Carb calculator for cat food [dry matter]

Isn’t it so frustrating that cat food labels don’t list the carbohydrate amount? We shouldn’t have to use a carb calculator to figure this out.

After all, carbs are not necessary in our cat’s diet. Carbohydrates are even harmful to our cats!

Unfortunately, most cat foods average 30% carbs on a dry matter basis. This is way too high for cats and can cause overeating and obesity.

Obesity alone puts your cat at a much higher risk for serious health issues like:

  • Diabetes
  • Cancer
  • Fatty liver disease
  • Arthritis
  • Shortened lives!

I’ve learned this the hard way with many of my cats eating high-carbohydrate dry food. Our last cat that we put down was only 3.5 years old – kidney failure.

That’s why I created this carb calculator for cat food. So you can cut through the BS on the cat food label and find cat food that’s actually worth your money and supports your cat’s health.

Healthy, fresh cat food has so many amazing benefits!

Instead of being overweight and lazy, your cat has more energy and is more playful. No more worrying about potential diabetes because your cat is at an ideal, healthy weight. This is exactly why I recommend raw as a pet nutritionist.

How to use the carb calculator for cat food

Use the guaranteed analysis numbers on the cat food label and the carb calculator below. Plug in the numbers you see on your cat’s food label.

The carb amount including moisture and dry matter basis will calculate automatically.

These numbers are approximate

This gives you the approximate carb amount. It is an approximate amount because GA values are listed as minimums and maximums.

For example, the GA does not guarantee that the product is 8% protein. It guarantees that the minimum amount of protein is 8%. It could be higher.

That’s why you may see negative values at the end.

cat eating homemade raw cat food

How much carbohydrates should cat food have?

The cat’s natural diet would consist of approximately 4-10% carbs on a dry matter basis. This comes from the stomach contents of prey since cats eat mainly herbivores.

Anything above 10% would be too high for cats. So that completely rules out all dry food. Feeding dry food only is not recommended for cats because of its high carbohydrate amount and low moisture content.

Why are carbs bad for cats?

Carbs are bad for cats because they are not essential to the cat’s diet. Isn’t it interesting that the organizations AAFCO, NRC, and FEDIAF do not list a minimum requirement for carbohydrates? That proves cats do not need them!

Cats must get their nutrition from animal protein and fat.

Carbs break down into sugar. And sugar promotes hunger, weight gain, and obesity-related health issues. Obese cats are at higher risk for very serious health-related issues including shortened lives.

But what if my cat is too picky to eat healthy food?

I prefer to say cats are cautious (not picky!) about food changes because this is a survival instinct that all cats have.

I’m sure you’ve noticed your cat meows for food at the same time every day. Or your cat uses the bathroom at the same time every day.

That’s because cats prefer routine and don’t like sudden changes.

On top of that, processed cat food is very addicting! Just like how we get addicted to sugary foods. I had a huge sugar addiction – bread, cookies, ice cream. Even when I gave up bread and sweets I became addicted to pistachios!

What’s the common theme here? High carbohydrates (aka sugar).

Cat food (especially dry) is high in carbohydrates.

Since cats are carnivores and don’t eat carbs… Pet food companies have to add flavor enhancers to the food so cats actually eat it.

Unfortunately, cats get addicted to these flavor enhancers. So then you try to put down fresh, healthy food (that doesn’t have flavor enhancers) your cat is like, “Gimme my junk food!” This is the real reason your cat is so picky about new food.

We can still work with this though. Cats just need a gradual, slow upgrade to better and better quality ingredients.

jericho eating ground raw food jess caticles

So what’s the best low-carb cat food?

The best, healthiest, low-carb cat food is raw! A raw diet matches our cat’s natural whole prey diet the most. This is why I recommend raw food for cats as a pet nutritionist.

Raw diets are high in moisture, high in meat-based protein, low carb, and made with fresh, real ingredients that nourish our cats from the inside out.

Ready to switch to raw? Use my switch to raw plan!