In May 1999, Health Canada published a press release warning about the potential toxicity of blue-green algae products, leading to liver damage, among other symptoms. Nine products containing blue-green algae were tested for the toxin Microcystin-LR, and all showed higher levels of toxins than deemed safe by both Health Canada and the World Health Organization. Health Canada is urging parents to stop giving these products to children, and adults were warned to monitor their own intake carefully.

What does this mean to cats? Blue-green algae is a supplement commonly included in various home made cat food recipes. Assumed benefits of this supplement for cats include its richness in amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals. While we do not dispute the health benefits of nontoxic blue-green algae, such as Spirulina, for human health, we find the reasoning for the supplements addition to cat food unfounded. A raw meat based diet* , as well as whole prey, is complete in all amino acids, enzymes, vitamins, and minerals needed by the cat. Additional supplementation is unnecessary if not dangerous, considering that the supplement is potentially toxic and leads, as a lesser problem, to indigestion in most cats.
(*we can only refer to feline future's formulation)

Please read our chapter "When Love Can Kill" about the potential hazards of other supplements