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Carbohydrates in dog and cat diets

A short guide to the role of Carbohydrates in dog and cat nutrition.

From a biological point of view, carbohydrates are not necessary for dogs and cats to live - official nutritional standards do not specify the minimum requirement for them [1]. Although dogs, through evolution and living alongside humans, have developed the ability to digest cooked starch and can successfully obtain [2] energy from it, for cats (absolute carnivores) its supply is completely unphysiological [3]. The organisms of both species can produce glucose on their own in the process of gluconeogenesis from digested protein and fat, therefore carbohydrates as an energy source are simply omitted in the natural diet. The cat’s body is unable to inhibit gluconeogenesis even during starvation.

What it contains: Vegetables (preferably cooked and thoroughly blended), fruit.

Deficiency: Physiologically non-existent. The animal does not need them to function properly. The complete lack of digestible carbohydrates in the bowl is a completely natural state for the carnivore’s body.

Excess: Too many carbohydrates in the diet easily ferment in the intestines, destroying the natural intestinal microbiome of dogs and cats, which causes painful gas, bloating and chronic diarrhea. They also provide a lot of calories, so their excess contributes to obesity - but the key is the excess energy (especially from fat), not carbohydrates as such; in cats, the mere presence of carbohydrates in the diet does not increase the content of fat tissue [5]. Obesity (and not starch itself) is the main risk factor for the development of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes in [4] cats. In a healthy cat, carbohydrates do not “cause” diabetes, but in a cat already diagnosed with the disease, a low-carbohydrate diet helps control glycemia and promotes remission - after meals, it is carbohydrates that increase the blood sugar level the most. [6] [7].

Sources

  1. National Research Council (NRC) (2006). Nutrient Requirements of Dogs and Cats - no specific minimum requirement for carbohydrates in dogs and cats. National Academies Press. https://nap.nationalacademies.org/catalog/10668/nutrient-requirements-of-dogs-and-cats
  2. Axelsson E, Ratnakumar A, Arendt ML, et al. (2013). The genomic signature of dog domestication reveals adaptation to a starch-rich diet. Nature 495:360–364. https://doi.org/10.1038/nature11837
  3. Verbrugghe A, Hesta M (2017). Cats and Carbohydrates: The Carnivore Fantasy? Veterinary Sciences 4(4):55. https://doi.org/10.3390/vetsci4040055
  4. Merck Veterinary Manual. Diabetes Mellitus in Dogs and Cats - obesity as a factor of insulin resistance and diabetes. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/endocrine-system/the-pancreas/diabetes-mellitus-in-dogs-and-cats
  5. Godfrey H, Ellis JL, Verbrugghe A (2025). A meta-analysis: dietary carbohydrates do not increase body fat or fasted insulin and glucose in cats. Journal of Animal Science 103. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40052519/
  6. Farrow HA, Rand JS, Morton JM, O’Leary CA, Sunvold GD (2013). Effect of Dietary Carbohydrate, Fat, and Protein on Postprandial Glycemia and Energy Intake in Cats. Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine 27(5):1121–1135. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/jvim.12139
  7. Taylor S, Cannon M, Church D, et al. (iCatCare) (2025). iCatCare 2025 consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of diabetes mellitus in cats. Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery 27. https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC12612538/