Three questions to ask about the food you're giving your cat:

1. Is the primary protein in the food derived from animal or plant sources?

2. What is the moisture content of the food? 

3. How high is the carbohydrate load?

Why these questions? 

↪ Cats are carnivores that require ANIMAL-based protein to thrive. 

↪ Cats have a naturally LOW thirst drive.

↪ High-carbohydrate diets contribute DIRECTLY to multiple disease processes in cats. 

In the spectrum of choices out there for feeding cats, a general rule of thumb is that canned is superior to dry food because the moisture content (vital to kitty health) is higher.  But that's not the only thing to look at.

NOT all canned foods are adequately low in carbohydrates.  Most of the HIll's Science Diet OTC foods and their so-called "prescription" diets, for example, are extremely high in carbohydrates. 


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Canned food is preferable to dry food as a choice for cats - however not all canned foods are low in carbohydrates. 

For example, many HIll's canned cat foods - both those you can buy at the store and those sold in vet clinics - are extremely high in species-inappropriate carb sources. 


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If you are seeking to lower the carbohydrate load in your cat's diet - Beware The Gravy! 

Canned cat foods featuring "sauces" or "gravy" are often high in carbohydrates that are used as thickening agents in food.



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In the spectrum of choices available for feeding cats, canned food is superior to dry food if only because the moisture content is higher and make a difference in keeping cats properly hydrated. 

However, NOT all canned foods are low in carbohydrates. Many of the popular prescription diets and a good many of the over-the-counter canned foods are extremely high in carbohydrates. If you're feeding canned food, it's important to pay attention to both the COMPOSITION of the food (i.e., what's the share of protein, carbohydrate, and fat in the food) and the actual INGREDIENTS. 

The challenge is that weaknesses and loopholes in pet food labeling regulations make it all but impossible to correctly evaluate the precise COMPOSITION of food - since there is no requirement to list the percentage of calories derived from carbohydrates.


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When it comes to obesity in cats? It's the carbohydrates that are the culprit. 

So what? It's not simply a matter of cutting calories or reducing fat to help an obese cat to trim down. Carbohydrates that are not used by carnivores are converted to and stored as fat. The so called 'light' diets that are on the market target the fat content as the nutrient to be decreased, but they've INCREASED the grain fraction, leading to a higher level of carbohydrates. That's why fat cats often don't trim down at all on the dry "light" diets. 

Cats produce relatively little intestinal and pancreatic amylase (enzymes) that can break down carbohydrates in their small intestines.

SO WHAT? A high-carbohydrate (i.e., grain-based) diet fundamentally disagrees with the intestinal makeup of a cat. 


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