It also promotes the retention of calcium thus aiding bone formation and nerve and muscle control.
Vitamin d requirements for cats.
How do cats get vitamin d.
Dogs and cats unlike humans and most other species are unable to naturally convert very much vitamin d in their skin when exposed to ultraviolet light.
As this ratio becomes either wider or narrower than the optimum the requirement for vitamin d increases but no amount will compensate for.
The need for vitamin d depends to a large extent on the ratio of calcium to phosphorus.
That is from their diet.
Pro vitamin d3 7 dehydrocholesterol in the skin of dogs and cats has a much lower concentration than that found in the skin of species that can convert 7 dehydrocholesterol to.
Cats have some dietary requirements that are different from those of dogs and can develop nutritional deficiencies when fed diets formulated to meet the nutritional needs of dogs.
Too much can be toxic.
Indeed this chimes with work done in the human field.
While for us humans is quite simple to get vitamin d by exposing ourselves to the sun in addition to getting it from specific foods for cats there is only one way of getting the needed level of vitamin d.
Vitamin d toxicity in cats.
For example unlike dogs cats require dietary sources of vitamin a arachidonic acid and taurine.
Too much can cause overly acidic urine which can lead to crystal formation and a lifethreatening blockage.
Cats and dogs have low vitamin d requirements when calcium phosphorus and the ratio of the minerals are correct.
Marchnwe in may 2015 the university of edinburgh vet school announced the results of a study showing that seriously ill cats with high levels of vitamin d in their blood were more likely to be alive one month later than cats with low vitamin d levels.
The sun can t help cats create vitamin d in their bodies because of their fur.
A too high level of vitamin d can be toxic to the body especially with cats.
Where to buy cat supplements.