Why is my cat eating paper and peas on a grain-free diet?

Question

I'm worried my cat might not be getting all the nutrients he needs. Right now he's eating the rachel ray zero grain potato and chicken food, which we recently fully switched him to, as his last food was making him pack on a lot of weight even with plenty of playtime. He loves the new food, and seems happy overall, but has taken to eating paper, not just nibbling it and is actually eating cooked peas, which he just wanted to play with before lol. Any advice on bolstering his diet, or is he ok? Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered

Dr. Melanie, BVSc MS · Accepted Answer

It could be that food that is causing this behavior. While cats are obligate carnivores, meaning that they have to have meat in their diet, grains are actually beneficial to them. They provide a source of energy in their diet, and helps them feel full. By feeding Jazz a grain free food, you are taking that source of energy away and that could be why he's now eating paper and peas. He's looking for that extra source of energy. Grain free diets are actually a fad and a marketing ploy, and in truth, grain allergies are extremely rare. There is no scientific research that I am aware of that proves grain free diets are beneficial at all to animals who do not have this very rare grain allergy. I recommend putting Jazz back on the food you had him on before if it contained grains, or putting him on a diet with grains. Brands I recommend include Royal Canin, Hill's Science diet, Purina ProPlan, or Iams. You can get an indoor cat version of these foods, which will be lower calorie and help him maintain a healthy weight. You can also feed a mix of dry and wet food. Wet food has a higher moisture content, and thus fewer calories. I hope this helps!

Why is my cat eating paper and peas on a grain-free diet?

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