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Most times when we as pet owners are enjoying our snacks or meals, our cats will come right to our side and want to know what we are munching on. The relentless sniffing and staring will make us cave and we end up giving our furry ones a piece of our food. The danger here is that once our cat takes a liking to this rare delicacy, they will want more. Even if we try and hand out a smidgen of their own regular pet food, they are not stupid and will know the difference. As a cat parent you may ask can cats eat bread.

Textures, scents, and temperatures all play a role in what a cat will like or dislike Much to our chagrin our cats will usually like what we place in front of them. Allowing your cat to have a bit of bread is not a bad thing at all. You just need to know the facts, therefore please keep reading to get some more information about this.

Can Cats Eat Bread Introduction

As much as we would like to feed our cat all of their favourite foods whenever they give us that cute pleading look, we need to be mindful of how we react to their behaviours. As pet owners, we still have to exercise willpower to keep our kitty content and healthy.

Giving your cat a small piece of bread is fine, as long as they are at an ideal weight for their age and breed. Also, it is important to make sure that they do not have any major health problems. When we dole out bigger portions of treats, this could lead to stomach ailments, diarrihea or constipation for our feline buddy.

Cats need around 240 calories a day depending on their age and current weight. Basically, any type of food that is more than 20 calories, is too much for your cat. Yet, we are probably not going to do detailed and extensive weight measurements when we feed our kitty. Handing them a crouton size amount of bread or smaller, is sufficient enough to maintain calorie control.

Essentially anything of a bread like nature such as crackers, melba toast or baked pizza dough or crusts is alright to give as a tiny snack. Keep in mind that felines mostly enjoy wet or soft food, so keep the bread bit moist so that your cat can chew, swallow and digest it adequately.

When to Feed Your Cat Bread

It’s always a good idea to give your kitty bread under these ideal conditions:

As a Treat

Letting your cat know that they can get a special tiny snack can help deepen that bond that you both share. This also helps to develop trust where you can get to enjoy more one on one time with them. It also provides variety to their regular diet. Eating the same food, day in and day out would drive anyone with taste buds up the wall. Imagine how our cats would feel.

Naturally, we need to feed them a staple diet consistent with the nutrients that their metabolism needs. Yet adding a couple of tasty goodies to supplement their regular food or to just enjoy would put your cat in a good mood. Of course, we all want to provide the best for our fur babies and keep them in a pleasant mood

When you need to give them a pill or medication

Since your cat enjoys eating bread, it’s a good idea to feed it to them while you are giving them a pill/medicine or after, to lessen the stress that they may endure while you administer such prescriptives.

As any cat owner knows, giving a pill or medicine to your cat can be a nightmare. The reason for this is that cats are very finicky and smart. They can detect a trace of medicine or notice that their food is off in a split second. The only other way is to wrangle with them to open their jaw and pop the pill down their throat in a very quick motion. Hence, giving a bit of bread after the stressful pill taking event, will help ease their tension and shows that you still care for their wellbeing. Also, providing a tinsy bit of bread with the pill or medicine can help hide any unpleasant tastes. This ensures that they swallow and or eat it for the medication so that it can help to heal their ailment.

To err on the side of caution it is best that you are knowledgeable of your cat’s health from a medical point of view. If your cat is underweight or overweight or can only tolerate small amounts of food at a time, then giving them food outside of their normal diet needs to be monitored.

Be wary that your cat does not have a health condition that could get aggravated by eating bread. No matter how simple of a food it is, it could possibly not be in the best interest for your cat’s health.

Breads to Avoid

Your cat may have unique tastes and may very well end up loving tidbits of the doughy stuff. Be sure to hand out small amounts of white or brown bread that is not seasoned.

Flavored breads that are comprised of raisins, onion, garlic (fresh, dried or in a powder form), chocolate chips, cheese or milk products are harmful for your cat. Also, raw bread dough and bread with a high salt content will cause serious side effects for your furry one.

Such side effects can range from weakness, vomiting, diarrhoea, bodily tremors, increased thirst, seizures, disorientation, and trouble breathing.

What kind of foods do cats need to eat?

A cat’s metabolism is only geared for eating meat. Cats need protein which can only be obtained from meat and not vegetable sources. Their metabolism then turns these proteins into essential amino acids that support hormone development, antibodies, ph levels and overall bodily functioning that they need to grow and live. Proteins from legumes, grains and vegetable sources do not provide all of the important amino acids that a cat needs.

One such essential amino acids that all cats need is taurine. This can only be derived from protein that comes from meat. If cats, don’t get this important element, they can suffer from vision and digestion problems, improper functioning of their heart problems with for female cats pregnancy and fetal development. It can also contribute to a weak immune system.

Cats can have vegetables in their diet but these veggies must be cooked. Veggies such as spinach, green beans, tomatoes or carrots are fine, but they must always be combined with a source of meat. Meats such as chicken, turkey, beef, lamb, egg, rabbit, fish (salmon, tuna, florelle) are good options for a cat’s dietary needs.

Always avoid cooked bones or skin, fatty meat (sausages or bacon), fat trimmings and most of all, any type of raw meat or eggs. Cats can most definitely eat organ/muscle meat but in limited quantities. Such parts as the heart, liver and kidneys carry important amino acids that also aid in supplementing important nutrients for a cat’s diet. From a scientific point of view, the liver and kidneys are where all of the waste gets filtered through and this could pose as a toxic risk to your cat. However, as long the meats are obtained from a reputable cat food provider, this will basically add some tasty and nutritional variety for your cat’s meals.

Can Cats Eat Bread Summary

The answer to the question can cats eat bread is both yes, and no.

When choosing the right food for your cat, as long as they do not have special medical needs, the following should be taken into account:

An Actual Protein Source: The ingredient should indicate what type of meat instead of just “meat”. Of course, examples would be chicken, beef, turkey, egg, tuna.

Carbohydrates or Grain These filler foods which usually falls under the classification of wheat and corn, should not be in cat food at all. As we all know, cats are carnivores and have no use for carbs or grains. These additives are typically found In dry foods because they help to bind the foods together to form a solid mass eg. pellets or kibble

Needed Fat Source Look for named animal fats such as chicken fat, or beef fat, instead of “animal fat or poultry fat, lard or beef tallow. Also, watch for important oils such as fish oil, or sunflower seed oils instead of vegetable oil or mineral oil.

Taurine: As mentioned previously, this is a required component that all cats need in their nutrition. All cat foods require this for proper vision, digestion, lactation and heart health

A little treat here and there will keep your cat stimulated and will give them something to look forward to other than their regular dry food meal plan. Providing the right type of foods is critical in maintaining their longevity and overall physical and mental well-being.

By feeding your cat a well-balanced protein diet they may not even want to eat bread. As every cat owner knows, a well fed cat is a happy cat.

References

Chewy – Can Cats Eat Bread

The HappyCatSite – Can Cats Eat Bread