Cats and Calcium

[drea421]

My cat is overweight and the vet suggested she take L-Carnitine. The particular brand she gave her is 500mg of Carnitine, and also has 40 mg of calcium. Is the calcium safe for cats?

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

Yes.

[drea421]

Thank you for your reply. I give her a combination of wet and dry food. She loves Ziwi Peak canned foods and EVO dry, both of which are grainless. My question is, how much Calcium is safe for cats on a daily basis? Is the 40 mg of Calcium contained in the L-Carnitine supplement safe?

[Aleda M Cheng, D.V.M., C.V.A]

The best reduction diet for a cat is a high protein, zero carb/zero grain ALL canned diet, Atkins type diet.  Dry cat foods always contain some carbohydrates.  Cats are obligate carnivores and do not require grains, though some vegetables are important for health.  I think that it is best to give a multi-mineral supplement instead of calcium alone.  One quarter of a human mineral supplement containing: calcium, magnesium, vitamin D, and other minerals would be suitable.  500 mg of Carnitine is fine if given in divided doses.