supplements ok??

Question
do you know if it is ok to give my cats 400mg (or is it IU?)  of vitamin E a day?  I was thinking I could break open a gelcap and put it on their paw to lick off
I read in one book that it is OK but then another expert said that if you're feeding your cat cat food u shouldn't have to supplement
so i got conflicting info  wanted to check 1st to be safe

Answer
Hi Lisa.  I'm with the other expert that says you don't need to supplement if you're feeding a high-quality diet.  A healthy cat will get all the nutrients it needs from a balanced diet.  

If you still feel you'd like to supplement, I recommend to give your cat a multi-vitamin especially formulated for cats, rather than just vitamin E.  They're available through vets and most pet stores.  See:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/Product/NavResults.cfm?N=2002&Np=1&Ntt=vitamin&Ntx...

http://www.endur.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=products.displayproduct&id=43&prid=ovm...

http://www.naturalpetsupplements.com/

Vitamin E can help boost the immune system in elderly cats, ill cats, and cats with diseases which may delay healing, like diabetes.  If your cat has any chronic condition that predisposes him to illness, such as asthma or feline AIDS, then vitamin E may be a good addition to his diet.  The dosage is 50-100 international units for adult cats with compromised immuse systems (50 for healthy cats).  However, I believe that this is another instance where a multi-vitamin would be an even better choice.

Ideally, ask your vet for his or her opinion.