Topics:
Animal Nutrition, Animal Refresher
Cause of Feline Central Retinal Degeneration
Feline central retinal degeneration (FCRD) is a degenerative disease of the retina of a cat, caused by a deficiency of:
- Arachidonic acid
- Linoleic acid
- Taurine — Correct Answer
- Glucose-6-phosphate
Explanation:
Correct Answer: Taurine
Feline Central Retinal Degeneration (FCRD) is caused by deficiency of Taurine. Cats are obligate carnivores that cannot synthesize adequate taurine from cysteine and methionine (due to very low activity of cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase enzyme). Taurine deficiency causes progressive degeneration of the photoreceptor cells in the central retina.
Taurine Deficiency Diseases in Cats
| Disease | System Affected | Deficient Nutrient |
|---|---|---|
| FCRD (Feline Central Retinal Degeneration) | Eye (retina) | Taurine |
| Dilated Cardiomyopathy (DCM) | Heart | Taurine |
| Reproductive failure | Reproduction | Taurine |
Why Cats Require Dietary Taurine
- Cats lack sufficient cysteine sulfinic acid decarboxylase → cannot synthesize taurine from cysteine.
- Taurine is found only in animal tissues (meat, fish) — not in plant proteins.
- This is why cats must be fed meat-based diets — vegetarian cat diets cause taurine deficiency.
- Cat is also unique in requiring Arachidonic acid (EFA) from the diet, as they cannot synthesize it from linoleic acid.
Why Other Options Are Wrong
- Arachidonic acid → essential fatty acid in cats; deficiency causes skin/coat problems and reproductive issues, not FCRD.
- Linoleic acid → EFA in pigs and poultry; deficiency causes skin lesions; not FCRD in cats.
- Glucose-6-phosphate → metabolic intermediate; not a dietary nutrient associated with retinal degeneration.
