Although it is not found in large quantities in the body, the iron It is a very important mineral for the proper functioning of the same in cats, as in people. There are several causes that can cause the lack of iron in these animals, appearing some symptoms that we will describe later.

The lack of iron can be a very important health problem for our pet, therefore, in some iron-rich foods for cats.

Symptoms of lack of iron in cats

Iron is necessary for formation of hemoglobin, a protein found in red blood cells that serves to transport oxygen through the blood. For this reason, the symptoms of iron deficiency in cats are typical of anemia in these animals.

In these cases, you can see a progressive feeling tired, in the animal, which tends to start as a lack of desire to play and end in lethargy. Another symptom that may appear are the pica, that is, the need to ingest substances that are not food, such as garbage or feces.

But the most representative sign of anemia, and one of the easiest to detect is the mucous pallor. The pallor of mucous membranes can be easily observed by looking at the gums of the cat, which, in cases of anemia, will appear whitish instead of rosy. Observe the image that we show you below.

If these symptoms are detected, it is recommended visit a veterinarian to diagnose the process that causes them.

Iron needs in cats

A little compensated feeding It can cause lack of iron in cats. This is extremely rare in animals that consume commercial diets either based on dry feed or wet food (cans), but can occur in cats fed on homemade diets.

Therefore, if you have decided to leave the feed and opt for a homemade diet, we advise you to go to a veterinarian to advise you and carry out a analytics routine to help you prevent any health problem in your feline.

Also, in most cases of anemia, a good contribution of iron in the food is of great help to improve the situation. The blood loss, either by internal hemorrhages (such as those caused by ulcers, rupture of an organ, or certain types of cancer) or external (typical case of wounds), cause anemia.

When this happens, in general, the organism of the animal tries to correct the situation, creating more red blood cells, for which needs iron, with what an extra contribution or a supplement It can be very helpful.

Also, some parasites such as fleas or certain intestinal worms are capable of causing a state of anemia, and the contribution of iron is also of great help in these cases.

Foods rich in iron for cats

Fortunately, there are many iron-rich foods that can be offered to cats. In general, it is best to provide nutritional supplements for animals rich in this nutrient, available in veterinary centers and specialized stores.

In addition, there are some specific feed for cats with anemia, useful for animals with a lack of iron. However, it is possible to find foods rich in iron that can be used with good results, such as the ones we review below:

• Red meat: a good option, it is usually rich in iron and is appropriate food for cats. In any case, the health risks that raw meat can cause, especially if it is not fresh and of first quality, make it advisable to cook it minimally before.
• Fish: food very rich in iron too, and very well accepted by cats. In addition to health issues, it is advisable to cook it since crude contains thiaminases, substances harmful to the cat.
• Liver: one of the best-known and most advisable iron-rich foods. Nor should crude be given.
• Also green leafy vegetables and some cereals, especially whole grains, contain iron in an interesting amount, but seem more suitable for the characteristics of the animal, mainly carnivorous.

It must be remembered that, although iron supplementation in food is very effective, in cases of anemia the iron-rich diet for several months.

In addition, if the cause of iron deficiency is not an unbalanced diet, but some type of anemia, it is necessary to end the disease that causes it first, otherwise the problem will not be solved. For this it is necessary visit a veterinarian if we detect any symptoms of anemia in the cat, as we have said.

If you want to read more articles similar to Foods rich in iron for cats, we recommend that you enter in our section of Feeding problems.