As omnivores, we can eat everything we feel like to. There is literally nothing in our way. With our feline friends, however, there is a different story. On the one hand, they do not and cannot eat certain foods. On the other hand, they do not have much choice in what to include in their diet. That is something we, as owners, do for them. More often than not, we do not include certain necessary foods in our cats’ diet, which creates health issues for them. In this article, we are going to discuss the value of low-carb cat food and why it is essential for your cat.

Ignoring our cats’ nutritional needs

Cats are carnivores, and hence their primary food is meat. The best foods for cats are, therefore, foods with animal-based protein ingredients. But this does not hold true any longer. As a consequence of living with humans, cats now have to adopt a different lifestyle which includes eating foods void of meat. We happily give rice, pizza, lasagna, and cookies to our cats, not knowing that she will have a hard time struggling with the consequences. Next time you see your cat eating rice or potato, don’t assume that her natural instinct drives her to those. It’s just that she has to fill her stomach, and there is nothing good around. The problem gets worse as cats get older. Old cats don’t digest protein effectively and hence need to receive high-quality protein. Now you can imagine what happens when your cat severely needs something, and you give something else!

Why cats don’t need high-carb foods

The quick answer is that they can’t deal with it the proper way. Apart from having low concentrations of carbohydrate-digesting enzymes, cats have salivary amylase. This makes them somehow incapable of digesting carbohydrates and sugar in great quantity. Cats also have a shorter “small intestine” in comparison to other carnivores. Having a short small intestine in cats means having difficulty handling complex carbohydrates. When your cat eats foods containing too much carbohydrate, she will sooner or later put on weight and most likely develop diabetes or joint pain. This does not mean that cats cannot eat high-carb foods. It’s just that if they regularly eat such foods, they will soon face health issues. 

What is considered the best low-carb cat food?

Based on what we discussed above, your cat’s diet should mainly include high-protein and low-carb foods. Chicken, red meat, duck, and fish have this property. Yet, not everybody can buy such foods all the time. In such a case, cat owners can go for canned foods for diabetic cats. Such products are considerably low in carbohydrates and are considered the best type of low-carb cat foods. It doesn’t mean that you should forbid your cat from foods he likes. You can still give him foods that contain carbohydrates, but you should not overdo them. No matter how long you’ve been giving the wrong food to your cat, it’s never late to change her diet.  

Final thoughts

Coming up with the right diet for your cat will guarantee her health and happiness. By themselves, cats tend to be rather lazy and inactive. They love lying or sitting on a sofa for several hours. This entails a rather slow metabolism in cats. As a result, foods that cats need more must be prioritized over foods that you wish them to have. In this article, we explained why you should give foods to your cat that are low in carbohydrates and introduced the best low-carb cat foods that you can buy for your cat. If you liked this article, we suggest you read our blog on the benefits of Taurine for cats. Also, don’t forget to share your thoughts with us in the comment section below. We always welcome new ideas as well as justified criticisms.