Carbohydrates In Cat Diets

The carbohydrate content in many cats’ diets is considerable. Cats are obligate carnivores. In the wild, the vast majority of a cat’s diet would be meat-based protein. Carbohydrates are grains and other starchy foods. A wild cat would not eat much food that is rich in carbohydrates. The body of a cat is not designed to metabolize a diet that consists of a large percentage of carbohydrates.

Dry cat foods do not duplicate a cat’s natural diet. Commercial dry cat foods typically contain thirty-five to fifty percent carbohydrates. Why is there such a discrepancy between the contents of commercial dry cat food and the contents of a natural diet for a cat? Most people believe that it’s a matter of business. Carbohydrates, such as grains, are cheap fillers for dry cat food.

The use of grains helps make a formula that can be conveniently stored. Fiber is a component of carbohydrates that are used in making dry cat food. A lack of fiber can cause intestinal problems caused by hairballs. Fiber helps the hairballs pass naturally through the digestive system.

The high content of carbohydrates in cat diets has been linked to feline diabetes. The consumption of carbohydrates raises blood glucose levels. The body must produce high levels of insulin to metabolize the glucose caused by the carbohydrate load. Eventually, the insulin-producing cells of the pancreas may wear out. This leaves the cat with a deficiency of insulin. Without adequate amounts of insulin, the cat’s body cannot metabolize carbohydrates effectively. When the carbohydrates are turned into glucose, the blood glucose level rises in the absence of insulin.

Carbohydrates, like wheat and rice, are plant-based proteins. Plant-based proteins like grains do not contain taurine, an essential amino acid. Taurine deficiency has been associated with a number of health problems in cats. Cats with taurine deficiency may develop heart problems and blindness.

Canned cat food typically contains three to five percent carbohydrates. The proteins in canned cat food are mostly animal-based protein. Besides using canned cat food, some cat owners opt to feed their cats a raw food diet to reflect a more natural match to the cat’s dietary needs.