Every pet parent has the same struggles. One of them is trying hard to ignore your cat pet when you’re eating and it’s begging you for a small bite.
I would love to share my food with my feline friend. However, what prevents me from doing that is that only some human food is healthy for our cats.
The other night, my male cat was crying over a french fry, but I managed to stay strong. Why? Can cats eat french fries? Are they safe for them?
Well, I wish I had known this when I was younger, but now I can help many cat parents dealing with this and similar problems. So, keep reading and learn more about this topic.
Can Cats Eat French Fries?
Cats have very different digestive systems than we do, and their diet should be based on meat and animal protein as they’re obligate carnivores.
Of course, some human food is safe for cats, at least as an occasional treat, but still, you need to be careful.
So, if you wonder can cats eat french fries – the answer is yes and no.
French fries aren’t extremely harmful to our felines, but they’re not healthy food. Most french fries also contain a lot of additives that may be very toxic for cats.
This is why it’s better to avoid giving your kitty french fries and stick to cat food, as they may irritate the cat’s digestive tract.
However, such irritations may happen if your cat eats a lot of french fries. Still, you can give your kitty one french fry as an occasional treat. Just don’t get used to it.
The biggest problems for cats are actually the ingredients that can be found in french fries. So, if you wish to learn more, such as what is good and what should be avoided, keep reading and check out which type of fries is safe for your kitty friend!
Read on to find out if cats can eat hot dogs!
What Are French Fries Made Of?
As cats are obligate carnivores, their diet should be based on real meat and animal protein. Such diets are rich in protein and fatty acids but have low carbohydrate levels.
When it comes to potato, it contains both good and bad things for cats. So, the good thing is that it’s rich in vitamins C and B6, potassium, and fiber. Fiber helps cats to digest food properly and helps in regulating bowel movement.
However, potatoes are also rich in carbohydrates which isn’t very healthy for cats. Moreover, when french fries are made, many different ingredients are added, many of which aren’t safe or healthy for cats.
Due to the high carb content, you shouldn’t feed your kitty french fries, especially if your cat is overweight. You should also be aware of the negative consequences that your cat may experience from eating fries.
So, keep reading and find out which type of fries is safe for your furry friend and what you should do if your kitty eats too many fries.
Cooked French Fries
Raw potatoes are proven to contain alkaloids, and these alkaloids are very toxic for cats, which is why they need to avoid raw potatoes.
However, if you cook the potato, it’s no longer toxic, which immediately means that it’s one step closer to your cat’s mouth.
Frying and cooking help in reducing the solanine content from potatoes, making them safer for your kitty.
Are They Safe For Cats?
Cooked french fries, as humans usually eat, may not be the safest for your cat. The reason for that is because different ingredients are added to the fries, such as salt which is dangerous for cats, or other seasonings that may also cause them harm.
So, if you want to give your kitty one french fry, don’t make it double if you want to avoid possible problems.
However, you can also prepare special french fries without any additives, which will be a perfect treat for your kitty. Of course, you can mix them with the cat’s favorite food to be even more delicious.
Raw French Fries
Raw potatoes contain different alkaloids, and solanine is the worst for our cat friends. Raw potatoes are extremely toxic for cats, so you need to pay special attention to them, especially if you grow your own potatoes.
Are They Safe For Cats?
When it comes to eating, it’s important to remember that cats shouldn’t eat raw potatoes as that may cause them many problems with their digestive system.
So, raw potatoes aren’t safe for felines at all, and they should be avoided. But keep reading so that you can find out what to do if your kitty accidentally eats some.
However, if your cat eats a frozen french fry from the grocery store, it won’t have the same negative side-effects as raw potatoes.
The reason for this is that frozen fries are partially cooked before being packaged. So, when preparing them, they’re not raw, they just need to be reheated again.
Potato Chips
Potato chips are a favorite snack for most people. They are actually thin slices of potatoes that have been baked or fried to be crunchy.
They contain a lot of seasoning, which is why they’re very delicious. However, when it comes to our dear furry friends, they are a NO.
Are They Safe For Cats?
Potato chips aren’t really safe for cats for many reasons. First, they’re rich in carbs and fat and contain a lot of seasonings such as salt, pepper, onion, garlic, paprika, and similar things that are typically toxic for cats.
Moreover, the thin slices of potato chips may be very sharp, which is another reason they should be avoided when feeding your feline, as they are choking hazards.
You may also want to know if cats can eat chicken nuggets!
What About Additives?
Various additives and sauces are also bad and toxic for cats. The main reason for that is that they contain a lot of salt and other ingredients such as onion, garlic, pepper, and similar that can upset the cat’s stomach.
For example, ketchup and similar sauces contain these ingredients, and it’s the main additive to french fries when we eat them. So, what about cats? Can they enjoy this beautiful combination?
Can Cats Eat French Fries With Ketchup?
Even though most people adore the combination of ketchup and french fries, giving that to your cat friend isn’t really a smart thing to do.
Ketchup usually contains salt, onion powder, and other ingredients and flavorings that are extremely toxic for cats. If they eat it, they may suffer from diarrhea, vomiting, upset stomach, and similar issues.
What Should You Do If Your Cat Eats French Fries?
If your kitty ate a lot of french fries, or especially if it ate raw potato or potato plant, it may suffer from potato toxicity.
This problem is usually accompanied by these symptoms:
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• Upset stomach
In severe cases, the cat may show other symptoms as well. So, if your cat eats raw potato or nightshade, ensure you take it to the vet immediately. This issue can be severe, so it’s important that the vet examines the cat thoroughly.
The treatment usually begins with blood tests and physical exams. Finally, after that, the vet usually provides the cat with intravenous fluid, decontamination, or certain medications to control the cat’s nausea.
You should avoid feeding your cat french fries regularly. An occasional small treat is acceptable, but as far as the main diet is concerned, it would be better if you stick to dry kibble and wet cat food.
That is especially important if you want to pay special attention to your cat’s health.
Also, find out if cats can eat pasta!
Health Risks Of Eating Raw Potato Or Too Much French Fries
• Salt poisoning – this usually happens after consuming too much salty food, which isn’t healthy for cats. This normally occurs when the food is heavily seasoned with ingredients that are toxic for cats.
• Potato toxicity – this is a consequence of eating raw potato or green sprouts of potato plants. It may cause upset stomach, vomiting, diarrhea, and similar issues that require special veterinarian help.
• High blood pressure – this issue may happen due to high sodium intake, leading to other serious medical issues.
• Heart disease – if your cat eats salty food often, it may start developing various heart diseases, among others.
• Anemia – this issue may happen due to onion and garlic ingredients which are extremely toxic for cats and can often be found in french fries and similar.
• Problems with a cat’s digestive system – eating french fries and raw potato may lead to different digestive problems as their digestive tract isn’t suited to salty and fried food.
• Obesity – food with high sodium content and high carbs levels may lead to weight gain, which may also contribute to the development of other health issues.
Fun Facts About French Fries
• The real place of origin of french fries is Belgium.
• One of the most popular french fries are those from McDonald’s that used to cost only 10¢ in the past.
• In Japan, you can buy chocolate-drizzled french fries at McDonald’s.
• A museum that is dedicated to french fries is located in Belgium, their place of origin.
• Over 10 different types of french fries are known to exist.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are McDonald’s Fries Safe For Cats?
Cats should not eat McDonald’s fries, nor any other variety, especially not in large amounts. One fry cannot harm them but eating french fries constantly may lead to serious problems, as the ingredients that they contain are very dangerous and toxic for cats.
So, if you cannot resist your cat’s pleas, you can give it one fry, but only as an occasional treat, and stick to its own food for the main diet.
What Human Food Can Cats Eat?
Cat’s diet should be based on meat and animal protein. Therefore, when it comes to human food, cats can join us when we eat cooked or lean lamb, chicken, beef, or turkey meat.
However, you still need to be careful when feeding your cat these things. Ensure to avoid feeding cats raw meat, and carefully remove the skin and bones. Also, remember not to use salt or other additives as they can be toxic for cats.
Certain types of vegetables can be safe for cats, but in small amounts; it’s better to concentrate the cat’s diet on real meat as they can benefit from it the most.
What Food Is Bad For Cats?
The foods that you always need to avoid when it comes to your cat:
• Chocolate
• Salt
• Raw eggs
• Onion and garlic
There are many other human food types that cats shouldn’t eat, but these are the most common and need to be avoided in a cat’s diet if you want it to stay healthy.
Final Words
This article provides you with an answer to the question – can cats eat french fries? So, even though french fries are one of the most popular human snacks, they’re not really good or healthy for our furry friends.
Cats require food that is rich in protein and low in carbohydrates. However, french fries offer quite the opposite, with higher carbs levels.
One french fry won’t hurt your kitty; however, they should be completely avoided as they usually contain ingredients such as salt, onion, garlic powder, and similar that are toxic for cats.
If you can’t say no to your kitty, make sure you give it just one french fry, but only as an occasional treat.
Moreover, cats may have many different issues after eating a lot of french fries or raw potatoes and similar, so make sure you always keep an eye on your feline and take it to the vet if anything worrying happens!
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