We have prepared this article to satisfy any cat parent’s curiosity and answer the question: can cats eat bread? A warm piece of baked bread is a delicacy for humans, but can it be enjoyed by your cat every once in a while without facing negative consequences? Keep on reading to find out.
The majority of humans all around the globe have one thing in common, which is the inclusion of baked bread in their daily or weekly diet. But this raises a question for cat parents, can cats also eat baked bread in the same manner as we do? The short and simple answer is yes, but there is a lot more to that “yes.”
You see, small and gradual amounts of baked bread every once in a while is okay for your cat to enjoy as a treat, but it should not be regular consumption to the point where it is a part of their daily diet.
Does Bread Offer Any Nutritional Value for Your Cat?
Generally speaking, there is no specific or serious health concern if you only feed your cat pieces of baked bread on rare occasions. But that is not to say that baked bread is completely fine and healthy for your cat to eat.
The thing is, there is no nutritional value in baked bread for your cat’s health. Feeding it to your cat is nothing but calories that will only contribute as a weight gainer for your cat.
To put things into perspective, one slice of bread equates to one-fifth of your cat’s daily diet. So while a couple slices of baked bread may not satisfy your cat’s appetite at all, it can be way too much for your beloved kitty. Consider this piece of information the next time you are pondering the question, “can cats eat bread?”
Tricking Your Cat with Oral Medication
If your cat, as with the majority of cats around the globe, does not take oral medicine easily and instead makes it quite a challenging task, then you may tend to the good old baked bread to solve this problem. This may even be easier for you if your cat is especially a baked bread enthusiast, as some cats do not enjoy it.
What you need to do is hide the medicine pills or spread the liquid medicine on a piece of baked bread and hope for the best while attempting to feed it to your cat.
Some cats will not easily fall for this trick, in which case you are better off using cat food or treats to give the medicine to your cat. However, if you know your cat loves bread, this may be an ideal option.
Is Bread Bad for Your Cats?
Now that we have answered whether cats eat bread, we have to look at the other questions that stem afterward, such as, is bread bad for your cat? In general, there is a wide variety of bread. Thus only a certain type can be considered harmless for your feline friend.
If you noticed, we have mentioned bread along with the word “baked”; this is because baked bread is different from bread dough which contains active yeast, and that is a big red flag for your cat.
Similarly, you should avoid feeding your cat bread flavored with tomato, garlic, or onion, since those are considered toxic foods for cats. Also, certain spices and herbs are not great for your cat’s diet; therefore, it is always wise to consult your vet before feeding your cat anything out of their ordinary diet.
What Your Cat Needs in Terms of Nutrition
Cats are carnivores, which means they must eat meat or meat-based foods as the nutrients that come with them are essential to their diet. Therefore, every cat needs to eat cat food made with the right ingredients, providing the required nutrients such as amino acids, meat-based proteins, vitamins, minerals, and energy that will ensure your cat’s well-being.
Other Foods You Should Not Feed Your Cat
1. Milk, cheese, or other dairy-based products
We all grew up with the idea that cats love and enjoy drinking milk, whether from movies or cartoons. But the reality is that most cats are naturally lactose intolerant, which means that any cow milk-based products will only upset your cat’s stomach leading to vomiting and diarrhea.
2. Raw meat
You might think that your cat chasing and hunting for meat may not be such a big deal, but that is not the case. Raw foods contain many salmonellae and other bacteria, leading to serious health concerns.
3. Chocolate
Though a treat regularly enjoyed by humans, chocolates contain two especially toxic ingredients for cats: bromine and caffeine. Therefore, whether it’s milk chocolate or dark chocolate, feeding it to your cat will lead to dangerous conditions, including heart failure, weakness, or a coma.
Final Thoughts!!
By now, we hope you know the answer to the question, “can cats eat bread?” In general, it is always wise to avoid making changes to your cat’s diet and feeding them foods they are not accustomed to.
Although baked bread does not pose a great threat to your cat, you should always leave it as an occasionally given treat. Therefore, be mindful of how much bread you feed your cat as compromising its health is the last thing you want to do.
