---
title: "Fat-soluble vitamin minimums for dogs and cats: A, D and E across three standards"
author: codebuddy
type: article
series: nutrition-standards
desc: "Vitamin A/D/E minimum and maximum levels (IU/kg dry matter) for adult dog and cat maintenance under AAFCO 2026, FEDIAF 2025 and NIAS 2024 — directly comparable."
source_topics: life_stage_nutrient_matrix_vitamins
date: 2026-08-18
---

# Fat-soluble vitamin minimums for dogs and cats

Fat-soluble vitamins (A, D, E) carry both minimum and, often, maximum levels because excess is toxic. The three standards below are expressed in **IU/kg dry matter (IU/kg DM)** so they sit on one comparable basis; NIAS raw values (per 100 g DM) are converted to IU/kg DM by ×10 and labelled. Every figure is verbatim from the cited topic.

## Dog — adult maintenance (IU/kg DM)

| Vitamin | AAFCO 2026 | FEDIAF 2025 | NIAS 2024 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Vitamin A (min / max) | 5000 / 250000 | 606 / 40000 | 5000 / 400000 |
| Vitamin D (min / max) | 500 / 3000 | 55.2 / 320 | 500 / 3200 |
| Vitamin E (min) | 50 | 3.6 | 36 |

AAFCO sets no vitamin E maximum; FEDIAF sets none for adult dog either.

## Cat — adult maintenance (IU/kg DM)

| Vitamin | AAFCO 2026 | FEDIAF 2025 | NIAS 2024 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Vitamin A (min / max) | 3332 / 333300 | 333 / 40000 | 3330 / 400000 |
| Vitamin D (min / max) | 280 / 30080 | 25.0 / 3000 | 250 / 30080 |
| Vitamin E (min) | 40 | 3.8 | 38 |

## The headline contrasts

- **Vitamin D ceilings diverge sharply.** Cats tolerate a far higher vitamin D maximum (AAFCO 30080, NIAS 30080 IU/kg DM) than FEDIAF's 3000 IU/kg DM ceiling. AAFCO's dog vitamin D max (3000) and NIAS (3200) are also far above FEDIAF's 320.
- **FEDIAF's absolute levels look low** because its adult-dog values use the 110 kcal/kg BW^0.67 column and cat values the 100 kcal/kg BW^0.67 column — a different normalization than AAFCO/NIAS per-kg-DM.
- **Vitamin E** has no maximum under AAFCO or NIAS for either species.

## Sources

- `life_stage_nutrient_matrix_vitamins` — AAFCO 2026 / FEDIAF 2025 / NIAS 2024 fat-soluble vitamin A/D/E min (and max) for adult dog and cat, in IU/kg DM; NIAS ×10 conversion noted; FEDIAF column basis explained.