Although many cats love the taste of this salty and sweet spread, cat parents should avoid giving their feline friends peanut butter. It provides no nutritional value and, more importantly, certain ingredients, like fat and added artificial sweeteners, can be harmful or even toxic to cats.
Although peanut butter is not technically toxic to cats, it does not provide them with any nutritional benefits and therefore, isn't a recommended treat for your furry friend. Cats are naturally carnivores which means they get most of their nutrients from proteins such as meat and fish.
Due to its thick, sticky consistency, peanut butter can be a choking hazard for cats. Peanut butter often contains a sweetener called xylitol that is toxic to cats. Xylitol can cause vomiting, lethargy, and loss of coordination and signs can progress to seizures and liver failure. The simpler the butter, the better.
However, peanut butter has no nutritional value for cats, and high levels of sodium and fat can harm your cat's health. Additives, sweeteners, and food colorings in processed peanut butter are also potentially harmful to cats. Contact your vet if your cat has an adverse reaction after eating peanut butter.
Cats cannot eat chocolate, milk, cheese, peanut butter, grapes, bread, or popcorn. But cats can have up to a teaspoon a day of bananas, strawberries, blueberries, and apples. Just make sure that your cat gets 95% of its calories from cat food and only 5% from snacks.
Although many cats love the taste of this salty and sweet spread, cat parents should avoid giving their feline friends peanut butter. It provides no nutritional value and, more importantly, certain ingredients, like fat and added artificial sweeteners, can be harmful or even toxic to cats.
Gastrointestinal Upset: Consuming peanut butter can cause cats to experience diarrhea, gas, vomiting, and stomach pains.
“Keep in mind that one tablespoon of peanut butter has 100 calories. If your cat takes in some 250 calories a day, that means even a teaspoon (about 30 calories) is more than their total treat allowance,” Dr. Wooten says.
Yes, cats can eat eggs. Fully cooked eggs are a great nutritional treat for cats. Eggs are packed with nutrients, like amino acids, which are the building blocks to protein, and they're also highly digestible. Scrambled, boiled, however you choose to prepare them is fine.
So remember, nonfat plain yogurt is usually safe and healthy for cats and dogs to eat as a fun snack — just check the nutrition label first to make sure it doesn't contain a dangerous ingredient, like xylitol. And for even more power-packed benefits, consider adding a daily probiotic to their regimen.
Cats can eat tuna as a treat and in small amounts, once or twice weekly at a maximum. Choose tuna in natural spring water. Avoid feeding cats tuna in oil or tuna in brine as these human tuna foods contain too much salt and oil so lack any health benefit, and can cause harm.
Why is cheese bad for cats? Most cats can't digest dairy products which means eating milk, cream or cheese could quickly lead to digestive issues such as diarrhoea, constipation or vomiting. The explanation has to do with how the feline digestive system evolved.
Can cats eat bananas as a nutritious snack? Again, the answer is yes, but in moderation. Because they are calorie-rich, bananas are not at the top of the cat treat list, and your cat may not even want to eat bananas.
While Greek yogurt can provide some nutritional benefits for cats and kittens, it should not be the sole source of nutrition. Greek yogurt can be an occasional treat, but it should not be a regular part of a cat's diet.
Vet's don't recommend feeding honey to your cat
Digestive distress, stomach aches, probable weight gain, and unclear benefit to cat health are the reason most vets discourage honey. Your veterinarian will look at the anatomy and medical history of your cat when determining what's safe to eat.
Some of the most toxic food for cats include onions & garlic, raw eggs & meat, chocolate, alcohol, grapes and raisins. Avoid feeding your cat table scraps, especially around the holidays, as these may contain potentially toxic ingredients.
Safely Feeding Eggs to Your Cat
You can feed your cat hard boiled, scrambled, poached or even microwaved eggs as long as they're fully cooked (reaching an internal temperature of 160°F). Just let the egg cool down a bit before serving. Don't add any seasonings to the egg that you feed your cat – not even salt.
The simple answer to this question is no. Ice cream is primarily made of cream, which cats shouldn't have due to being lactose intolerant. Sugar is another major ingredient, which is just as bad for cats as it is for us. Additionally many ice creams have added ingredients, some of which are toxic for cats.
Most cats are actually 'lactose intolerant' as they don't have the enzyme (lactase) in their intestines to digest the sugar in milk (lactose), meaning that milk which contains lactose can make them poorly. They can get vomiting, diarrhoea and stomach pain from drinking it (just like lactose intolerance in humans).
Yes, cats can safely consume rice, but only from time to time and in moderate amounts. Rice is not toxic to cats, so a bit of it won't do your kitty any harm, but you shouldn't give too much as rice is not an essential part of their diet.
Although fish and chicken are obvious favorites for your kitty as they're an important part of their diet, cats find the smell of most foods to be appealing. As their parent, you will know what your fur baby's favorite food scents are. My kitties go absolutely crazy at the smell of coconut or peanut butter!
Cats can safely consume carrots as long as they are cooked and sliced into small pieces to reduce the risk of choking. Be sure to feed carrots in moderation as larger amounts could cause GI upset, obesity, and diabetes. Don't forget that cats are carnivorous animals and need meat to survive.
Yes, an occasional small piece of apple flesh is generally fine for cats to eat, but this fruit is not a necessary part of their diet. While the flesh of apples isn't toxic for cats, the stem, leaves and seeds can be, as they all contain cyanide.