List Some Grain, Pea And Potato Free Foods Please!

[Erin80]

I've noticed a ton of grain free foods contain peas. Are peas just as bad as grain? Finding a food without peas, potato or grain is so hard (at least around here!)

 

[lisahe]

My personal view is that peas are just as bad as grains: peas are serious vegetable matter and beyond the carbs, they sometimes have, er, a laxative effect for some cats. You also have to be careful of peas because some manufacturers will put not one but two pea ingredients into the same food, for example peas and pea protein, to up the protein level.

I refuse to feed peas, potato, or grains to our cats. Dr. Pierson isn't a fan of peas in cat food, either: Feeding Your Cat: Know the Basics of Feline Nutrition – Common Sense. Healthy Cats.

I'd much rather feed Fancy Feast Classics to the cats than anything with peas, potatoes, grains, or other carby vegetable ingrediets: the byproducts in Fancy Feast (and similar foods that are often considered "low-end") are much more a part of a cat's naturally carnivorous diet than fancier-looking foods that are sold as "premium" but contain carby vegetables!

 

[BlueJay]

I avoid peas because I have also heard that companies will include protein from peas in their guaranteed analysis, even though cats can't process that type of protein in a way that makes it beneficial to them.

 

[Erin80]

Thank you!!! This is what I thought. I am attempting to settle on a final food rotation, and this is helping narrow it down a lot!

 

[LTS3]

Peas are pretty high in protein so sometimes companies add peas to make the claim of 95% protein or whatever Pea starch is often used as thickener for gravies and sauces.

 

[daftcat75]

Cats need a very acidic stomach digest entering the small intestine to trigger the release of bile and pancreatic enzymes for further digestion and nutrient absorption. The presence of vegetable matter, peas included, raise the digest pH. Put simply, vegetable matter sets the ground for digestive upset and suboptimal nutrition. Further, since cats produce very little amylase (enzyme to break down carbohydrates) and they don't have lateral motion in their jaws to grind open plant cell walls, much of the vegetable matter in cat food isn't even bioavailable to your cat. It's a waste of your money and detrimental to your cat's health to feed it vegetable matter and especially vegetable protein if it is being used to reduce the amount of animal protein included.

 

[Gizmobius]

I, too, avoid peas and potatoes. Surprisingly there is one food that I know of that's in my cats' rotation that does include dried peas that is high protein and low carb (as per catfooddb.com) so I admit I feed at least one food that includes the dreaded pea.

 

[10009891]

Cats do not benefit from Pea Protein. It's a different protein than meat protein. Peas are basically a filler in cat food so they can post the product as "grain free."

 

[Erin80]

Which ones do you feed that are grain, pea and potato free?

Currently my cats eat Vintage Range for breakfast every day. Besides agar agar, the ingredients look good. No grain, pea, potatoes, carrageenan, etc.

I’m hoping you all can suggest some others. I have way way too many brands in our rotation and I’d love to narrow it down to maybe 5.

 

[Q2U]

Cat Products - Fromm Family Foods

 

[10009891]

Royal Canin is recommended by many vets but most of the company's food is grain based. I never heard of Vintage Range. I will check it out.

 

[10009891]

Cat Products - Fromm Family Foods

I was using Fromm for a while but it made my Ragdolls poop a lot.

 

[Erin80]

I do buy the Royal Canin digest sensitive food once in a while, maybe 6 small cans at a time. They like it.

 

[Erin80]

I was using Fromm for a while but it made my Ragdolls poop a lot.

Fromm is one brand my two won’t eat. Strange.

 

[Gizmobius]

Against the Grain, Miko, Tiny Tiger, American Journey, Fussie Cat, Whole Earth Farms (duck, beef, and beef & turkey don't have peas), Redbarn, Bravo, Weruva, Hound & Gatos. I think those qualify. I just went through my past Chewy orders and looked at everything I'd purchased in the past.

 

[Diana Faye]

My personal view is that peas are just as bad as grains: peas are serious vegetable matter and beyond the carbs, they sometimes have, er, a laxative effect for some cats.

Fun fact, peas do have a laxative effect. It's suggested in the fish world to give the occasional de-shelled pea for just that very reason!