The relationship between cats and carbohydrates is actually quite subtle. Although we often see cats showing a strong interest in certain carbohydrate containing foods, from a nutritional perspective, their demand for carbohydrates is negligible.
Firstly, let's delve deeper into the physiological characteristics of cats. Cats do not have a sweet taste receptor on their tongue, which means they cannot taste the sweetness of sweets like humans. More importantly, the digestive system of cats is not good at breaking down complex carbohydrates such as starch. Therefore, although cats may try foods containing carbohydrates due to curiosity or the taste of their food, they may not gain much nutrition from them.
Of course, this does not mean that we should completely ban cats from consuming carbohydrates. In some cases, as a supplement to a cat's diet, unprocessed, high moisture natural foods such as fruits and vegetables can serve as a source of carbohydrates. However, we must keep in mind that these foods can only be used as a small part of the cat's diet and cannot be a staple food.
In addition, we also need to pay special attention to some foods that are toxic to cats. For example, foods such as grapes, raisins, onions, garlic, and avocados are harmful to cats and may cause serious health problems. Therefore, when choosing food for cats, we must be very careful to ensure their safety.
When making homemade cat food, we can consider adding some safe fruits and vegetables for cats, such as apples, pears, cucumbers, carrots, zucchini, and watermelons. These foods not only contain small amounts of carbohydrates that cats need, but are also rich in water and other nutrients, which help maintain cat health.
In short, although cats may try foods containing carbohydrates out of curiosity, their bodies do not need too much carbohydrates. When choosing food for cats, we should prioritize animal protein and add some safe fruits and vegetables as supplements in moderation. In this way, we can ensure that cats receive balanced and healthy nutrition.
