The fragrance and taste of bread make most humans crave it, but does the slice of bread have the same impact on cats? Well we have asked many doctors and researchers can cat eat bread and this question has acquainted us with various details which we have briefed below. Can Cats Eat Bread?
Going further would help you understand if bread is a perfect meal for cats or not and how is it going to impact their health. Apart from that, we have also listed down the form and ways in which bread should be provided to them such that cats maintain good health and lives for a long period of time.
Can I Give My Cat Bread?
You should not feed your cat with bread often, as their requirement for protein and fats are high and bread majorly consists of carbohydrates. If too many fats are consumed in the form of carbohydrates by the cat, she shall not be left with any space for another diet which is a must requirement for your cat.
Consumption of bread by cats should only be done in small quantities just to satisfy their craving. Apart from that, cat food should be taken to meet nutritional and fat needs.
Quick Table of Contents
- Rising Dough is Dangerous
- Nutrition Facts in Bread
- Why Your Cat Might Absolutely Love Bread
- Bread Is Okay for Cats, but Only in Small Amounts
- What About Bread Dough? Can Cats Eat Bread Dough?
- Raisin Bread and Garlic Bread Can Be Lethal
- Bread Lacks Taurine
- Cats Need More Fat
- Stick with Cat Food
- What About Toasted Bread? Can Cats Eat Toast?
- Other Things to Consider
- Conclusion
Rising Dough is Dangerous
What is bread dough and why is not feasible for your cats to consume it? If your cats consume dough without being baked it might actually rise in the cat’s stomach and create problems for them. The rising of dough might occur because of the warm and moist environment in the cat’s gut.
This can lead to the abdomen stretch further causing extreme pain to the cat. In extreme situations it might also affect the blood flowing around the stomach, hindering breathing and creating other life-threatening problems for your cat. If in case of appropriate treatment is not approached on time, your cat might go into a coma for life.
Nutrition Facts in Bread
Bread comprises good portions of nutrients. Some of the nutrients are vitamins, minerals fiber, carbohydrates, and also proteins. While almost all the bread is made of wheat, it can also be made out of another form of grain as well. The absence of wheat can compromise the quality of bread and might not create a good bread loaf.
Considering the fact it can be understood that what is important for bread, and this composition is not sufficient for fulfilling cat’s needs. Thus, cats should be offered only 10% of bread, and the rest of the 90% of the diet should comprise cat food.
Why Your Cat Might Absolutely Love Bread
Every cat does not like bread, but most of the time you would find that they would accept the offerings. You would have noticed that cats love to eat cakes, pizzas, muffins, and other baked items. Well, this is because of the fact that bread contains yeast, and cats are too fond of yeast. Yeast is almost used in every cat food and treats. Not only this, they are also being used in medications prescribed to cats.
Bread Is Okay for Cats, but Only in Small Amounts
A small piece of bread for your cat is fine, provided she consumes an ideal diet plan and is healthy to consume it. Trouble hits in when your cat is consuming commercial food which is balanced. If in case the cat is consuming the cat diet she is in no need of consuming extra snacks except 5-10% of her daily calories.
On average, a cat is recommended to consume 200-250 calories in a day out of which not more than 20 calories should comprise of bed. If in case you don’t take care of it and provides excess bread to your cat it might hamper the cat’s nutrition.
What About Bread Dough? Can Cats Eat Bread Dough?
Bread dough is not at all safe for cats. Yeast consumed in raw form can cause danger to the cats, i.e. once swallowed it can keep expanding in the stomach and lead to dangerous bloating. Apart from that, yeast also produces alcohol as a byproduct.
Such alcohol in the body can get absorbed into the bloodstream leading to alcohol poisoning. It has a huge devastating effect on your body which can lead to respiratory failure and even seizures. For owners whose cats have consumed uncooked bread, they are recommended to visit a vet immediately.
Raisin Bread and Garlic Bread Can Be Lethal
Bread is the most versatile form of food. It would be surprising for you to know that some forms of it can really do big harm to your cat. Out of all the varieties of bread, raisin and garlic bread are the most dangerous form of it. While consumption of raisin bread can lead to kidney failure, garlic bread can cause red blood cells of cats to get destroyed further causing them to become anemic. Hence these two types of bread should be completely avoided for cats if you wish to give your pet a long, happy, and healthy life.
Bread Lacks Taurine
If you wish to fulfill your cat’s need for nutrients, then the bread is absolutely an inadequate option. Cats are carnivore animals and a diet comprising wheat or grain is not at all feasible for them. One of the most important ingredients which are not present in bread is taurine. Cats should essentially consume taurine because they are not capable of producing it on their own. The deficiency of taurine leads to tooth decay and hair loss in cats, further causing problems in the reproductive system and even the cardiovascular system.
Cats Need More Fat
One of the most obvious reasons owing to which breeds are famous among humans is they consume fewer amounts of fat. One slice of bread hardly has one gram of fat. It is okay if we consume bread, but for cats, it is not sufficient. The dietary need of cats are comprised of a high amount of fat and it can only be met with huge meat. Consumption of fat required by cats is even higher than what dogs need, and this is the probable reason dogs food is not a good alternative for cats and it can cause their health to worsen.
Stick with Cat Food
If the cat is a pure carnivore then undoubtedly bread is not the right option to choose. However, if your cats are in love with it, then it can be provided to them occasionally. You should ensure to bake it appropriately and then let them eat. Apart from that, cat food should be given such that their nutritional needs are met and appropriate health can be maintained for life.
The best part about cat foods is, it is made of different elements which are sufficient for meeting their nutritional needs. Hence it is important to serve them cat food regularly such that they stay healthy. Apart from that, bread and other harmless food items can be provided to them on an occasional basis.
What About Toasted Bread? Can Cats Eat Toast?
Since the inception of bread, toasted bread has been one of the most popular forms. I am sure most of us love consuming bread that way, but here the question is if your cat is safe to consume toasted bread?
Well, the answer to these questions is yes. It is completely safe for cats to consume toasted bread provided they should not be served with it in large quantities. While giving away cats some toasted bread, make sure to choose toppings wisely. There are chances that the spreads you choose are not safe or good for the health of the cats.
Some toast toppings which should be completely avoided for your cat has been mentioned below;
- Chocolate spreads: Hopefully you are aware of the fact that chocolate is toxic to cats. So make sure to keep them away from it and never include it in their menu. Hence even if your cats are in deep love with chocolates or are dying to have a taste of it, keep it away from them. By keeping them away from chocolates you are going to do good to them and gift them with healthy and long life.
- Butter: Eating bread is a common thing to do for humans, but this is probably not the right choice for cats. Even though butter is not directly harmful to cats, but it contains too much of fats and calories for cats and can lead to health issues in them.
- Peanut butter: Again this butter form is not harmful to your cat, but it also has lots of fats and calories to cause disease to the cat. Along with it, it also has unhealthy amount of salt which can again cause big harm to cats.
Apart from toasted bread or its toppings, is it a good idea to serve your cats with burnt toast? Well, the straightforward answer to the question is No!! Burning bread toast leads to the formation of acrylamide, which is dangerous for both humans and animals to consume. It causes damage to the nerves furthering causing cancer in humans and animals.
Other Things to Consider
Are you thinking of the other factors which can affect the consumption of bread for your cat? While cats can take regular plain bread, it is not at all feasible to feed them with garlic and raisin-flavored bread. It is toxic to cats and should be completely avoided. It is highly advisable to check the ingredients of bread before feeding them with it. There are chances that it will harm them and leave them ill for many days
While it is good for cats to consume bread in nominal quantity and occasionally, it would be interesting to know if kittens can also have bread. The answer to this question is also affirmative. However, while feeding your kittens with bread don’t forget that kittens are young, hence the quantity of bread provided to them should be less.
It is not at all advisable to feed your kittens with more than one or two slices of bread. As kittens are sensitive and have a developing digestive system, it is important to introduce the new food gradually and find out if bread is suiting them.
Conclusion
Can cat eat bread? Well, it is safe for them to have bread so just go ahead and try it. However don’t forget that it is only suitable in moderation, and bread dough should never be provided to them. This can lead to serious complications and no matter what such situations should be avoided.
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