Papayas
Our ingredient score: 3 / 5 · Fruit or vegetable · How We Score
Papayas are a tropical fruit that contains vitamin C, beta-carotene, fiber and an enzyme called papain, which breaks down protein. Cats make their own vitamin C and cannot turn beta-carotene into vitamin A, so these nutrients add little for them. Most enzymes lose their activity in the heat used to make dry food. In cat food papayas appear in small amounts near the end of the list and give the label a "natural" look.
A Common Question
Does the papain in papaya help cats digest food?
Papain is an enzyme that breaks down protein, but most enzymes lose their activity in the heat used to make dry food, and the amount of papaya in cat food is small.
How Foods With Papayas Compare
Papayas is on the label of 3 of the 149 dry cat foods we list.