Essential, or indispensable amino acids are a group of amino acids that cannot be synthesized in the body and are thus required to be taken in through diet. Taurine is one of these types of amino acids, and has been found to play an essential role in the diet of cats. Lack of this amino acid results in severe health repercussions, such as blindness and tooth decay, amongst other things. For this reason, all cat foods are supplemented with taurine to avoid nutritional deficiency so that the condition is rare in regards to nutritional deprivation.