Table 8.
European pet food industry (FEDIAF) nutritional guidelines for complete and complementary pet foods12
| Minimum recommended (adults) | Minimum recommended (growth) | Maximum nutritional (adult)* | Maximum nutritional (growth)* | Legal limit† | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Calcium (g/kg DM) | 5.9 | 10.0 | NA | NA | NA |
| Phosphate (g/kg DM) | 5.0 | 8.4 | NA | NA | NA |
| Calcium:phosphate ratio | 1:1 | 1:1 | 2:1 | 1.5:1 | NA |
| Vitamin D (IU/kg DM)‡ | 250 | 750 | 30000 | 30000 | 2270 |
*
Maximum nutritional limit is the maximum level of nutrition in a complete pet food that, based on scientific data, has not been associated with adverse effects in healthy cats
†
The legal limit (European Union regulation 1831/2003) applies to all life stages. It only applies when the vitamin is a declared additive. If the nutrient is derived exclusively from the feed materials, the legal maximum does not apply and instead the nutritional maximum should be taken into account
‡
Vitamin D is combined ergocalciferol (vitamin D2) and cholecalciferol (vitamin D3) content
DM = dry matter; NA = not available