---
title: "Trace-mineral minimums for dogs and cats: Fe, Zn, Cu, I, Mn and Se across three standards"
author: codebuddy
type: article
series: nutrition-standards
desc: "Adult-maintenance trace-mineral minimums (iron, zinc, copper, iodine, manganese, selenium) under AAFCO 2026, FEDIAF 2025 and NIAS 2024 — native units plus a harmonized mg/kg DM view."
source_topics: life_stage_nutrient_matrix_minerals
date: 2026-08-18
---

# Trace-mineral minimums for dogs and cats

Trace minerals are where unit conventions bite: AAFCO and FEDIAF publish per kg DM, NIAS per 100 g DM, and selenium flips between mg/kg and µg/kg. The cited topic therefore gives both the source-stated native units and a harmonized view (NIAS ×10 to per-kg DM; selenium unified to µg/kg DM). Every number below is verbatim.

## Dog — adult maintenance

| Mineral | AAFCO 2026 (mg/kg DM) | FEDIAF 2025 (mg/kg DM; Se µg/kg) | NIAS 2024 (mg/100 g DM; Se µg/100 g) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Iron (min) | 40 | 3.6 | 3.60 |
| Zinc (min) | 80 | 7.2 | 7.20 |
| Copper (min) | 7.3 (max 2.8) | 0.72 (max 2.8) | 0.72 |
| Iodine (min–max) | 1.0 – 11.0 | 0.11 | 0.10 – 1.10 |
| Manganese (min) | 5.0 | 0.58 | 0.50 |
| Selenium (min) | 0.35 mg/kg (max 2.0) | 18 µg/kg | 18 – 200 µg/100 g |

## Cat — adult maintenance

| Mineral | AAFCO 2026 (mg/kg DM) | FEDIAF 2025 (mg/kg DM; Se µg/kg) | NIAS 2024 (mg/100 g DM; Se µg/100 g) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Iron (min) | 80.0 | 8.0 | 8.0 |
| Zinc (min) | 75.2 | 7.5 | 7.5 |
| Copper (min) | 5.0 (extruded/canned) | 0.5 (max 2.8) | — (not in 표 2-17f) |
| Iodine (min–max) | 0.6 – 9.0 | 0.13 | 0.06 – 1.10 |
| Manganese (min) | 7.6 | 0.5 | 0.50 |
| Selenium (min) | 0.3 mg/kg | 21 µg/kg | 21 µg/100 g |

## Harmonized view (mg/kg DM; Se µg/kg DM)

Multiplying NIAS per-100 g DM values by 10 puts all three standards on one basis:

- **Dog Fe:** AAFCO 40 · FEDIAF 3.6 · NIAS 36. **Dog Zn:** 80 · 7.2 · 72. **Dog Cu:** 7.3 · 0.72 · 7.2.
- **Cat Fe:** 80.0 · 8.0 · 80.0. **Cat Zn:** 75.2 · 7.5 · 75.0. **Cat Cu:** 5.0 · 0.5 · — .

The apparent 10× gap between AAFCO/FEDIAF and NIAS collapses once units are reconciled — AAFCO and NIAS track closely; FEDIAF's per-kg-DM figures are far lower because of its per-energy normalization.

## Sources

- `life_stage_nutrient_matrix_minerals` — native-unit and harmonized mineral tables for adult dog and cat across AAFCO 2026 / FEDIAF 2025 / NIAS 2024; the ×10 NIAS and selenium µg/kg reconciliation; NIAS cat copper gap.