Cat under a chair

Sugar and cat food

Did you know that many wet cat foods contain added sugar? The cat's main source of energy is animal protein (i.e. meat), and the cat does not need sugar or other carbohydrates in its diet.

What harm can added sugar do to your cat?

Added sugar has no nutritional benefit for your cat, but it can be harmful. The main problem with cat food with added sugar and high carbohydrate content in general is that it can make your cat overweight. Carbohydrates do not fill the cat's stomach in the same way as animal protein, which is why the cat eats more carbohydrate-rich food than protein-rich food.

Being overweight reduces a cat's quality of life and increases the risk of developing diseases such as heart disease, urinary tract disease and diabetes. Find out what to consider when feeding an overweight cat.

Particular attention should be paid to the diet of spayed or neutered indoor cats, as sterilized cats tend to gain weight.

Why can it be difficult to switch to sugar-free cat food?

Studies have shown that cats can taste salty, bitter and sour flavours, but they can taste sweet very little or not at all. This is why added sugar in cat food does not improve the palatability of the food.

However, cats are what is known as generalist predators, meaning that they adapt to the food in their habitat, and habit often drives their taste preferences. Even if your cat doesn't taste sweet, added sugar can alter other flavours that your cat tastes as well as the way food smells.

When food tastes and smells differently from before, switching to a sugar-free cat food may not succeed in the blink of an eye. However, switching to healthier food is not impossible! Read our tips on how to change a cat's food.

Sugar-free cat food can take some getting used to, not only for the cat but also for the cat owner. Added sugar toasts when heated, giving the wet food a beautiful, eye-pleasing brown colour. Sugar-free wet food is often pale or the colour of the meat contained in the product, so it may not look very appealing and can surprise an unaccustomed cat owner. The smell of sugared cat food is also different from that of sugar-free food.

Read more about feeding a cat and learn about the natural diet of a cat.

Primacat products do not contain added sugar

For us, the most important thing is that every cat is doing well and eating food that is good for them. Therefore, PrimaCat products do not contain added sugar or wheat. PrimaCat cat food recipes are based on the main principles of cat feeding, the most important of which is high meat content.

However, switching from a high-carbohydrate or high-sugar product to a healthier alternative can be tricky due to the cat’s selective nature. Switching the cat food should be done in a planned and patient manner, as a varied and healthy diet will help your cat feel well every day. With PrimaCat cat food, it is easy to find food that your cat will love, because with our 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can try all our products risk-free.

Source
Li, Xia, Li, Weihua, Wang, Hong, Bayley, Douglas L., Cao, Jie, Reed, Danielle R., Bachmanov, Alexander A., Huang, Liquan, Legrand-Defretin, Véronique, Beauchamp, Gary K. & Brand, Joseph G. (2006) Cats Lack a Sweet Taste Receptor. The Journal of nutrition 136(7 Suppl): 1932S–1934S.