Tuna

Tuna Glossary: Tuna is a marine fish used as a source of protein and flavour in some foods, especially for cats, in which it is highly palatable, supplying good-quality protein and marine omega-3, though its composition and use call for nuance. Tuna is a large predator high in the food chain, so it tends to accumulate more mercury than small oily fish such as [herring](/glossary/herring) or sardine, which invites moderation for an everyday food (WSAVA Global Nutrition Guidelines). A specific point concerns cats: a diet relying heavily on tuna can pose nutritional balance problems, for example a vitamin E imbalance relative to unsaturated fats, a potential source of disorders, and tuna used as a single exclusive ingredient does not make a complete and balanced diet (veterinary literature). Its strong palatability can also encourage a degree of food fixation in cats, sometimes seen as fussiness. On a label, the word tuna often signals a product designed for [palatability](/glossary/palatability) rather than for targeted omega-3 supply (NRC, 2006). The marker: tuna is palatable and nutritious in reasonable amounts, but it suits a balanced ration as a complement, not as the exclusive basis of the diet. For reliable omega-3, lower-mercury sources such as [salmon and salmon oil](/glossary/salmon-salmon-oil) are preferable, as the [Petipedia glossary](/glossary) explains.

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