CatToxic

Taurine

Safe

Verdict

Safe and essential — cats cannot make enough taurine on their own.

Also called: taurine supplement
Source: ASPCA · Verified 2026-08-13

Verdict

Taurine is an amino sulfonic acid that cats need in the diet. Deficiency causes dilated cardiomyopathy and retinal degeneration. Complete commercial cat foods are formulated to include it. This page exists because “taurine” on a label is a good sign, not a toxin. Homemade or dog-food diets are the usual way cats run short.

Symptoms to watch for

  • • none from taurine itself — deficiency causes heart and eye disease over time

What to do

Do not remove taurine from a cat’s diet. If you home-cook, work with a veterinary nutritionist.

Related foods

Grain-free legumes (peas, lentils)

Caution

Caution — diet-associated heart disease is an open scientific question, not a settled poison.

Carbohydrate