Can Cats Eat Chicken Liver? What Happens If You Feed Your Cat Chicken Liver Every Day? How to Feed Chicken Liver to Cats Scientifically?
Can Cats Eat Chicken Liver? What Happens If You Feed Your Cat Chicken Liver Every Day? How to Feed Chicken Liver to Cats Scientifically?
Liver is an essential part of a cat's diet. It is rich in nutrients and is crucial for their health. In homemade cat food or raw food diets, liver is generally required to be at least 5% but no more than 10%. Of these, chicken liver and duck liver are the most suitable liver types for cats.
Many cat owners like to feed their cats chicken liver because it is cheap, high in protein and fat, and seems to be a cost-effective option. But there is a worrying question: Too much chicken liver can lead to vitamin A toxicity!
So, is this statement true? How much chicken liver can cause poisoning in cats? What are the symptoms of poisoning? How should chicken liver be fed scientifically?
Nutritional Analysis of Chicken Liver
The chickens we commonly see are mainly divided into two types: free-range chickens (native chickens) and farmed broilers. There are some differences in the nutritional content of the two types of chicken livers, as shown in the following table:
| Component | Broiler Liver (per 100g) | Native Chicken Liver (per 100g) |
|---------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| Calories (kcal) | 125 | 132 |
| Protein (g) | 20.2 | 20.7 |
| Fat (g) | 5.8 | 6.2 |
| Vitamin A (µg) | 2867 | 10414 |
| Vitamin D (µg) | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| Vitamin K (µg) | 11 | 12 |
| Calcium (mg) | 10 | 11 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 200 | 210 |
| Iron (mg) | 7.2 | 7.5 |
| Zinc (mg) | 3.1 | 3.2 |
As can be seen from the table, the biggest difference between broiler liver and native chicken liver in terms of nutritional content is the vitamin A content. Every 100g of broiler liver contains 2867 µg of vitamin A, while native chicken liver contains 10414 µg, almost 4 times higher!
Cat's Vitamin A Needs
2.1 Properties, Deficiency and Excess of Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it is not soluble in water, but exists in a fat-soluble form. Cats cannot convert carotenoids from plants into vitamin A, so they must obtain it from their diet.
Vitamin A is mainly involved in five physiological functions in cats: vision, growth, cell differentiation, morphological development and immunity. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to eye and body developmental problems in cats, such as conjunctivitis, corneal dryness and congestion. Severe deficiency can even lead to developmental problems in pregnant cats, fetal malformations and even miscarriages.
Meat is rich in vitamin A, especially animal liver. Supplementing with liver in moderation can meet the cat's vitamin A needs. However, the cat's need for vitamin A is limited, and excess intake can lead to poisoning.
In the 1970s, the United States conducted a series of experiments on vitamin A excess. The results showed that when cats consumed excessive amounts of vitamin A, their bones were damaged. In kittens, excessive vitamin A can lead to hyperplasia of the first three cervical vertebrae, making the bones stiff and hindering normal growth. Due to problems with the cervical vertebrae, cats cannot bend their necks flexibly and cannot groom themselves, resulting in messy fur. More importantly, this hyperplasia is irreversible, and even if vitamin A is reduced to normal levels later, the damage caused is difficult to recover.
2.2 Analyzing a Cat's Daily Vitamin A Requirements
Cats cannot live without vitamin A, but they also cannot live without a reasonable intake of vitamin A. So, how much vitamin A do cats need per day?
According to recommendations from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the National Research Council (NRC), the daily vitamin A requirements for kittens and adult cats are as follows:
| Cat Age | Daily Vitamin A Requirements (IU) |
|-------------|--------------------------|
| Kitten | 833~3600 |
| Adult Cat | 833~3600 |
Here is an explanation of the units:
1 IU: The international standard unit for vitamins. Different vitamins have different IU values. For vitamin A, 1 IU = 0.3 µg/1000 kcal.
Calories per 1000 kcal of food intake: The measurement standard for cat's vitamin A requirements is based on calories per 1000 kcal of food intake.
The above may be a little difficult to understand, let's use a real example to explain it:
First, calculate your cat's daily calorie needs. Here we refer to a simple formula:
Daily calorie needs for cats = ((Body weight kg 30) / 70) Activity factor
According to the above formula, if a 4kg adult cat is moderately active (activity factor = 1~1.2), the daily calorie needs are:
Daily calorie needs for a 4kg adult cat = (4 30 / 70) 1.0~1.2 = 190~228 calories.
Let's take an easy-to-calculate middle value, 200 calories. Then, according to AAFCO standards, the minimum daily vitamin A requirement for a 4kg adult cat is:
833 0.2 = 167 (1 IU) = 50 µg.
In other words, the minimum daily vitamin A requirement for a 4kg adult cat is 50 µg, and the upper limit is 3600 µg.
So, how much chicken liver is needed to meet these vitamin A requirements? We take the broiler and native chicken livers and calculate them separately:
Broiler Liver: Minimum 1.74g, Maximum 126g
Native Chicken Liver: Minimum 0.48g, Maximum 35g
The calculation process is shown in the figure:
[Image: Chicken Liver Vitamin A Calculation Process]
The results are shocking:
A 4kg adult cat can meet its basic vitamin A needs by eating a little chicken liver (2g) per day; if eating broiler liver, eating 3 liang (about 105g) a day will lead to vitamin A excess; if eating native chicken liver, only 7g will lead to vitamin A excess. Regardless of 3 liang or 7g, in the feeding process where chicken liver is the main food, this is really an easy-to-reach data.
2.3 Analysis of Vitamin A in Raw Food and Classic Cat Food Formulas
In our raw food and classic cat food formulas, we recommend a liver content of 5%~10%. Let's analyze the vitamin A content in these formulas.
Assuming a 4kg adult cat needs about 3%~4% of its body weight in meat per day, which is 120g~160g, the median liver content is 5%~10%, which is 7g~14g.
The vitamin A content is:
Broiler VA intake analysis: 200~400 µg
Native Chicken: 729~1458 µg
Classic cat food formula for a 4kg adult cat
From the results of the calculation, we can see:
According to the classic cat food formula, the daily intake of vitamin A from liver can meet the minimum requirement of 50 µg, and it is still a distance from the upper limit of 3600 µg. It can be said that it is within a reasonable range. Note: The vitamin A content in native chicken liver is higher. If you feed your cat native chicken liver, you can further reduce the amount of liver from the perspective of vitamin A.
What Are the Problems with Feeding a Chicken Liver-Based Diet?
Chicken liver is good in terms of calories, protein, fat and various vitamins. However, if you feed a chicken liver-based diet for a long time, not only is the vitamin A content too high, which can lead to vitamin A toxicity in cats, but the nutrient content is not rich or balanced enough for cats. The main problem is severe calcium deficiency:
| Component | Chicken Liver (per 100g) | Cat's Daily Requirement (mg) |
|----------|-----------------|-----------------------|
| Calcium | 10 | 150~200 |
| Phosphorus | 200 | 250~350 |
As can be seen from the table, chicken liver is extremely low in calcium. Such a low calcium-to-phosphorus ratio can lead to serious problems with calcium and phosphorus absorption, resulting in osteoporosis and a higher risk of fractures in cats.
Therefore, if cats are fed a chicken liver-based diet for a long time, they will experience the following problems:
Vitamin A overdose leading to poisoning: Bone hyperplasia, epiphyseal damage, gingival hyperplasia and inflammation, etc.
Calcium deficiency leading to poor bone development: Osteoporosis, increased risk of fractures; bone hyperplasia leading to stiffness in the cervical vertebrae, inability to bend, difficulty in grooming, messy fur.
In short, cats that are fed a chicken liver-based diet for a long time will experience a very poor health condition.
How to Feed Chicken Liver Scientifically?
Chicken liver is nutrient-rich but also comes with certain risks. To allow your cat to enjoy chicken liver safely and healthily, we recommend following these principles:
Control the intake of chicken liver: Feed chicken liver 1-2 times a week, 1-2g each time. Adjust the amount according to your cat's weight and activity level.
Choose high-quality chicken liver: Choose fresh, unpolluted chicken liver, preferably from free-range chickens.
Properly supplement other nutrients: Chicken liver is low in calcium, so you need to supplement calcium, such as bone meal, calcium tablets, etc.
Observe your cat's reaction: If your cat experiences loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, etc., stop feeding chicken liver immediately.
Conclusion
Chicken liver can be part of a cat's diet, but not a staple food. Feeding a chicken liver-based diet for a long time can lead to vitamin A toxicity and calcium deficiency in cats, causing serious health damage. To ensure your cat grows up healthy, please choose and feed chicken liver scientifically, and make sure your cat's diet is balanced and nutritionally complete.
Liver is an essential part of a cat's diet. It is rich in nutrients and is crucial for their health. In homemade cat food or raw food diets, liver is generally required to be at least 5% but no more than 10%. Of these, chicken liver and duck liver are the most suitable liver types for cats.
Many cat owners like to feed their cats chicken liver because it is cheap, high in protein and fat, and seems to be a cost-effective option. But there is a worrying question: Too much chicken liver can lead to vitamin A toxicity!
So, is this statement true? How much chicken liver can cause poisoning in cats? What are the symptoms of poisoning? How should chicken liver be fed scientifically?
Nutritional Analysis of Chicken Liver
The chickens we commonly see are mainly divided into two types: free-range chickens (native chickens) and farmed broilers. There are some differences in the nutritional content of the two types of chicken livers, as shown in the following table:
| Component | Broiler Liver (per 100g) | Native Chicken Liver (per 100g) |
|---------------------|--------------------|--------------------|
| Calories (kcal) | 125 | 132 |
| Protein (g) | 20.2 | 20.7 |
| Fat (g) | 5.8 | 6.2 |
| Vitamin A (µg) | 2867 | 10414 |
| Vitamin D (µg) | 1.1 | 1.2 |
| Vitamin E (mg) | 0.8 | 0.9 |
| Vitamin K (µg) | 11 | 12 |
| Calcium (mg) | 10 | 11 |
| Phosphorus (mg) | 200 | 210 |
| Iron (mg) | 7.2 | 7.5 |
| Zinc (mg) | 3.1 | 3.2 |
As can be seen from the table, the biggest difference between broiler liver and native chicken liver in terms of nutritional content is the vitamin A content. Every 100g of broiler liver contains 2867 µg of vitamin A, while native chicken liver contains 10414 µg, almost 4 times higher!
Cat's Vitamin A Needs
2.1 Properties, Deficiency and Excess of Vitamin A
Vitamin A is a fat-soluble vitamin, which means it is not soluble in water, but exists in a fat-soluble form. Cats cannot convert carotenoids from plants into vitamin A, so they must obtain it from their diet.
Vitamin A is mainly involved in five physiological functions in cats: vision, growth, cell differentiation, morphological development and immunity. A deficiency in vitamin A can lead to eye and body developmental problems in cats, such as conjunctivitis, corneal dryness and congestion. Severe deficiency can even lead to developmental problems in pregnant cats, fetal malformations and even miscarriages.
Meat is rich in vitamin A, especially animal liver. Supplementing with liver in moderation can meet the cat's vitamin A needs. However, the cat's need for vitamin A is limited, and excess intake can lead to poisoning.
In the 1970s, the United States conducted a series of experiments on vitamin A excess. The results showed that when cats consumed excessive amounts of vitamin A, their bones were damaged. In kittens, excessive vitamin A can lead to hyperplasia of the first three cervical vertebrae, making the bones stiff and hindering normal growth. Due to problems with the cervical vertebrae, cats cannot bend their necks flexibly and cannot groom themselves, resulting in messy fur. More importantly, this hyperplasia is irreversible, and even if vitamin A is reduced to normal levels later, the damage caused is difficult to recover.
2.2 Analyzing a Cat's Daily Vitamin A Requirements
Cats cannot live without vitamin A, but they also cannot live without a reasonable intake of vitamin A. So, how much vitamin A do cats need per day?
According to recommendations from the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) and the National Research Council (NRC), the daily vitamin A requirements for kittens and adult cats are as follows:
| Cat Age | Daily Vitamin A Requirements (IU) |
|-------------|--------------------------|
| Kitten | 833~3600 |
| Adult Cat | 833~3600 |
Here is an explanation of the units:
1 IU: The international standard unit for vitamins. Different vitamins have different IU values. For vitamin A, 1 IU = 0.3 µg/1000 kcal.
Calories per 1000 kcal of food intake: The measurement standard for cat's vitamin A requirements is based on calories per 1000 kcal of food intake.
The above may be a little difficult to understand, let's use a real example to explain it:
First, calculate your cat's daily calorie needs. Here we refer to a simple formula:
Daily calorie needs for cats = ((Body weight kg 30) / 70) Activity factor
According to the above formula, if a 4kg adult cat is moderately active (activity factor = 1~1.2), the daily calorie needs are:
Daily calorie needs for a 4kg adult cat = (4 30 / 70) 1.0~1.2 = 190~228 calories.
Let's take an easy-to-calculate middle value, 200 calories. Then, according to AAFCO standards, the minimum daily vitamin A requirement for a 4kg adult cat is:
833 0.2 = 167 (1 IU) = 50 µg.
In other words, the minimum daily vitamin A requirement for a 4kg adult cat is 50 µg, and the upper limit is 3600 µg.
So, how much chicken liver is needed to meet these vitamin A requirements? We take the broiler and native chicken livers and calculate them separately:
Broiler Liver: Minimum 1.74g, Maximum 126g
Native Chicken Liver: Minimum 0.48g, Maximum 35g
The calculation process is shown in the figure:
[Image: Chicken Liver Vitamin A Calculation Process]
The results are shocking:
A 4kg adult cat can meet its basic vitamin A needs by eating a little chicken liver (2g) per day; if eating broiler liver, eating 3 liang (about 105g) a day will lead to vitamin A excess; if eating native chicken liver, only 7g will lead to vitamin A excess. Regardless of 3 liang or 7g, in the feeding process where chicken liver is the main food, this is really an easy-to-reach data.
2.3 Analysis of Vitamin A in Raw Food and Classic Cat Food Formulas
In our raw food and classic cat food formulas, we recommend a liver content of 5%~10%. Let's analyze the vitamin A content in these formulas.
Assuming a 4kg adult cat needs about 3%~4% of its body weight in meat per day, which is 120g~160g, the median liver content is 5%~10%, which is 7g~14g.
The vitamin A content is:
Broiler VA intake analysis: 200~400 µg
Native Chicken: 729~1458 µg
Classic cat food formula for a 4kg adult cat
From the results of the calculation, we can see:
According to the classic cat food formula, the daily intake of vitamin A from liver can meet the minimum requirement of 50 µg, and it is still a distance from the upper limit of 3600 µg. It can be said that it is within a reasonable range. Note: The vitamin A content in native chicken liver is higher. If you feed your cat native chicken liver, you can further reduce the amount of liver from the perspective of vitamin A.
What Are the Problems with Feeding a Chicken Liver-Based Diet?
Chicken liver is good in terms of calories, protein, fat and various vitamins. However, if you feed a chicken liver-based diet for a long time, not only is the vitamin A content too high, which can lead to vitamin A toxicity in cats, but the nutrient content is not rich or balanced enough for cats. The main problem is severe calcium deficiency:
| Component | Chicken Liver (per 100g) | Cat's Daily Requirement (mg) |
|----------|-----------------|-----------------------|
| Calcium | 10 | 150~200 |
| Phosphorus | 200 | 250~350 |
As can be seen from the table, chicken liver is extremely low in calcium. Such a low calcium-to-phosphorus ratio can lead to serious problems with calcium and phosphorus absorption, resulting in osteoporosis and a higher risk of fractures in cats.
Therefore, if cats are fed a chicken liver-based diet for a long time, they will experience the following problems:
Vitamin A overdose leading to poisoning: Bone hyperplasia, epiphyseal damage, gingival hyperplasia and inflammation, etc.
Calcium deficiency leading to poor bone development: Osteoporosis, increased risk of fractures; bone hyperplasia leading to stiffness in the cervical vertebrae, inability to bend, difficulty in grooming, messy fur.
In short, cats that are fed a chicken liver-based diet for a long time will experience a very poor health condition.
How to Feed Chicken Liver Scientifically?
Chicken liver is nutrient-rich but also comes with certain risks. To allow your cat to enjoy chicken liver safely and healthily, we recommend following these principles:
Control the intake of chicken liver: Feed chicken liver 1-2 times a week, 1-2g each time. Adjust the amount according to your cat's weight and activity level.
Choose high-quality chicken liver: Choose fresh, unpolluted chicken liver, preferably from free-range chickens.
Properly supplement other nutrients: Chicken liver is low in calcium, so you need to supplement calcium, such as bone meal, calcium tablets, etc.
Observe your cat's reaction: If your cat experiences loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhea, etc., stop feeding chicken liver immediately.
Conclusion
Chicken liver can be part of a cat's diet, but not a staple food. Feeding a chicken liver-based diet for a long time can lead to vitamin A toxicity and calcium deficiency in cats, causing serious health damage. To ensure your cat grows up healthy, please choose and feed chicken liver scientifically, and make sure your cat's diet is balanced and nutritionally complete.
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