Whole grain/ Grains question

[SphynxCatMom]

So my vet is suggesting that we add grains into our cats diet since we give her lean chicken, turkey, shrimp or salmon ground up with either green beans or broccoli. What are you suggestions on grains or whole grains that tend not to spike sugar highs? thank you!

 

[squeem3]

What is your cat's current diet? If it's home cooked or raw, do you add supplements? Did the vet say why grains should be added to the diet?

 

[Suzanne & Darcy]

Cats are obligate carnivores and have no need of grains and cannot utilize them efficiently. I can’t think of any grains that are low carbohydrate and so all of them will spike blood glucose. Some grains have a little protein and a small amount of fat, perhaps, but they are primarily carbohydrates. Those are the only three components that we have to work with: protein, fat and carbs.

Here’s a quote from Dr. Lisa Pierson:

Cats are obligate (strict) carnivores and are very different from dogs in their nutritional needs. What does it mean to be an ‘obligate carnivore’? It means that your cat was built by Mother Nature to get her nutritional needs met by the consumption of a large amount of animal-based proteins(meat/organs) and derives much less nutritional support from plant-based proteins (grains/vegetables). It means that cats lack specific metabolic (enzymatic) pathways and cannot utilize plant proteins as efficiently as animal proteins.

Here’s a link to the full page. Her website catinfo.org is very informative.

Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition – Common Sense. Healthy Cats.

 

[SphynxCatMom]

Thank you so much!!!!