Grain as primary filler

Score impact: −18 pts per affected product

Grain dominates the ingredient list. Cats process carbohydrates poorly; a high grain content displaces animal protein.

Score Rationale

Cats have low salivary and pancreatic amylase activity and reduced hepatic glucokinase compared to omnivores. This limits efficient starch digestion, particularly at high intake levels. The deduction is applied when grain is the dominant filler, as it displaces animal protein from the top positions in the ingredient list — a meaningful proxy for protein quality.

Scientific Evidence

• · Verbrugghe A & Hesta M (2012). Cats and carbohydrates: the carnivore fantasy? Veterinary Sciences 4(1) [MDPI].
• · Backus RC et al. (2010). Canned food composition impacts glycaemic and insulinaemic responses in cats eating sugar-free diets high in carbohydrates. British Journal of Nutrition 103(7):1030–1038.
• · Hewson-Hughes AK et al. (2011). Geometric analysis of macronutrient selection in the adult domestic cat. Journal of Experimental Biology 214(6):1039–1051.

Related Ingredients

Affected Products (22 of 60)