Have you ever wondered how your dog or cat digests the carbohydrates in their food? Whether they're enjoying kibble, a gently cooked meal, or a fresh food diet, their digestive system relies on specialized enzymes to help break down nutrients.
One of those enzymes is amylase, which plays an important role in carbohydrate digestion.
But here's something many pet parents don't realize: both dogs and cats naturally produce amylase, although their digestive systems have evolved differently to process the foods they eat.
In this edition of Behind the Blend, we're exploring what amylase does, how dogs and cats use it, and why we include this important enzyme in our Paw-Gest® Digestive Enzymes formula.
What Is Amylase?
Amylase is a digestive enzyme responsible for breaking down starches, a type of complex carbohydrate found in many foods.
Starches consist of long chains of glucose molecules that must be broken into smaller components before they can be absorbed and used by the body.
Think of amylase as one of the tools your pet's digestive system uses to break down the food they eat.
You'll find starch in many familiar ingredients, including:
- Rice and oats
- Potatoes and sweet potatoes
- Corn and wheat
- Peas, lentils, and other legumes
When your dog or cat eats foods containing starch, amylase helps begin the process of breaking those complex carbohydrates into smaller sugars. Other digestive enzymes then continue the process, eventually producing glucose that can be absorbed through the small intestine and used for energy.
Do Dogs and Cats Naturally Produce Amylase?
Yes! Both dogs and cats naturally produce amylase, primarily in their pancreas. However, their ability to digest starch differs.
Unlike humans, who begin breaking down starch in their mouths with salivary amylase, dogs and cats rely mainly on pancreatic amylase released into the small intestine.
Amylase in Dogs
Dogs have developed adaptations that help them digest starch as part of their diet.
A landmark 2013 study published in Nature examined genetic differences between domestic dogs and wolves. Researchers discovered adaptations in genes involved in starch digestion, including those associated with pancreatic amylase.
These findings suggest that, as dogs became domesticated and their diets changed, they developed an increased ability to digest starch compared with wolves.
Additional research published in Animal Genetics found that the number of copies of a pancreatic amylase gene, known as AMY2B, varies among dogs and is associated with amylase activity.
Amylase in Cats
Cats, on the other hand, are obligate carnivores, meaning their nutritional requirements are naturally centered around animal-derived nutrients.
Although cats also produce pancreatic amylase, their pancreatic amylase activity is generally lower than that of dogs. Their digestive systems are adapted to a diet with different nutritional characteristics.
However, this doesn't mean cats are unable to digest carbohydrates. Cats can digest appropriately processed starches, including those commonly found in commercial cat foods.
Both dogs and cats use amylase to help break down dietary starch, even though their digestive systems and nutritional needs are different.
How Does Amylase Help Dogs and Cats Digest Carbohydrates?
When your dog or cat eats a meal containing starch, several steps are involved in turning that food into usable nutrients.
1. Starch enters the digestive system.
Foods containing carbohydrates travel through the stomach and into the small intestine, where much of the nutrient digestion and absorption occurs.
2. Amylase begins breaking down starch.
Pancreatic amylase acts on starch molecules, splitting them into smaller carbohydrate fragments.
3. Other enzymes continue the process.
Enzymes such as maltase and glucoamylase help break certain smaller carbohydrates down further into glucose.
4. Glucose becomes available for energy.
Once absorbed through the intestinal lining, glucose can be used by the body as an energy source.
This process highlights something important: amylase doesn't work alone.
Healthy digestion involves several different enzymes, each with a specialized role in breaking down the foods your pet eats.
If Dogs and Cats Produce Amylase Naturally, Why Consider Digestive Enzymes?
Your pet's digestive system naturally produces enzymes to help break down the foods they eat. However, digestive enzymes can also be provided through supplements as an additional source of enzymatic activity.
Different enzymes have different responsibilities. Amylase acts on starches, protease breaks down proteins, and lipase helps break down fats. Together, these enzymes participate in breaking food into smaller components.
That's why we developed Paw-Gest® with 11 plant-based digestive enzymes that work on different types of food components. Our formula offers pet parents a convenient way to incorporate supplemental digestive enzymes into their pet's nutritional wellness routine.
But if our pets already produce digestive enzymes, why might we consider adding more?
We explore that question in greater detail in our article, If Pets Make Digestive Enzymes Naturally, Why Would They Need More?, including how digestive support can fit into different stages of your pet's wellness journey.
Why We Include Amylase in Paw-Gest®
When developing Paw-Gest® Digestive Enzymes, we wanted a formula that provides more than one type of digestive enzyme.
That's because the foods our pets eat contain different nutrients, and each type requires its own digestive processes.
Amylase is one of 11 plant-based digestive enzymes in our Paw-Gest® formula, selected to provide additional enzymatic activity as part of a comprehensive digestive wellness blend.
While amylase focuses on starches, the other enzymes in our formula serve different functions:
- Protease: Helps break down proteins into smaller peptides.
- Acid Protease: Helps break down proteins in acidic environments.
- Cellulase: Helps break down cellulose, a component of plant cell walls.
- Hemicellulase: Helps break down hemicellulose, another component of plant fibers.
- Glucoamylase: Helps release glucose from starch-derived carbohydrates.
- Lipase: Helps break down dietary fats.
- Invertase: Helps break down sucrose into glucose and fructose.
- Maltase: Helps break down maltose into glucose.
- Alpha-Galactosidase: Helps break down certain complex sugars found in legumes and other plant foods.
- Lactase: Helps break down lactose, a sugar found in dairy products.
By combining enzymes with complementary functions, Paw-Gest® is designed to support the breakdown of proteins, fats, starches, plant fibers, and certain sugars.
Rather than focusing exclusively on carbohydrates, our formula provides a broader approach to supplemental digestive enzyme support for dogs and cats.
Explore Paw-Gest® Digestive Enzymes
Frequently Asked Questions About Amylase for Dogs and Cats
Do dogs and cats have amylase in their saliva?
Both dogs and cats have little to no meaningful salivary amylase activity compared with humans. Instead, they primarily rely on amylase produced by the pancreas and released into the small intestine to digest starch.
Can dogs and cats digest starch without supplements?
Yes. Both dogs and cats naturally produce the enzymes needed to digest starch, although their digestive capabilities differ. Dogs have evolved adaptations that support starch digestion, while cats generally have lower pancreatic amylase activity. Both species can digest appropriately processed starches.
Why do cats produce less amylase than dogs?
Cats are obligate carnivores, meaning their nutritional needs are naturally centered around animal-derived nutrients. Their digestive systems have evolved differently from those of dogs, and they generally produce less pancreatic amylase. However, cats can still digest certain dietary carbohydrates.
Is amylase only useful for pets eating kibble?
No. Amylase acts on starch regardless of whether it comes from kibble, gently cooked food, or another diet containing starch-rich ingredients. Paw-Gest® includes amylase as part of a broader formula of 11 plant-based digestive enzymes that act on different food components.
What's the difference between amylase and protease?
Amylase helps break down starches, while protease helps break down proteins. Both are digestive enzymes, but they act on different types of nutrients.
Can digestive enzymes help dogs and cats with pancreatic insufficiency?
Dogs and cats diagnosed with exocrine pancreatic insufficiency (EPI) require veterinary care and appropriate pancreatic enzyme replacement therapy.
Supporting Your Pet's Digestive Wellness
Amylase may be just one enzyme, but it plays an important role in helping both dogs and cats break down dietary starch.
Understanding how it works also reminds us that digestion is a coordinated process involving multiple enzymes, nutrients, and functions within the body.
At Glacier Peak Holistics, we carefully select ingredients for their intended roles in our formulas. That's why Paw-Gest® brings together 11 plant-based digestive enzymes, including amylase, to provide a convenient supplemental option for pet parents interested in digestive wellness.
Because when it comes to supporting our pets, understanding what's in their bowl is just as important as knowing how their bodies process it.
Discover the enzymes behind Paw-Gest® and explore a thoughtful approach to your pet's digestive wellness.
Shop Paw-Gest® Digestive Enzymes
Scientific References
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Axelsson, E., et al. (2013). The genomic signature of dog domestication reveals adaptation to a starch-rich diet. Nature, 495, 360–364.
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Arendt, M., et al. (2014). Amylase activity is associated with AMY2B copy numbers in dog: implications for dog domestication, diet and diabetes. Animal Genetics, 45, 716–722.
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Overview of the Exocrine Pancreas in Dogs and Cats. Merck Veterinary Manual, reviewed September 2025.
- Verbrugghe, A., & Hesta, M. (2017). Cats and Carbohydrates: The Carnivore Fantasy? Veterinary Sciences, 4(4), 55.
