Because they said so?

But they said it's a myth?

Taken directly from the Purina Pro website

Purina says -

Grain-free diets are healthier.
It’s a myth
Many pet owners believe that grain-free pet foods are easier to digest, provide pets with better nutrition and are less likely to cause allergies than pet foods containing grain.

-Purina 

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I will colour my comments in blue -I would not want anyone to think this is something I would ever say.

Information that I will link from other sites will appear in Brown and Green
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I am one of those silly pet owners that believe in the grain free hype.

Can they change my mind?

......highly unlikely.

But let's pretend that I know nothing about pet food or cats in general. 

I will read what everyone has to say , look at their research and figure out fact from fiction.

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Properly processed grains are highly digestible.

• While uncooked grains are poorly digested by dogs and cats, (In general - Uncooked grains are poorly digested by everyone. Grains are made to last from season to season - they have evolved to last this way. So they have to be soaked and allowed to sprout or cracked, flaked, popped, puffed or ground.)  properly cooked grains in pet foods are highly digestible.   

 But are they meant to fed in high quantities to Fido and Fluffy?

"In the wild, your cat would be eating a high protein, high-moisture, meat/organ-based diet, with a moderate level of fat and with only  approximately 1-2 percent of her diet consisting of carbohydrates. The average dry food contains 35-50 percent carbohydrate calories.  Some of the cheaper dry foods contain even higher levels."
-Catinfo

• Dogs and cats can digest the carbohydrates from grains with an efficiency of greater than 90%

Good for them - should they?
Because there is a certain enzyme which Cats and Dogs actually lack -Amylase in their Saliva - This enzyme aids in the digestion of Carbohydrates  

 

 'During digestion, carbohydrates start out as polysaccharides, which are large starch molecules that are broken down into disaccharides, which are two, linked-sugar molecules. Disaccharides are then further broken down into even smaller simple sugars, known as monosaccharides that are then absorbed into the blood so that the body can then use them.'

When you start chewing,(cats tend to inhale their dry food) food is mechanically broken down into smaller pieces. You also produce saliva, which contains amylase that mixes with your food ( But Fluffy can not do this part). Amylase is a digestive enzyme that chewing activates and which hydrolyzes or breaks downs starch into monosaccharides. Amylase breaks down starch in your mouth into a maltose, a disaccharide, which is made up of two glucose molecules. 

-Role of Amylase in Digestion

 "Most mammals produce amylase in the saliva, but dogs and cats do not. This reflects their expected diet of meat and organs from prey. Herbivores and omnivores have flat molars that crush and chew food, but the carnivore’s dentition is perfectly designed to capture and kill prey, and to rip and tear meat from bone. Carnivores don’t spend much time chewing; nor do they consume many carbohydrates, so there is no need for amylase in the mouth." 

 -Digestive Enzymes 

 

 

 Diets containing grains provide excellent nutrition.
In general yes - For Fluffy and Fido? No

• Grains are carbohydrates, which are an important source of energy.

That's fantastic, if only our pets could use them for that.

• Grains also contain fiber, which supports gastrointestinal health and decreases the total fat and calories in a diet.

Fiber is good

• Essential fatty acids and other nutrients in grains contribute to a healthy skin and coat.
• Concentrated protein sources from grains, such as corn gluten meal, can be highly digestible sources of many essential amino acids

Cats do not have a dietary requirement for carbohydrates.  The metabolic requirement for glucose in the cat is derived from protein (glucogenic amino acids) and fat (glycerol).  Cats are adapted to a protein- fat-rich, carbohydrate-poor diet. -Feline Nutrition 


Grains are unlikely to cause allergies.

• Less than 1% of dogs are sensitive to grains.

How do you know that? seriously when was this study done? can I see it?

• True food allergies are caused by immune reactions to proteins in the diet.

I agree - and you must know that your grains and plants also contain protein

• Allergies to proteins in grains can occur, but are far less common than allergies to other protein sources, such as beef or dairy.

It seems as though the current knowledge on allergies is lacking. If a vet gives bag of 'hypoallergenic' pet food - chances are that if it was a food allergy it will go away.

This is because they hydrolyze the protein - basically they break it down till it can not produce any sort of immune reaction.  ******
Here is Purina HA dry cat food ingreidents 

Rice starch, hydrolyzed soy protein isolate, partially hydrogenated canola oil preserved with TBHQ, hydrolyzed chicken liver, tricalcium phosphate, powdered cellulose, corn oil, hydrolyzed chicken, sodium bisulfate, DL-Methionine, potassium chloride, choline chloride, tetra sodium pyrophosphate, L-Lysine monohydrochloride, phosphoric acid, salt, guar gum, taurine, lecithin, magnesium oxide, zinc sulfate, ferrous sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, manganese sulfate, niacin, calcium carbonate, citric acid, Vitamin A supplement, calcium pantothenate, thiamine mononitrate, copper sulfate, BHA (a preservative), riboflavin supplement, Vitamin B-12 supplement, pyridoxine hydrochloride, folic acid, Vitamin D-3 supplement, calcium iodate, biotin, menadione sodium bisulfite complex (source of Vitamin K activity), sodium selenite.

 

 

 

 Here is Royal Canin Hypoallergenic dry cat food ingredients

Brewer's Rice, Hydrolyzed Soy Protein, Chicken Fat, Natural Flavors, Powdered Cellulose, Vegetable Oil, Dried Beet Pulp, Monocalcium Phosphate (source Of Vitamin C), Fish Oil, Potassium Chloride, Calcium Sulfate, Calcium Carbonate, Fructooligosaccharides, Sodium Silico Aluminate, Salt, Taurine, DL-alpha Tocopherol Acetate (source Of Vitamin E), Inositol, Niacin Supplement, L-ascorbyl-2-polyphosphate, D-calcium Pantothenate, Biotin, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride (vitamin B6), Riboflavin Supplement (vitamin B2), Thiamine Mononitrate (vitamin B1), Vitamin A Acetate, Folic Acid, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Choline Chloride, DL-methionine, Marigold Extract (Tagetes Erecta L.), Zinc Proteinate, Zinc Oxide, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganese Proteinate, Copper Proteinate, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite And Rosemary Extract (preserved With Natural Mixed Tocopherols And Citric Acid)

                                                   

 

                        

   Here is Science Diet ZD dry cat food ingredients

 Brewers Rice, Hydrolyzed Chicken Liver, Hydrolyzed Chicken, Soybean Oil, Powdered Cellulose, Lactic Acid, Calcium Carbonate, Calcium Sulfate, Glyceryl Monostearate, Potassium Chloride, DL-Methionine, Choline Chloride, vitamins (Vitamin E Supplement, L-Ascorbyl-2-Polyphosphate (source of vitamin C), Niacin Supplement, Thiamine Mononitrate, Calcium Pantothenate, Vitamin A Supplement, Biotin, Vitamin B12 Supplement, Pyridoxine Hydrochloride, Riboflavin Supplement, Vitamin D3 Supplement , Folic Acid), Taurine, Iodized Salt, Dicalcium Phosphate, minerals (Ferrous Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Calcium Iodate, Sodium Selenite), Mixed Tocopherols for freshness, Beta-Carotene, Natural Flavors.

 

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Your pet can not live off of those diets. 

Those companies are making money off of your animals needs - needs that are more than likely caused by foods like theirs in the first place. 

I do not believe any of these foods to be a good option. 

There are other options.

Limited Ingredient Foods can give you a good start in finding a culprit  - btw if your pet does well on those food you can stay on them! 

Stop messing around with your pets health. 

 

It is very hard for me to believe anything that Purina has to say. 

If they did not profit so highly off of their grain filled foods - then maybe I would start to listen.

If feeding a good grain free high meat protein from a named source was cheap then chances are everyone would be on the grain free train. 

But it's not.

It may even be cheaper to create a anti grain free propaganda based website ...

Just saying...

As always - these are just my opinions - it is important to not believe everything you read - think about what that person has to profit off of what they are saying?

What do I have to profit?..well it does give me a warm fuzzy feeling to think an animal may suffer less because someone read a post of mine - decided to do their own reading and found a way for Fluffy and Fido to feel better in less time...with less undue stress on their bodies.