Wheat in a cat’s diet

I’m researching on wheat in a cat’s diet because Bunny is now on Cindy’s Holistic Chicken & Salmon Maintenance kibble and I was previously told that wheat is not suitable for cats because they might not be able to digest it well.

The reason I opted for this range and flavour is simply because of its lower protein content (at 30%) and its lower calcium level (at 1.1%). It is rather difficult to find a kibble diet that is suitable for older cats as well as those with chronic kidney disease apart from prescription diets like Royal Canin’s and Hills’.

However, Bunny has grown tired of RC Renal now, so I have to search for alternatives.

Why I am opting for kibble when previously our cats were on a 100% raw diet is because Bunny needs the aroma of kibble to stimulate his appetite now. At times, he just refuses to eat raw food or canned food. He just wants kibble and at his age (16 years plus) and medical condition, my feeding principle is: As long as he eats and enjoys his food.

I found the following from various sites, but please do your own research as these are only from a few sites and it isn’t exhaustive.

Wheat is not toxic to cats. While wheat is not necessary for a cat’s diet for good health, it does contain some vitamins and minerals that can help round out a cat’s overall diet. The fiber in wheat can also help keep your kitty regular when it comes to their digestive health.

This says that the fiber may be able to help keep the cat regular. Now, that may be good for Bunny.

Here’s the bottom line: There is no conclusive evidence that whole grains are harmful to the general cat population. And grains are more than just ‘fillers’. Grains are a good source of fiber, vitamins, minerals, and essential fatty acids. Some grains also provide easily digestible protein.
Okay, I hope the above is true. 
This article, on the other hand, cautions against cats with a wheat allergy: https://askmycats.com/can-cats-eat-wheat/
Wheat is not a meal that cats would prefer to consume in the wild because they are carnivores, but it is included in some form or another in many cat diets and treats.

Is Wheat Harmful To Cats?

Wheat is not harmful to cats but it can become deadly to cats having a wheat allergy. Some cats are allergic to wheat or the gluten protein found in it. Food allergies in cats can lead to unattractive and unpleasant skin problems. In order to correctly identify the allergy your cat, you may need to put him on an elimination diet.

Your cat’s gut isn’t designed to manage big amounts of grains. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means they require meat to thrive and that meat should be the first element in their meals, followed by fat and finally carbs.

So, the takeaway from this would be

  1. Small amounts of wheat may be alright.
  2. Watch out for wheat allergy.
  3. Make sure meat is the first (or main) ingredient on the list, not carbs.

Anyway, for variety since Bunny isn’t keen on the prescription RC Renal nowadays, I’m alternating with these:

Both has their protein levels at 30%. Grainfree is, well, grain free, so it contains vegetables (potato, pea and split pea) while Holistic has wheat, wheat bran and maize. The calcium level in Grainfree is 1.3% while in Holistic, it is 1.1% (lower).

Bunny needs low but quality protein and low minerals such as calcium. It is not easy to find low protein in commercial cat food because the quality of the food is proportional to the percentage of protein. There are brands with 28% protein but I was told that this percentage may be reflective of the overall quality of the food.

The two raw diet brands that I use have their protein percentages at about 15-16%, which is good. Canned foods, on the other hand, has their protein levels at 8% but some canned foods are complementary diets and not complete diets, so reading the label is really important. The advantage of wet food (whether raw or cooked) is that it contains a lot of moisture which is good for cats as by nature, cats do not drink enough water.

My research continues…

Disclaimer: This post is only a sharing and does not contain any professional advice on feline nutrition. Please consult your veterinarian or a cat nutritionist for professional advice.


Posted

in

,

by

Tags: