Antioxidants are nutrients that prevent or slow damage caused to their cat’s cells by free radicals. Antioxidants are vital for their cat’s immune system and it is believed to reduce their risk of diseases such as diabetes mellitus, cancer and cognitive deterioration. The examples used in cats include vitamins E and C, selenium and beta -carotene.

So how do you make sure your cat is getting enough? Keep reading to get everything you need to know about antioxidants in cats, from how they work to what foods contain them.

What are antioxidants?

His body produces ‘free radicals’ during everyday metabolic processes. While free radicals have some useful functions, too many cell damage or death. Free radicals are linked to multiple diseases in cats, as well as premature aging. In addition to being naturally produced, things such as pollution, cigarette smoke, infections and exposure to toxins can increase free radicals in their cat’s body.

Antioxidants work by neutralizing free radicals, protecting against their harmful effects.

Your cat’s body must maintain the correct balance of free radicals and antioxidants to avoid damage. When free radicals exceed antioxidants, it leads to ‘oxidative stress’, which can be harmful to their health. That is why guaranteeing that your cat has enough antioxidants in your diet is important.

When fighting free radicals, antioxidants slow down or avoid cell damage, protecting the body of their oxidative stress cat. This reduces the effects of premature aging and protects your cat against diseases related to cell damage, including cancer.

What are the benefits of antioxidants in cats?

It is shown that antioxidants increase their cat’s immune system and reduce the risk of many health problems. Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com

Antioxidants reduce the risk of their cat from many health conditions, such as:

Antioxidants and your cat’s immune system

We also know that antioxidants increase their cat’s immune system, protecting them from a wide range of possible diseases.

A recent study on the Effect of dietary antioxidants on free radical damage in dogs and cats He concluded that “cats fed with an antioxidant mixture, including vitamin E, vitamin C and β-carotene, have improved immune health as observed through reduced signs of oxidation and decreased cell decomposition.”

Complete research on Feline immunocompetence, aging and the role of antioxidants He found a greater immune response to vaccination in cats fed with a diet supplemented with antioxidants, compared to cats without antioxidant supplement.

They also found that immune cells themselves were stronger and less fragile in cats fed with a diet rich in antioxidants compared to those of a standard diet. This could improve them in the fight against disease and infection.

Cat antioxidant sources

While antioxidants are found in many plant -based foods, meat -based sources are more appropriate for cats, such as fish, shellfish, lean meat and poultry. Kate Barrington / Cats.com

Strictly speaking, antioxidants are not specific ingredients, but substances that have antioxidant properties, generally among other benefits. Examples of substances that are known to have antioxidant effects on cats include:

• Vitamin E (may appear as Tocoferol)
• Vitamin C (can appear as ascorbic acid)
• Carotenoids, such as beta -carotene and lutein
• Selenium
• Taurine

Antioxidants can be found in ingredients based on meat base. While your cat can tolerate small amounts of plant -based options (such as sweet potatoes, blueberries, pumpkin, green leafy algae), meat, fish and eggs offer a more appropriate option to boost their antioxidant levels.

Read our 9 main antioxidant foods to combat diseases for cats to learn more about the best foods rich in antioxidants for cats.

How to give antioxidants to your cat

The safest way to ensure that your cat is to obtain the optimal amount of antioxidants is to feed them a balanced and complete diet, appropriate for their life and health stage. Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com

Now you know how important antioxidants are, you will want to make sure your cat gets enough. There are three main ways to guarantee this: Verify your cat’s diet meets AAFCO standards, choose a diet with additional antioxidants or give your cat an additional supplement.

Antioxidants in regular cat food

The good news is that all the diets that are complete and balanced, as established by the FEED American Control Officials Association (AAFCO)It must contain adequate amounts of essential micronutrients. This includes some with antioxidant properties, such as vitamin E, selenium and bullfighting.

So, if your cat receives a complete and balanced diet appropriate for your life stage, you may be sure that you will already receive a healthy dose of antioxidants. To verify if your cat’s food meets the AAFCO standards, look for the “AAFCO statement” in the packaging.

Specialized diets rich in antioxidants

While all pet food approved by the AAFCO will meet the minimum nutritional requirements, some diets go further.

Recognizing the benefits of antioxidants, many specialized diets contain added antioxidants. These include diets designed to handle health conditions, such as heart disease and gastrointestinal problems.

With the greatest risk of oxidative damage in older pets, high quality diets designed for higher cats or those with cognitive impairment (dementia) should also contain high levels of antioxidants.

Antioxidant supplements

If you want to increase your cat’s antioxidant intake, you can also consider using a supplement. These come in capsules, liquids, dust, chews and tablets.

Most cat supplements contain a variety of vitamins, minerals and other ingredients, instead of only ingredients with antioxidant properties. Unfortunately, in most countries, supplements are not as regulated as other medications. This means that they can be sold without manufacturers having to demonstrate that the product contains what it says, it is effective or safe.

What happens if your cat does not have enough antioxidants?

Your cat needs enough antioxidants to combat harmful free radical levels in your body. We know that the activity of natural antioxidants is reduced as their cat ages, which makes them more susceptible to oxidative damage and disease. So, antioxidants are even more important for our major cats.

Diets that do not contain enough antioxidants, especially vitamin E, bullfighting and selenium, can lead to poor immune health and greater susceptibility to aging, cancer and disease.

The safest way to ensure that your cat receives the correct level of antioxidants is to feed them a commercial diet that is complete and balanced. Choosing a specific diet for your life stage, such as a diet for older people, will also take into account the greatest need for antioxidants in major cats.

What are the risks of antioxidants in cats?

Diets approved by AAFCO with antioxidants are tested for safety and nutrition, but each cat is different. Kirsten McCarthy / Cats.com

Commercial diets containing antioxidants that are approved by the AAFCO (or the PET Food Safety Agency in your country) are considered safe. They are tested to make sure they contain the levels of nutrients they claim, and these levels must be within the safe ranges. Although, of course, not all diets will agree with each individual cat.

The main risk of antioxidants in cats comes with the supplementation of the complete existing diet of your cat, since it is difficult to know if they could be getting too much. As mentioned above, in most countries, supplements are not well regulated. This means that companies are generally not obliged to prove that supplements contain what they say or demonstrate that they are safe.

Antioxidant toxicity in cats

Like most things in life, you can get too good. While antioxidants can certainly increase their cat’s health and well -being, high levels can be dangerous. Antioxidant toxicity is rare in cats, but can be seen in cats fed with excessive supplements or diets that are not properly balanced, such as diets cooked in the home.

For example, high levels of vitamin A (generally observed in cats fed with a diet rich in liver or cod liver oil) can cause vomiting, anorexia, muscle pain and neurological symptoms, as well as serious changes in your cat’s bones. Excess vitamin E has been related to bleeding problems in cats, while Selenium toxicity in animals It has been shown that it causes damage to the muscle, the heart, the liver, the spleen and the kidneys.

Side effects of antioxidants in cats

Even at the correct levels, all supplements can cause side effects, such as vomiting and diarrhea. They also have the potential to interact with medication, including herbal remedies. Therefore, always consult your veterinarian before starting your cat in a supplement.

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The Smart Purrclean Self -Equipment Sand box is designed with a touch screen system, an application that monitors your cat’s bath habits and several safety sensors.

However, it is also one of the most expensive automatic sandboxes on the market. Is it worth the technological characteristics, or the Purrclean is too expensive? In this impartial review, I will discuss my experience and help you decide if it is the right choice for you.

Why trust cats.com

I tried the Purclean automatic sand box for about six weeks in my home in several caps. Although I have seven cats, only three are small enough to use most self -employment boxes comfortably.

During the tests, I noticed my cat’s reactions, as well as my own practical experience with the product. The things I consider when checking an automatic sand box include the ease of use, collection skills and if the machine is easy to clean deeply. I also try large amounts of fluids to see if the sand box can handle large groups.

I also look for what other people think about the product and the brand, since what works for me will not work for everyone. I want to know how the sand box works in a variety of conditions so that you can provide the best possible recommendation.

Purrclean Smart Smart Authemaning Box and instant

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

Instachew is a pet product company with a focus on intelligent technology and convenience for pet parents. Its application, instachew infinity, is at the forefront of its advertising.

The company sells a range of dogs and cat products, including pet cameras, travel equipment and the intelligent Purclean self -limited sand box.

This automatic sand box reached the market in 2020 and includes a lot of technological and safety features that include its touch screen, application connection and 12 sensors to detect when your cat is inside or near the box.

Purrclean Smart Smart Authemaning Box Characteristics

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

Instachew focuses its intelligent technology, and especially its application, by announcing this product. I found the convenient and simple touch screen, but the application is less. Several users, including myself, had trouble connecting it to the sand box. Some also seemed confusing to use.

Once connected, you can configure a cleaning schedule, collect or empty the sand box, monitor your cat’s sand habits and more.

Another main characteristic of the Purrclean is its large number of safety sensors. In addition, the drum revolves from side to side when taking out and has no door. So, even if all these sensors fail, your cat would not get stuck inside.

The machine works silently, presents an air purification system to control the smells and has a large waste container located at the bottom of the sand box.

Although instachew focuses on the owner’s convenience, this sand box is not the easiest to clean deeply. We will discuss this more in depth below.

What we like:

• Easy to use touch screen
• Shoops in silence
• Weighs cats and monitors your sand habits
• Made with 12 cat safety sensors

What we didn’t like:

• Not made for large cats
• Difficult to clean
• The drum is difficult to insert again after configuration and cleanliness
• The application is difficult to connect and send excessive notifications

What did our trial cats think?

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

The Smart Purrclean Self -Equipment Sand box was difficult to configure from the beginning. It cost me a lot to remove the drum to configure the machine, in addition to putting it back in its place later. You have to lift it while pressing it at the right angle, which can be a challenge.

I was satisfied with the touch screen in the sand box, which works well and is easy to use. However, I spent a lot of time trying to connect it to the application. In the end, I had to follow the problem solving steps in the instruction brochure, which worked!

This sand box is quite small, but most automatic sand boxes are. Only my smaller cats would use it. The sand box sends notifications every time a cat approaches the sand box, which seems unnecessary. Emerging windows quickly become annoying in a small space, or if the box is in an area of ​​the highly treated house.

That said, I like that the sand box sits when cats are close. Actually, it has a dozen safety sensors, and it is always good to see that a product prioritizes security, especially with other products in the market that have security problems.

The last problem I had was when it was time to deeply clean the machine. In addition to the battery problems, the inner eyeliner seems to be stuck. If you need to be cleaned, you must deal with the complete and bulky drum instead of simply remove the eyeliner itself.

In general, I liked this sand box and recommend it for small cats if it were not for the price. Personally, I think there are many cheaper automatic sand boxes in the market with similar characteristics, including application compatibility. Some of them are even easier to clean deeply!

Katelynn Sobus / Cats.com

What do customers from the Purrclean smart box think?

Positive reviews

“This product was exactly as described. I was in the order of setback, so it was a bit late in shipping, but I received it only a couple of days after the original delivery date. My cats love and I would recommend it to anyone other than people with multiple cats.” April Stuckless Review at Amazon (May 17, 2023)

“This sand box for intelligent cleaning cats is absolutely life! Automatically takes out the garbage, keeping everything clean and smell free with a minimum effort on my part. My cat took it immediately, and I have noticed a big difference in how fresh the room is maintained.” Shams Review On Chewy (August 16, 2024)

Reviewers agree that the sand box is convenient and works very silently. Several say it works better than their old sand box for folders, and some point out that the smell control works very well for them.

Negative reviews

“It is not large enough for a normal size cat. They enter and cannot turn around to urinate the opening and the front.” Sherry Review in Chewy (May 15, 2024)

“I had great hope for this automatic sand box for cats, but it turned out to be a great disappointment. The construction feels cheap and the application is even worse. It is barely synchronized with the sand box and the few characteristics of” hands -free “that just work.” Catty on Chewy

The complaints of the most frequent customers include problems with the application that connects or operation, the volume of the machine and the input or the drum are too small. Some reviewers had problems with the drum stuck in the shipment, which meant that they could not eliminate it to configure the sand box. Others pointed out that the deodorization system did not work well or that the urine leaked from the drum.

Similar automatic sandbox marks

Looking for other sandbox brands similar to the Purrclean? Check out some of our other sandbox reviews.