We are sure that you cannot resist your appetite for the smell of freshly baked oven products. Especially sourdough bread is heaven, and the craving is teasing. Did you know that you are not exclusive in this? Even your pet cat at home is extremely having temptation by bread treats.
Well! That can answer your question better. The cats can and do eat bread just like any other mammal. They are even addicted to the taste of the toppings slathered on bread. In this article, we will be discussing why cats eat bread, and if it is safe for them to consume them.
How safe is it to feed cats with bread?
Feeding the bread should be limited as they contain high nutritional value of carbohydrates. However, any cat requires a fair amount of fats and proteins. Animal nutritional specialists also recommend the cats consume more calories as carbohydrate is dangerous.
Thus feeding often will increase their weight threefold, and there are chances cats become obese. Just because they like bread, this does not mean it can be part of their regular diet.
If you think your cat has high cravings for bread, then don’t worry. You can probably offer a treat once a week. Some owners especially use this as a trick and make sure that their cats stay in the best behavior. The bread is provided as a reward for their accomplishment, while what you need not worry about is their digestion. Since the felines can absorb and digest the dietary carbohydrates, cats can eat the bread. Thus, it is safe, but you have to limit the quantity.
Does bread add nutritional value to the cats?
The question of cats eating bread is quite surprising because we have always seen them as obligate carnivores. It means that they tend to eat and need the nutrition of meat, but their love for bread is thus bizarre. The bread does not provide any additional nutrition for your cats. They have high carbs value, which is converted into calories and energy. On average, a cat needs only 200-250 calories per day. However, two slices of bread contain 40 calories by itself. Thus they can be helpful. But definitely, it is not recommended as daily food or replace meals because it can never be called balanced nutrition for cats.
My cat has cravings for bread that isn’t cooked
Uncooked bread is highly dangerous. Eating raw dough can affect the cat’s stomach and overall health. As you know, the bread is made with yeast added to the dough for the fermentation process. The yeast helps in the expansion of the dough, and hence you get the fluffy bread. However, when your cat consumes this yeast-added raw bread, there are chances that dough gets raised inside the stomach. It can cause severe pain in the abdominal region.
The side effects are more than what you imagined. They tend to have vomiting, and diarrhea, and quickly become fatigued. Especially when the kittens consume them, it can lead to fatal problems. It is because their body organs are sensitive and do not have immune to fight the yeast bacterium. While baking the bread, always keep an eye on your pet cat. See that they don’t sneak in and consume the raw dough.
Should I add toppings to bread while serving the cat?
Okay! When you think about consuming bread, your first preference for topping goes to cheese. But in the case of the cats, that is not what they want. Although cats love eating bread even without toppings, if you’re going to treat them with nutritional value, then you can offer some potential ingredients. There are cats spread exclusively for their cravings.
It will help if you are cautious about using milk products as ingredients. The products like cheese and butter may not be suitable for them as they are lactose intolerant. Similarly, garlic and onions might also cause problems for the cat’s behavior. It can create anemia in them. The general recommendation is that whatever you include in the topping, make sure it is the small quantities. The tuna and some meat chunks can light up their day. Check for Purina Fancy feast Broths, which can help the best complement for the bread.
When should I feed bread?
It is one of the common questions most owners have. Even though the choice is to offer bread for cats as a treat, the real question is when to give them. In the senior cats, it becomes difficult for them to digest. Their stomach does not support the bread digestion smoothly. Hence, you should give them bread during breakfast or as early evening snacks. Do not provide them at dinner. Otherwise, they will have trouble sleeping. You can also choose to replace them with their main meals for the younger cats. If your cat has already been diagnosed with kidney problems and diabetes, it is recommended to avoid it completely. The impact of nutrition absorption is not the same as humans for cats. It can increase their sugar level and affect their health in general.
Is all bread good for cats?
If you bake bread at home, all the bread is good for the cats unless you don’t overload them. But if you are treating it with outside bread, then you may have to look the ingredients and flavors. Some flavored bread like onion, honey, pumpernickel bread is not suitable for cats. You can normally choose milk and rye bread. Importantly, see the quantity of yeast used for the raising purpose. The more the yeast, the more it can cause trouble to the cats. We suggest going with the wheat bread and herb included bread, which is less in carbs but high in nutritional value, is the best option. So, wisely choose the bread for your cats.
Conclusion
The article would have given you an overview of whether your cats can eat the bread or not. In general, it is recommended that you take the opinion of the vet before feeding them bread. Also, limit yourself while offering the bread. Consider them as a savory treat, and if your cat has cravings, it’s a double bonanza. Train them to follow the behavior, and as a prize, they can win a slice of bread.
