Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Arginine is an essential nutrient for every cat—from the smallest domestic shorthair to the largest Maine Coon. Cats can’t make it themselves, so they have to absorb all the arginine they need from their diet. If they don’t get enough, severe gastrointestinal and neurological problems can be seen very quickly. Thankfully, arginine deficiency is fairly easy to avoid because it is found in many animal proteins, such as meat and fish.
About Arginine for Cats
Arginine is a type of essential amino acid. Amino acids form the basis of proteins, so they are highly valuable. And amino acids are considered “essential” if they have to be consumed via the diet rather than made in the body. Domestic cats need 11 essential amino acids, including arginine and taurine, tryptophan, threonine, and phenylalanine.
Arginine is necessary for making protein (protein synthesis), but is also important for blood circulation and the metabolism of ammonia.
Why Is Arginine Essential for Cats?
Cats must get all their arginine requirements from their food. Kate Barrington / Cats.com
Cats cannot make arginine—they have to acquire it through their diet. A lack of arginine can cause cats to become rapidly unwell.
When cats eat a meal, the food is digested and some by-products, such as ammonia, are produced. The liver is responsible for removing this ammonia from the body, but it needs arginine to do this. If there is an arginine deficiency, the ammonia is not removed and quickly rises to toxic levels, a condition called hyperammonemia.
Arginine is also converted to nitric oxide in the body, via the enzyme nitric oxide synthase. Nitric oxide is important in blood flow, as it causes the blood vessels to widen to improve circulation. Lastly, arginine is involved in the release of hormones such as insulin and growth hormone.
Arginine Deficiency in Cats
A lack of arginine will lead to a dangerous rise in the body’s ammonia levels. Signs of ammonia toxicity include:
Excessive drooling
Vomiting
Wobbly gait or incoordination
Spasms or convulsions
Death
Arginine deficiency can cause problems very quickly. In fact, cats fed a diet deficient in arginine can become unwell within just 24 hours, showing rapid weight loss and severe clinical signs of ammonia toxicity. Research has shown that arginine is so vital to cats, that just one meal without any can be life-threatening.
How Can I Ensure My Cat Is Getting Enough Arginine?
Now that we know what happens when cats don’t get enough arginine, it’s clear that this tiny amino acid is really important in a cat’s diet.
Luckily, arginine is mostly found in animal protein, such as in chicken, beef, and fish. Cats are obligate carnivores, so animal products must make up the bulk of their diet. This should make it easy to get enough arginine at every meal. It’s also why cats cannot eat a vegetarian diet. Without nutrients from animal sources, cats are likely to experience nutritional deficiencies, such as too little arginine, taurine, and vitamin A.
For most domestic cats, their arginine requirements will be fully covered by their diet, but supplementation is also an option.
Dietary Arginine
Always chose a food for your cat which meets the AAFCO-guidelines for nutritional balance. Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com
The Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) both have strict guidelines on the minimum levels of arginine in commercial cat food. The level varies according to the dietary protein level, but is set at a basic level of 1.04% of dry matter (rising to 1.24% for growth and reproduction). However, this should rise by an extra 0.02g of arginine for every 1% increase in protein, so feline high protein diets should have significantly higher levels of arginine.
These guidelines apply to all cats: males and females of all sizes and all breeds. Kittens will need diets high in protein for growth, with corresponding higher levels of amino acids such as arginine.
If you are feeding your cat an AAFCO-certified diet that is nutritionally complete and suitable for their age, health and life-stage, then you can rest easy that they will be eating enough arginine for health and wellness.
Homemade diets for cats can be difficult to balance nutritionally, as cats’ needs are quite complex. However, arginine levels are fairly easy to reach, as long as some animal proteins are included. A single ounce of raw chicken, for example, contains around 360mg of arginine. If you are feeding your cat a home-prepared diet, it’s important that it is well-balanced, so consult a veterinarian or veterinary nutritionist.
Arginine Supplements
Supplementing arginine should not be necessary for most cats. However, there may be circumstances in which your veterinarian recommends it for your cat. Various products can provide nutritional supplementation of essential amino acids, often combined with other nutrients such as fatty acids, vitamins, and minerals.
Always consult your vet before giving your cat a supplement, as too much of certain nutrients can be just as dangerous as a deficiency.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the symptoms of arginine deficiency in cats?
Cats who don’t get enough arginine won’t be able to flush ammonia (a waste product of protein digestion) from their bodies, leading to ammonia toxicity. Signs include profuse salivation, vomiting, uncoordinated or wobbly gait, convulsions and even death.
Is arginine an essential amino acid for cats?
Yes, arginine is classed as an essential amino acid for cats as they cannot synthesize it in their body and need to consume it in the diet. Arginine is so vital that a single meal without arginine can cause severe symptoms of deficiency.
What causes low arginine levels in cats?
Cats can’t make their own arginine, and need to get it from their diet. Arginine deficiency in cats is therefore almost always caused by poor intake, or by digestive issues meaning that nutrients are not properly absorbed.
Cats.com uses high-quality, credible sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the claims in our articles. This content is regularly reviewed and updated for accuracy. Visit our About Us page to learn about our standards and meet our veterinary review board.
AAFCO guidelines 2023. Available from: https://www.aafco.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/01/Model_Bills_and_Regulations_Agenda_Midyear_2015_Final_Attachment_A.__Proposed_revisions_to_AAFCO_Nutrient_Profiles_PFC_Final_070214.pdf
