Oats, as a whole grain, are widely promoted for their benefit to human nutrition and health, especially since the first federally sanctioned health claim for a manufactured food was granted to makers of oat-rich foods in early 1997. The petfood industry is no stranger to oats; they are a staple in horse feed and a key component in many pet rodent diets. However, oats are not all that common an ingredient in dog and cat diets.
They are used as an "alternative" carbohydrate in holistic diets or as a novel carbohydrate in food hypersensitivity and/or elimination diets. Some petfood manufacturers use oats in their formulas, and there are even some diets in which oats are mentioned as part of the product name. But, by and large, oats don't seem to be as prominent as other grains. Is there a simple reason why oats aren't that popular in dog and cat diets? The short answer is no.
