Astragalus for Cats: Benefits, Safety & What Research Says

Can cats have astragalus?

Astragalus is a botanical ingredient that has been used in herbal traditions for centuries and is now appearing in some modern pet foods and nutritional formulas.

Interest in astragalus for cats is growing, particularly around its naturally occurring polysaccharides and their possible relationship with immune function, antioxidant activity and gut health.

But there is an important distinction to make from the start: research specifically involving cats is still limited.

A 2025 study involving kittens provides some of the first direct feline evidence involving astragalus-derived polysaccharides. The results are interesting, but they do not prove that astragalus can prevent or treat disease, nor do they establish that every form or dose of astragalus will produce the same effects.

Here is what we currently know.

What Is Astragalus?

Astragalus is a large genus of flowering plants in the legume family.

The species commonly discussed in herbal nutrition is usually referred to as Astragalus membranaceus, also known as Huang Qi. Its root has a long history of use in East Asian herbal practices and contains a variety of naturally occurring plant compounds.

Among the most studied are polysaccharides, saponins and flavonoids.

These compounds have attracted increasing scientific interest, particularly in research relating to immune responses, oxidative stress, metabolism and the gut microbiome.

That does not mean all of these proposed effects have been demonstrated in cats.

Much of the earlier research on astragalus was conducted in humans, laboratory models or livestock species. Applying those findings directly to cats would be an overstatement because cats have their own nutritional and metabolic characteristics.

Feline-specific evidence matters.

Why Is Astragalus Used in Pet Nutrition?

Modern pet nutrition is increasingly interested in ingredients that do more than provide basic calories, protein, fat, vitamins and minerals.

This has led to growing attention around functional ingredients such as probiotics, prebiotics, berries, mushrooms and botanical ingredients.

Astragalus falls into this broader category.

Rather than serving as a major source of protein or energy, it is generally included in relatively small quantities as part of a wider nutritional formulation.

Researchers have been particularly interested in Astragalus polysaccharides, often abbreviated as APS.

These are carbohydrate compounds extracted from the plant and are different from simply adding an entire astragalus root to a diet.

This difference becomes very important when reading scientific studies.

What Does Research Say About Astragalus for Cats?

Until recently, direct research involving astragalus and domestic cats was extremely limited.

That began to change with a study published in Frontiers in Microbiology in 2025.

Researchers studied 14 healthy four-month-old kittens over 56 days. The kittens were divided into two groups.

One group received a control diet, while the other received the same basic diet supplemented with 0.1% Astragalus polysaccharide and 0.2% Poria cocos polysaccharide.

The researchers examined several areas, including serum immune markers, biochemical parameters, gut microbiota and serum metabolites.

What did the study find?

Compared with the control group, kittens receiving the polysaccharide combination showed changes in several immune-related markers.

The researchers reported higher concentrations of immunoglobulin A and immunoglobulin G, alongside changes in certain cytokines involved in immune signalling.

They also observed differences in the relative abundance of several intestinal bacteria.

Some bacterial groups considered potentially beneficial were more abundant in the supplemented group, while the relative abundance of one opportunistic bacterial group was lower.

The kittens' measured serum biochemical parameters remained within reference ranges during the study.

These findings suggest that botanical polysaccharides deserve further investigation as functional ingredients in feline nutrition.

But they also need to be interpreted carefully.

What This Study Does — and Does Not — Prove

The 2025 study is encouraging because it provides direct feline data rather than relying entirely on research from another species.

However, it was still a small study involving only 14 kittens.

More importantly, the kittens did not receive Astragalus polysaccharide alone.

They received a combination of:

Astragalus polysaccharide + Poria cocos polysaccharide.

The researchers themselves noted that the study could not determine how much of the observed response came from Astragalus and how much came from Poria.

The study also evaluated specific extracted polysaccharides at specific dietary concentrations.

That means its findings cannot automatically be applied to every astragalus root powder, botanical extract, supplement or cat food containing astragalus.

Form matters.

Dose matters.

Processing matters.

And the combination with the rest of the diet matters.

That is why we view the study as promising early feline evidence, rather than final proof of a particular health benefit.

What About Earlier Astragalus Research?

Before feline-specific research became available, much of the interest in astragalus for companion animals came from studies involving other animal species.

A 2024 review published in Animal Frontiers examined the potential use of Astragalus membranaceus and ginseng in dog and cat diets.

The authors highlighted potential areas of interest including gut health, immune function and antioxidant status, while repeatedly stressing the need for species-specific research and standardized botanical ingredients.

At the time the review was written, the authors noted an almost complete absence of direct feline research.

The 2025 kitten study therefore represents an important next step — but not the end of the scientific discussion.

More studies involving larger numbers of cats, different life stages, longer feeding periods and individual botanical ingredients would help provide a clearer picture.

Is Astragalus Safe for Cats?

The most accurate answer today is:

Available evidence is encouraging, but feline-specific safety data are still limited.

The 2025 kitten study did not report abnormal serum biochemical values associated with the tested combination during its 56-day feeding period.

Earlier scientific reviews have also noted that documented toxicity from Astragalus membranaceus is uncommon in the existing literature.

However, that should not be interpreted as meaning that any astragalus product can be freely given to any cat at any dose.

Different products may use whole root, powders, concentrated extracts or isolated compounds.

Their chemical composition can be very different.

There are also thousands of species within the Astragalus genus, and they should not all be treated as interchangeable.

For these reasons, pet owners should be especially cautious about giving human herbal supplements or homemade herbal preparations directly to cats.

Cats with medical conditions, cats receiving medication, pregnant or nursing cats and kittens with special nutritional requirements should be discussed with a veterinarian before introducing additional supplements.

A botanical ingredient incorporated into a formulated complete diet is also very different from independently dosing a concentrated supplement.

Is Astragalus an Essential Nutrient for Cats?

No.

Cats do not require astragalus in the way they require essential nutrients such as taurine, certain amino acids, fatty acids, vitamins and minerals.

Astragalus is better understood as a functional botanical ingredient.

That distinction is important.

The nutritional foundation of a cat food should still come first: appropriate animal protein, essential amino acids, fats, vitamins, minerals and overall nutritional balance.

Botanical ingredients should complement that foundation rather than replace it.

Astragalus Root vs Astragalus Polysaccharide

You may see both terms when researching astragalus.

They are not the same thing.

Astragalus root refers to the botanical material itself.

Astragalus polysaccharides are specific carbohydrate compounds obtained from astragalus and concentrated or isolated during processing.

A study involving purified Astragalus polysaccharide therefore cannot be used as direct proof that the same biological response will occur from every product containing whole astragalus root.

This is one reason we pay attention not only to whether an ingredient appears on a label, but also to the overall formulation in which it is used.

Why SoulFeed Diary Uses Astragalus

At SoulFeed Diary, botanical ingredients are not intended to replace the nutritional fundamentals cats depend on.

We use them as part of a broader formulation.

Our Vitality & Longevity Slow-Baked Complete Cat Food is built first around animal-based nutrition, with fresh chicken as its primary ingredient and a guaranteed crude protein level of at least 45% on a dry-matter basis.

Astragalus root is incorporated alongside other carefully selected nutritional and botanical ingredients as part of this broader daily wellness approach.

The aim is not to treat a disease with a single herb.

Instead, our formulation philosophy is based on combining complete nutrition with selected functional ingredients that can support everyday nutritional care.

This distinction matters to us.

Scientific interest in ingredients such as astragalus is growing, but responsible pet nutrition means recognizing both what research tells us and what it does not yet tell us.

The Bottom Line: Should You Look for Astragalus in Cat Food?

Astragalus is an interesting botanical ingredient, and emerging feline research gives us good reason to continue studying it.

A 2025 study involving kittens found measurable changes in immune markers, gut bacteria and metabolic pathways after feeding a combination of Astragalus and Poria polysaccharides.

But the evidence is still early.

Astragalus should not be viewed as a miracle ingredient, a medicine or a substitute for a nutritionally complete diet.

For pet owners evaluating a cat food, the better question is not simply:

“Does this food contain astragalus?”

It is:

“How does this botanical ingredient fit into the complete nutritional formula?”

That is the approach we believe makes the most sense.

Explore the Formula

Discover how Astragalus root is used alongside high animal-protein nutrition, probiotics and other selected botanical ingredients in SoulFeed Diary Vitality & Longevity Slow-Baked Complete Cat Food.

References & Further Reading

Xie Y, Jian S, Zhang L, Deng B. Effect of compound polysaccharide on immunity, antioxidant capacity, gut microbiota, and serum metabolome in kittens. Frontiers in Microbiology. 2025;16:1500961.

Pezzali JG, et al. Herbal paw-sibilities: potential use and challenges of Astragalus membranaceus and Panax species (ginseng) in diets intended for cats and dogs. Animal Frontiers. 2024.

National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health. Astragalus: Usefulness and Safety.

This article is intended for general pet-nutrition education and does not replace veterinary advice. If your cat has a medical condition or receives medication, consult a veterinarian before adding supplements or making significant dietary changes.