Starches in Pet Food

• Posted on 6 November 2026
• By Dr. Jill Tack, Board Certified Naturopathic Doctor
• Posted in Carbohydrates, cat nutrition, dog nutrition, Ingredient Education, low carb pet food, Pet food ingredients, starches
• 0

A straightforward guide to starches in pet food, including why manufacturers use them, how dogs and cats process carbohydrates, and when starch levels deserve extra attention.

Flip over a bag of pet food and you might see potatoes, peas, oats, lentils, sweet potatoes, or other carbohydrate-rich ingredients. That often leads to a very reasonable question:

“Does my dog or cat actually need all of this?”

The answer deserves more nuance than “carbs are bad” or “carbs are fine.”

Starches can serve a purpose in pet food, particularly in dry food manufacturing, but dogs and cats have different nutritional biology, different health needs, and very different individual tolerances. Understanding what starch is helps you make a more informed decision about what belongs in your pet’s bowl.

What are starches in pet food?

Starch is a type of carbohydrate found naturally in plant ingredients such as potatoes, peas, oats, legumes, and sweet potatoes. Properly cooked starch can be digested by both dogs and cats and used as a source of glucose and energy. 

Quick facts

Here is the simple version:

• Starches are carbohydrates
• They are common in dry pet foods
• Dogs and cats can digest properly cooked starch
• Adult dogs and cats do not have an established dietary requirement for carbohydrates
• Different starch sources affect different pets differently
• Starch deserves extra attention when managing certain metabolic or digestive concerns

The ingredient is not the whole story. The amount, formulation, processing, and individual pet matter too!

Why is starch so common in kibble?

Dry food has to hold its shape. Starchy ingredients help create the structure needed during extrusion, the cooking process commonly used to make kibble.

That means starch is not always included because your pet specifically “needs potatoes” or “needs peas.” It can also serve a manufacturing purpose.

This doesn’t mean kibble is unhealthy. It simply means pet parents should understand that ingredient lists reflect both nutrition and how a food is manufactured.

Dogs and cats are not nutritionally identical

Cats are obligate carnivores.

Cornell explains that cats evolved consuming prey diets naturally high in protein, moderate in fat, and relatively low in carbohydrate. They require nutrients that come from animal tissues and have nutritional physiology different from dogs.

Dogs are more metabolically flexible and can efficiently digest properly prepared starches.

The Merck Veterinary Manual explains that both species can digest properly cooked starches efficiently, while their metabolism and nutrient requirements differ.

So the conversation is not: “Can they digest it?”

Because they can.

A better question is: “How much of this food is starch, what is it replacing, and is that nutritional profile appropriate for my individual pet?”

That is a much more useful way to read a label.

Why starch gets extra attention with diabetes

Carbohydrates are digested into glucose, which is one reason carbohydrate levels can become particularly important when managing diabetes.

For diabetic cats, the American Animal Hospital Association's Senior Care Guidelines discuss the potential benefits of higher-protein, lower-carbohydrate diets as part of individualized diabetes management.

Dogs with diabetes have different dietary considerations. For example, Cornell University's guidance on diabetic dog nutrition emphasizes appropriate dietary composition and consistent feeding.

Pet parents should not diagnose diabetes based solely on food labels or eliminate all carbohydrates suddenly. A diagnosed diabetic pet requires a personalized feeding plan. 

Check out our blog: How to Treat Diabetes in Cats and Dogs

How to look beyond the front of the bag

Marketing claims can make pet food confusing fast. Instead of stopping at the front label, look at:

• The full ingredient list
• Protein sources
• Carbohydrate-rich ingredients
• Moisture content
• Fat content
• Calorie density
• Nutritional adequacy statement
• Whether the formula fits your pet’s life stage
• How your individual pet actually does on the food

According to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO), the nutritional adequacy statement is one of the most important parts of the pet food label because it tells you whether the food is designed to provide complete and balanced nutrition for a particular life stage.

What about fresh and raw food?

Fresh-feeding formats often give pet parents more options when they want meals centered around animal protein and moisture.

That might mean:

• Complete frozen raw food
• Complete gently cooked food
• Freeze-dried raw
• Moisture-rich canned food
• A fresh topper added to an existing diet

The important word is complete.

If a food is replacing a significant portion of your pet’s daily diet, make sure it is nutritionally appropriate and complete and balanced for the intended life stage unless you are following a professionally formulated plan.

Fresh feeding should improve the bowl, not turn it into a guessing game.

What pet parents ask

Does grain-free mean starch-free?
No. Grain-free foods often use alternative carbohydrate sources such as potatoes, peas, or lentils.

Do cats need carbohydrates?
Healthy adult cats do not have an established dietary carbohydrate requirement. Cats are obligate carnivores and have unique protein and nutrient requirements.

Should diabetic pets avoid all carbohydrates?
Do not make that decision without veterinary guidance. Carbohydrate management can be important, particularly in cats, but diabetes nutrition needs to work with the pet’s medical treatment.

FAQ

Is starch the same as sugar?
Starch and simple sugars are both carbohydrates, but their structures and digestion differ. Starches are broken down during digestion and can contribute glucose.

How do I know how many carbohydrates are in pet food?
Carbohydrate percentage is not always listed on the guaranteed analysis. Comparing foods with very different moisture levels also requires converting nutrients to a dry-matter basis.

Labels should give you answers, not a headache

You should not need a chemistry degree to feel confident about your pet’s food.

Bring the bag, take a picture of the label, or show us what you are currently feeding.

The Pet Beastro team can help you identify starch sources, compare different feeding formats, and explore fresh-food options without judgment or an all-or-nothing sales pitch.

Sometimes the biggest improvement starts simply by understanding what is already in the bowl.