- Osteoporosis
|
Vitamin D |
IU/kg |
750.0 |
500.0 |
10000.0 |
- Maintenance of mineral status
- Skeletal structure
- Muscle contraction
- Blood clotting
- Nerve conduction
- Cell signaling
- Phosphorus balance
|
- Deficiency
- Rickets
- Abnormalities in skeletal development
- Progressive paralysis
- Ataxia
- Lack of grooming
- Reduction in body weight and food intake
- Excess
- Anorexia
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Calcification of soft tissues
|
Vitamin E f |
IU/kg |
30.0 |
30.0 |
|
- Defense against oxidative damage via free radical scavenging
|
- Deficiency
- Anorexia
- Depression
- Pain sensitivity in abdomen
- Fat tissue pathology
|
Vitamin K g |
mg/kg |
0.1 |
0.1 |
|
- Activation of clotting factors, bone proteins, and other proteins
|
- Deficiency
- Prolonged blood clotting times
- Hemorrhaging
|
Vitamin B1 / Thiamine h |
mg/kg |
5.0 |
5.0 |
|
- Energy and carbohydrate metabolism
- Activation of ion channels in neural tissue
|
- Deficiency
- Neurological impairments including altered reflexes and convulsive seizures
- Heart-rate disorders
- Pathological changes in the central nervous system
- Severe learning deficits
|
Riboflavin |
mg/kg |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
|
- Deficiency
- Cataracts
- Fatty livers
- Testicular atrophy
|
Pantothenic acid |
mg/kg |
5.0 |
5.0 |
|
|
- Deficiency
- Stunted growth
- Fatty changes in liver
- Small bowel lesions
|
Niacin |
mg/kg |
60.0 |
60.0 |
|
|
- Deficiency
- Anorexia
- Weight loss
- Elevated body temperature
- Fiery red tongue, with ulceration and congestion
|
Vitamin B6 / Pyridoxine |
mg/kg |
4.0 |
4.0 |
|
- Glucose generation
- Red blood cell function
- Niacin synthesis
- Nervous system function
- Immune response
- Hormone regulation
- Gene activation
|
- Deficiency
- Stunted growth
- Convulsive seizures
- Kidney lesions
|
Folic Acid |
mg/kg |
0.8 |
0.8 |
|
- Amino acid and nucleotide metabolism
- Mitochondrial protein synthesis
|
- Deficiency
- Decreased growth rate
- increased iron levels in blood
|
Biotin i |
mg/kg |
0.07 |
0.07 |
|
|
|
Vitamin B12 |
mg/kg |
0.02 |
0.02 |
|
|
- Deficiency
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Intestinal disorders
|
Cholinej |
mg/kg |
2400.0 |
2400.0 |
|
|
|
Taurine (extruded food) |
% |
0.10 |
0.10 |
|
|
|
Taurine (canned food) |
% |
0.20 |
0.20 |
|
|
|
Nutrient |
Units
(Dry Matter Basis) |
Growth and
Reproduction
Minimum |
Adult
Maintenance
Minimum |
Maximum |
Functions |
Signs of Deficiency/Excess |
NOTES
- Presumes an energy density of 4.0 kcal/g ME, based on the modified Atwater values of 3.5, 8.5, and 3.5 kcal/g for protein, fat, and carbohydrate (nitrogen-free extract, NFE), respectively. Rations greater than 4.5 kcal/g should be corrected for energy density; rations less than 4.0 kcal/g should not be corrected for energy.
- Although a true requirement for fat per se has not been established, the minimum level was based on recognition of fat as a source of essential fatty acids, as a carrier of fat-soluble vitamins, to enhance palatability, and to supply an adequate caloric density.
- If the mean urine pH of cats fed ad libitum is not below 6.4, the risk of struvite urolithiasis increases as the magnesium content of the diet increases.
- Because of very poor bioavailability, iron from carbonate or oxide sources that are added to the diet should not be considered as components in meeting the minimum nutrient level.
- Because of very poor bioavailability, copper from oxide sources that are added to the diet should not be considered as components in meeting the minimum nutrient level.
- Add 10 IU vitamin E above minimum level per gram of fish oil per kilogram of diet.
- Vitamin K does not need to be added unless diet contains greater than 25 percent fish on a dry matter basis.
- Because processing may destroy up to 90 percent of the thiamine in the diet, allowance in formulation should be made to ensure the minimum nutrient level is met after processing.
- Biotin does not need to be added unless diet contains antimicrobial or antivitamin compounds.
- Methionine may substitute choline as methyl donor at a rate of 3.75 parts for 1 part choline by weight when methionine exceeds 0.62 percent.
|