Dear Dr. John,

I keep seeing advertisements on my phone for a supplement for cats with taurine. What is it and what does it do? It appears that this product addresses deficiencies in cats that can lead to significant health problems. Is this true and is there reason to be concerned? My vet has never suggested that my 3-year-old cat is unhealthy other than being overweight at 18 pounds. I have her on a premium light diet dry food but have not seen any pounds come off her yet. Should I be more concerned with her weight or the possible need for taurine? M.T.

Dear M.T.,

Taurine is an essential amino acid that cats need as part of their diets and most quality cat foods provide adequate amounts for good health in the way of animal proteins contained in them. It is needed for healthy heart and eyes and, if deficient, it can lead to retinal loss and blindness or cardiac issues such as a dilated form of cardiomyopathy. It also supports other bodily systems such as reproduction and the immune system.

From what you write, my guess is that you do not need to be concerned with feeding your cat a taurine supplement, but I would be concerned with her weight. Unless she is a large breed of cat, 18 pounds would classify her as overweight, if not obese. I would work with your veterinarian to get her on a prescription diet food to get her weight down. There are various brands that could work.

You may already be aware but overweight cats are far more susceptible to developing diabetes and since she is still young, getting her weight down on a good diet will allow her to have a healthier and longer life. As a rule of thumb, most adult cats should eat about ¼ cup of dry food twice daily but that can vary depending on the food, calories consumed, activity, and more. Perhaps you are feeding her too much of the light food. Thanks for your questions.

Dr. John de Jong is President of the World Veterinary Association. He owns and operates the Boston Mobile Veterinary Clinic and can be reached at 781-899-9994.