Table: AAFCO Nutrient Requirements for Cats a

AAFCO Nutrient Requirements for Cats ^a

Nutrient (% or per kg of diet)	Growth and Reproduction Minimum	Adult Maintenance Minimum	Adult Maintenance Maximum
Protein (%)	30.0	26.0
Arginine (%)	1.25	1.04
Histidine (%)	0.31	0.31
Isoleucine (%)	0.52	0.52
Leucine (%)	1.25	1.25
Lysine (%)	1.20	0.83
Methionine + cystine (%)	1.10	1.10
Methionine (%)	0.62	0.62	1.5
Phenylalanine + tyrosine (%)	0.88	0.88
Phenylalanine (%)	0.42	0.42
Taurine (extruded, %)	0.10	0.10
Taurine (canned, %)	0.20	0.20
Threonine (%)	0.73	0.73
Tryptophan (%)	0.25	0.16
Valine (%)	0.62	0.62
Fat (%)	9.0	9.0
Linoleic acid (%)	0.5	0.5
Arachidonic acid (%)	0.02	0.02
Minerals
Calcium (%)	1.0	0.6
Phosphorus (%)	0.8	0.5
Potassium (%)	0.6	0.6
Sodium (%)	0.2	0.2
Chloride (%)	0.3	0.3
Magnesium (%)	0.08	0.04
Iron (mg/kg)	80	80
Copper (mg/kg)	5	5
Iodine (mg/kg)	0.35	0.35
Zinc (mg/kg)	75	75	2,000
Manganese (mg/kg)	7.5	7.5
Selenium (mg/kg)	0.1	0.1
Vitamins
Vitamin A (IU/kg)	9,000	5,000	750,000
Vitamin D (IU/kg)	750	500	10,000
Vitamin E (IU/kg)	30	30
Vitamin K (mg/kg)	0.1	0.1
Thiamine (mg/kg)	5.0	5.0
Riboflavin (mg/kg)	4.0	4.0
Pyridoxine (mg/kg)	4.0	4.0
Niacin (mg/kg)	60	60
Pantothenic acid (mg/kg)	5.0	5.0
Folic acid (mg/kg)	0.8	0.8
Biotin (mg/kg)	0.07	0.07
Vitamin B₁₂ (mg/kg)	0.02	0.02
Choline (mg/kg)	2,400	2,400
^a Nutrient requirements are indicated on a dry-matter basis and are per kg of diet, not per kg of body weight of animal. These AAFCO nutrient profiles for cat foods presume an energy density of 4 kcal ME/g dry matter. Rations >4.5 kcal/g should be corrected for energy density.

Merck Manual