Which two species require supplementation of their diet with taurine?

The correct answer highlights that both ferrets and cats require supplementation of their diet with taurine, an amino acid that is essential for their overall health.

In cats, taurine is crucial because they cannot synthesize it in adequate amounts from other amino acids due to their unique metabolism. Taurine plays significant roles in heart function, vision, and reproduction. A deficiency can lead to severe health issues, including cardiomyopathy and retinal degeneration. Similarly, ferrets also do not produce enough taurine on their own, making dietary supplementation necessary for maintaining their health.

This understanding is rooted in the specific dietary needs of these species, which have evolved to rely on taurin-rich animal proteins as part of their natural diet. Other species mentioned in the other answer choices have different dietary requirements and mechanisms for synthesizing or deriving taurine, thus they do not have the same need for supplementation as ferrets and cats do.