When Should You Give Your Cat Vitamins?

Cat lovers are taking ever more interest in providing their feline friends with the absolute best diet, health and life. This is a good thing, and the fact that vitamins for cats are now readily available means that it’s easier than ever before. These vitamins are designed to be easy (and enjoyable) for your cat to take and meet specific nutritional needs that cats commonly have. But how important are they?

The answer is, it depends. Many cat food brands already enhance their food with vitamins for cats. The amount that a manufacturer puts in, however, varies widely from one brand to another. That means it’s important to check your standard cat food and see what vitamins and supplements are added, and in what quantities. Premium brands of food will usually have the full amount your cat needs. Additionally, you should make sure you’re buying the right kind of food for your cat’s age—kittens, adult cats and older cats have different nutritional needs. 

If you’re doing all that, you may not needs vitamins for your cat unless your veterinarian recommends them. But there are three situations where vitamins are a good idea:

1. If your cat has not been fed a premium diet

When you adopt a new cat, ask the owner what food they usually use. If it’s not a premium brand, check the packaging on the food and see if it has the vitamins they need. If not, or if you’re not sure, consider adding a vitamin supplement for your cat to help make up for any deficiency. 

2. If you don’t know what your cat has been fed

Sometimes the dietary history of a cat is unclear. This can be true with both adoptions and bringing in strays. With all stray cats, you should assume their diet has been poor unless you know otherwise. With these cats, it’s wise to get them on vitamins at least for a while. You do not have to continue them indefinitely if you switch to a high quality food. 

3. For specific medical conditions

Some conditions can be helped by supplements. These include:

·         Allergic dermatitis, dry skin or poor hair. Omega fatty acid supplements may help with this.

·         Gastrointestinal problems. Probiotics and digestive enzymes may both have a positive effect.

·         Arthritis. Just like in humans, a combined glucosamine/chondroitin supplement is recommended for arthritis.

If your cat has a specific health condition, ask your vet what supplements they recommend.