The scent of frying sausages in the morning can also be tempting for your favorite feline friend. Fragrant aromas fill the kitchen and you are ready for your first and most important meal of the day, but two curious eyes are watching every move and someone is hoping to cadge a snack.
While we may be tempted to spoil our pets with some deli meats, we find ourselves asking: Can cats eat sausage?
The short answer is yes, cats can eat sausage, but there are a few things cat owners need to know before feeding processed foods to their pets.
Let’s take a look at the important information you need to know before deciding how to feed your pet.
Can Cats Eat Sausage? Safe Or Not?
Cats are obligate carnivores. This means that all cat breeds need to consume meat to be healthy. However that does not mean it is safe if a cat eats sausage.
Cats need the proteins found in meat so that they can function properly. Sausage meat or hot dogs are not the problem itself, but the other additives may make processed meats unsuitable for the cat.
Sausages are made from highly processed meat and they typically contain ingredients that help to preserve them and bring flavor to them.
Many of those ingredients are not suitable for the digestive system of your cat and may even cause health problems.
Here is a list of some of the additives that make sausages not suitable as cat food:
· salt
· pepper
· oil
· fat
· spices
· seasonings
· preservatives
If you want to learn more about why salt is not good for cats, read Happy Whisker’s article on can cats eat salt.
What Are The Harmful Ingredients In Additives?
Due to the fact that sausages contain a lot of trans fats, they can cause digestive issues for your pet. They can cause abdominal pain and stomach ache.
Sausages typically contain a lot of nitrates, sulfites, and sulphites.
They are also high in salts and the high amounts may cause salt poisoning if ingested. High amounts of salt can cause water retention and increase the strain on your pet’s heart.
Ingredients such as seasonings and spices often contain garlic powder and onions which can be toxic for cats, causing stomach upsets and abdominal pain.
Sulfur dioxide is an ingredient that preserves sausage meat and keeps it fresh. Consumed in large amounts, this can cause Thiamine deficiency which can lead to all sorts of neurological issues.
There is also a possibility of unknown ingredients in sausages that are not listed on the packaging. Many brands have their own secret recipes with spice mixes so you can never be sure how your cat is going to respond.
What May Happen If I Feed My Cat Sausage?
If you have fed your cat sausage occasionally, you do not need to worry. The risks are very low with some sausage as a very occasional treat. However, this should not become an everyday practice because it could a lot of problems for your pet friend over the long term.
If your cat eats sausage once in a while it probably won’t do it any harm.
We all want our furry friends to be happy, healthy and playful, so we are willing to treat them right and do what is best for them. That means a balanced diet, a lot of exercise and plenty of play.
Therefore we should probably avoid feeding them with processed meat. Sometimes cats are curious about dog food too, but it is always best if you stick with cat treats for your feline.
Some cats can be more sensitive than others and react badly when eating even a small piece of sausage for the first time.
Their reactions will likely be limited and short term. It may happen that they experience abdominal pain, diarrhea, vomiting, or lethargy.
This can be scary for a cat owner but unless symptoms are severe, there is no need to visit the vet.
Is It Safe To Feed My Cat With Raw Sausage Meat?
Raw meat of any kind poses another risk to your cat’s health.
Uncooked meat may contain harmful bacteria such as salmonella, which can cause salmonella poisoning. Salmonella poisoning causes diarrhea, vomiting, and a risk of dehydration which all can be very dangerous for your cat or kitten.
Can Sausage Make My Cat Fat?
Sausages contain high levels of fat which means they are high in calories. Fat content in sausages is much higher than that of unprocessed meats. Weight issues are a serious issue for cats. Some researchers say that 50% of adult cats are overweight.
Related: How Heavy Should My Cat Be: Weight Guide
Fat content in a cat’s diet can cause obesity which puts the cat at risk of diseases such as diabetes and heart problems. If you suspect this is the case for your pet, you should consider taking action by putting it on a restrictive diet or consulting your vet for further advice or health checks. There are even some sorts of sausage that have even higher than average levels of unhealthy ingredients, such as Italian sausages. Those you should probably avoid completely.
Is There Any Way That I Could Feed My Cat Sausage?
We have established that sausage is not a good choice for feeding your cat. If you really cannot resist treating your feline friend with some sausage, you could consider finding some healthier alternatives.
First of all, always monitor the amount of food you provide to your pet. Any treat you give should be in small quantities that are less likely to do any harm.
You should opt for meat that has lower levels of additives and preservatives.
An excellent replacement would be chicken sausage which has less sodium, fat and salt than other types of sausages. Chicken sausage is rich with taurine which is beneficial for cats’ heart health and eyesight.
When preparing a meal, try to cook it without adding oil or salt. Sausages already contain both these ingredients so do not add more during the cooking process..
You should also ensure that the size of every piece is small enough so that the cat can chew it properly and be careful to check that they do not have any strings or casings. This can save your pet from choking.
Make sure that all food is properly cooled before serving it to your pet.
You might also find this article interesting: Can Cats Eat Chicken Nuggets? Everything You Need To Know
What Are Healthy Alternatives?
Most cat food, both dry food and wet food, are safe for your pet. They contain controlled ingredients that deliver the essential vitamins and minerals which are necessary for healthy development.
If you want to treat your cat with something that is usually perceived as a human food, you should probably consider chicken or fish (such as sardines, tuna, salmon and even crab).
Chicken contains a lot of protein and is not processed. Fish contains even more proteins than chicken. Make sure that you either cook these meats before you serve your cat or purchase some pre-cooked commercial brands which are healthy and delicious.
Summary
If your cat eats a small amount of sausage, it probably won’t do any harm but it is not recommended as a regular part of a cat’s diet.
The key to the health of your pet lies in a balanced intake of quality ingredients.
Most quality meat is fine as long as it does not contain additives and preservatives. It is highly recommended that you offer your pet meat that is not homemade rather than processed, or simply offer it pet food designed to meet its needs.
This important information clears up the question – can cats eat sausage? By being careful and choosing healthy alternatives, you are avoiding possible harm to your cat, caused by ingesting unhealthy ingredients. Getting the right amounts of healthy, quality ingredients will make sure that your cat is a healthy and happy pet.
We hope that you enjoyed reading this article. If you find it useful, feel free to share it with other cat lovers.
Leave a comment