Peas

Legume-heavy grain-free foods were investigated in the US over a suspected link to a heart disease in dogs. No such link has been shown in cats.

Peas are legumes used as a starch source in many dry foods, mostly grain-free ones. AAFCO notes that plant ingredients such as corn, barley, peas and potatoes supply calories and help kibble hold together. Some cats get gas or bloating from legumes. Their plant protein contains no taurine, so meat or added taurine has to cover that need. For a cat with a medical condition, ask your veterinarian.

Source: aafco.org

Peas became a common replacement for grains as grain-free foods grew popular. Dry food needs starch to form kibble, and peas supply it along with some protein and fiber. Their protein also lifts the label's protein percentage at a lower cost than meat. Many recipes list peas in more than one form, such as dried peas or pea protein.

Yes, peas are mostly carbohydrate. They are starchy seeds, and that starch is why they work as a grain replacement in kibble. The Cornell Feline Health Center says cats evolved eating prey high in protein with only a minimal amount of carbohydrate. A grain-free label does not mean a low-carbohydrate food, since peas and potatoes bring starch of their own.

Source: vet.cornell.edu

Grain-free means the recipe leaves out cereal grains such as corn or wheat. It does not mean carbohydrate-free. Most grain-free dry foods replace grains with peas, lentils, potatoes or other starches, because extruded kibble needs starch to hold its shape. Tufts veterinary nutritionists note that grain-free and grain-inclusive diets alike can be high in pulses such as peas.

Source: sites.tufts.edu

Pettings gives peas 2 out of 5 and lists them as a legume. They appear on 64 of the 149 dry cat foods we list, also as Dried Peas or Whole Peas. Foods with peas average 69 out of 100 on our Ingredients score, compared with 49 for the 85 foods without them, though that average reflects the whole food. Each food's page shows how it scores overall.