Carbohydrates (carbs) are one of the three categories of macronutrients (along with proteins and fats) in the diet of cats and other animals.
Today we will talk about what FEDIAF, one of the global European organizations, thinks about carbohydrates for cats.
We will also raise questions about whether carbohydrates are necessary for a cat’s diet, explain carbohydrates, and describe their structure.
And, of course, clear schematic illustrations and pictures await you.
In our analysis, we try to rely on the most reliable sources. And this time is no exception.
Some data are taken from the official FEDIAF Scientific Advisory Board Carbohydrate Expert Review (September 2019). Despite the year 2019 being a little too old, such data will obviously not be updated more often than every 5 to 10 years.
Read in materials:
- What is FEDIAF?
- What are carbohydrates and what is their structure (basic theory in plain language)?
- What are the sources of carbohydrates?
- Labeling of carbohydrates on pet food
- Can cats digest carbohydrates (starches)?
- What about fiber in cat nutrition?
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What is FEDIAF?
Recall that FEDIAF is the European Federation of Pet Food Producers, which was founded in 1975.
The federation unites organizations from 26 European countries (these are not necessarily European Union countries) through 18 national or regional associations of pet food producers.
FEDIAF represents about 650 companies, producing more than 90% of the pet food in Europe.
The main aim of the Federation’s work is to ensure the production and distribution of safe, nutritionally balanced, and palatable pet food.
The main regulatory tools are the FEDIAF codes.
We will not go into the details of the codes and nutritional standards – we have separate materials comparing Feeding Requirements for Cats (AAFCO, FEDIAF, NRC).
What Are Carbohydrates and What is Their Structure (Basic Theory in Plain Language)?
Carbohydrate molecules consist of only three elements: carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. You probably learned that at school, didn’t you?
Carbohydrates are a very broad class of organic compounds, and among them, there are substances with very different properties.
Carbohydrates are classified into:
- monosaccharides;
- disaccharides;
- oligosaccharides;
- polysaccharides.
The smallest and simplest forms of carbohydrates: sugars (monosaccharides and disaccharides). Not to be confused simply with the word “sugar”.
More complex carbohydrate compounds are called oligosaccharides and polysaccharides.
Monosaccharides are considered to be the main form of carbohydrates.
Saccharides.
Saccharides are the building blocks of carbohydrates.
Monosaccharides. The main and typical form of such carbohydrates is glucose. Other examples of monosaccharides include fructose (also known as fruit sugar) and galactose (a component of lactose).
Disaccharides. In nature, the most available sugars are disaccharides, which consist of two monosaccharides joined together.
Examples include sucrose (a table sugar that has one glucose molecule bonded to one of fructose), lactose (a milk sugar, glucose-galactose), and maltose (glucose-glucose).
Oligosaccharides
Oligosaccharides are oligomers consisting of 3-9 monosaccharides, often linked by β-type bonds. Examples are fructooligosaccharides, which are derived from the hydrolysis of inulin and stachyose (fructose-[galactose]2 -glucose). They are among the common oligosaccharides found in many legumes.
Polysaccharides
It is known that most polysaccharides are of plant origin, but animal tissues may contain small amounts of glycogen.
Starches. Starch consists of long chains of glucose units linked together. It is the main energy store in plants.
Inulin. Many plants store energy in the form of inulin rather than starch. Inulins are linear polysaccharides, mostly composed of fructose molecules (up to several thousand) and usually containing glucose at the end.
Plant cell wall polysaccharides. Other plant polysaccharides, often called non-starch polysaccharides, are components of the cell wall: cellulose, hemicellulose, beta-glucans, and pectins.
Glycogen. It is analogous to starch because it acts as an energy store in animal tissues, mainly in the liver and muscles. Glycogen consists of glucose units and has a branched structure similar to amylopectin.
What Are the Sources of Carbohydrates?
Cereals as well as root crops and legumes have been proven to be major sources of starch. These ingredients also contain fiber.
Soluble fiber is found in various amounts in grains, fruits, and vegetables. But insoluble fiber is found in high concentrations in whole grains and fruit peels.
Fiber can also be derived from purified fiber sources such as cellulose or plantain hulls.
Examples of soluble and insoluble fiber are the following products (see below).
Soluble fiber:
- Peas
- Oats
- Beans
- Carrots
- Apples
- Barley
- Citrus
Insoluble fiber:
- Wheat bran
- Whole wheat flour
- Cauliflower
- Green beans
- Potatoes
What are the main sources of carbohydrates in pet foods?
The usual sources of starch in pet foods are cereals (“grains”), legumes, and root crops. Starch must be properly prepared so that it is well-digested and prevents intestinal distress.
Fiber is found in ingredients such as whole grains, refined cellulose, beets or chicory, plantain seeds, fruit and vegetable fibers, inulin, and fructooligosaccharides.
What is the purpose of digestible carbohydrates in pet foods?
Digestible carbohydrates are a direct source of glucose, an important source of energy for the body, and a major one for some tissues, such as the brain and red blood cells. When carbohydrate intake is limited, glucose can also be synthesized from proteins and other compounds.
Dogs and cats have digestive enzymes necessary to break down digestible carbohydrates into sugar units that can be absorbed in the small intestine.
The exception is milk sugar, the lactose of which is not digested in adulthood by most cats and dogs. Accordingly, dairy products can cause gastrointestinal distress in the animal and are not recommended.
Find out what else cats should not eat in our article on dangerous foods for cats.
We would like to point out that starch has important technological properties for the production of dry food (its pellets) and acts as a binding component.
Labeling of Carbohydrates on Pet Food
Under European Union (EU) law, nutrients are stated as a percentage, i.e. grams of nutrient per 100 grams of feed:
- protein (or crude protein);
- fat content (or raw oils and fats);
- crude fiber;
- crude ash (or inorganic substances);
- Moisture content (not necessary for dry feeds; if it is not stated in the feed, the moisture content is considered below 14%).
It is worth noting that the label does not indicate the number of digestible carbohydrates, the same sugars, and starches.
To get an estimate of the digestible carbohydrates in pet food (mostly starch), it can be calculated from the difference. This estimate is called “nitrogen-free extract” or NFE.
% NFE = 100 – (proteins + fats + fiber + ash + moisture)
NFE estimate formula
Can Cats Digest Carbs (Starches)?
Cats are strict carnivorous animals that in their natural habitat, being solitary hunters, eat small prey.
They have evolved to a diet high in protein, moderate in fat, and low in carbohydrates.
An important statement from FEDIAF!
Neither cats nor dogs (according to FEDIAF) have an absolute need for carbohydrates; they need glucose, and carnivorous animals can synthesize glucose from amino acids (animal protein).
However, cats can use carbohydrates as an energy source if the carbohydrates are properly processed.
Cats have pancreatic amylase, and although amylase activity is quite moderate compared to other animals, cats can adapt to diets with different amounts of carbohydrates, including starches.
Apparent overall digestibility of 94 to 100 percent has been reported in diets containing 35 percent starch ingredients.
It should be remembered that cats are carnivorous animals and their natural diet consists mainly of proteins and fats, which serve as a source of energy.
Although cats, like dogs, do not need starches and carbohydrates, they can still use them as an energy source if handled properly and only in moderate amounts.
Regarding the potential health effects of carbohydrates on cats, FEDIAF says the following:
“Based on currently published data, it appears that it is sedentary lifestyles, indoor living, sterilization, and eating high-fat foods that are risk factors for obesity, not the carbohydrate content of the diet.”
Murmeo comment. Note that FEDIAF only mentions obesity in its reasoning. However, the theory that dry food high in carbohydrates can cause other diseases like cat urolithiasis is not mentioned. The choice is yours here!
What About Fiber in Cat Nutrition?
Cats and dogs do not have enzymes that can break down the bonds between sugars in fiber; therefore, fiber cannot serve as a direct source of glucose or energy for an animal.
However, once fiber reaches the large intestine, it is fermented by the microbiota (mainly bacteria and yeast) to provide energy to the bacteria and cells of the large intestine. The degree of digestibility varies depending on the type of fiber.
It has been noted that fiber has several benefits for pets.
Certain soluble types of fiber, known as prebiotic fiber, promote the growth of beneficial gut microbiota, which can help reduce the colonization of harmful bacteria.
Fiber fermentation products are good for the cells of the large intestine. Insoluble fiber promotes regular bowel emptying and regulates fecal consistency.
Also, since fiber provides almost no calories to dogs and cats, it can be used to bulk up and satiate pets prone to weight gain.
It is worth mentioning that most pet foods use ingredients that provide a mixture of soluble and insoluble fiber, offering the benefits of both types of fiber.
So what does fiber do in a cat’s system?
Soluble fiber.
Gut microflora uses soluble fiber as their own nutrient and energy source. In turn, fermentation products such as short-chain fatty acids like butyrate) maintain a healthy intestinal pH and provide nutrition to intestinal cells.
Insoluble fiber.
This type of fiber does not energize the microflora and is excreted mostly unchanged. It also provides volume and promotes intestinal transit.
As a Conclusion
To summarize, it should be recalled that carbohydrates are not a mandatory element in a cat’s diet. However, the cat’s body can consume them.
We should remember that, after all, our cats are carnivorous animals, so they can synthesize glucose from proteins and other compounds.
We hope you enjoyed this article and now you know more about the role carbohydrates play for cats. We will definitely come back to the topic of carbohydrates in our pets’ diets.
And don’t forget to share the article on social networks, forums, and other “cat” resources. It’s the best thanks to us! 🐱
Pa’s to all!
Frequently Asked Questions
The article partially used materials:
1. Fediaf website https://fediaf.org/
