Can Cats Eat Fries ?

by Hayley
Can Cats Eat Fries
Can Cats Eat French

We learned from an early age that sharing is caring, and sharing food is the ultimate sign of showing love to our loved ones, and who’s better to love than our fluffy kids, the majestic, not so wild, not so big, cats we cherish so much.

So, it is completely plausible to find yourself treating yourself to a fast-food takeout and as you sit around to dig in, your furry flatmate does its best Puss in Boots impression trying to get some fries, and for those who don’t get that reference to a character in one of the best movies of our time, imagine the kitten form of the Face With Pleading Eyes emoji.


Can I Feed French Fries into My Cats Diet?

Cats are carnivores by nature. This implies they must consume animal meat in order to survive. When they do this, they absorb a lot of protein and good fats, which helps them in their hunting, pouncing, and jumping abilities. These requirements have been handed down from their large cat ancestors. Cat meals are also often fortified with vitamins and minerals to help your cat’s eyes, kidneys, coat, heart, bones, and other organs. These can be supplemented with pet-safe vitamins or tiny portions of prepared veggies.

The stomach of a cat is shorter than that of a person. This implies that it has a restricted capacity to digest and eliminate specific meals. Raw veggies and other plant stuff, for example, frequently do not move readily through your cat’s system. To be digestible, they must be cooked and softened.

Cats’ bodies are primarily designed to digest protein. Other items in excess might throw the balance off. Keeping your cat healthy requires providing a substantial quantity of protein and animal fat each day, as well as a little amount of carbs. Anything else, even French fries or other human meals, is fraught with danger.


What Are the Ingredients in French Fries?

Humans have a strong need for crispy, salty, greasy fries. But the exact factors that make us love them are also what make them deadly to our cats.

Fats and Oil

Cats require fat in their diets, but it should come from Omega 3 and Omega 6 fatty acids, fish oil, or other substances present in cat food. The type of oil used to fry your fries may vary depending on where you acquire them, but at least part of it will include saturated fat, which has the same impact on cats as it does on humans: Gaining weight. A little amount of saturated fat in a feline’s diet can cause considerable weight gain, which can lead to heart difficulties, joint problems, and other issues.

Carbohydrates

Cats’ diets only allow for a little quantity of carbs. Veterinarians recommend that they account for no more than one to two percent of a cat’s diet. This doesn’t leave much room for starchy snacks. Excess carbohydrate consumption may be hazardous to your pet, and because French fries are pure starch, they are especially dangerous.

Ketchup

Ketchup, the traditional accompaniment to French fries, is one of the most hazardous human meals for cats. Onion powder is commonly seen in ketchup.

Onions, whether raw, cooked, or dried, can be fatal to your cat. When you combine the high salt and acidic content of this condiment, you have a perfect storm of possible health problems for your cat.

Sodium

Humans are advised to limit their salt consumption since the chemical can promote high blood pressure. Cats are the same way. Because cats are much smaller than humans, excessively salted foods can have a tenfold effect on your curious little kitty!

For cats, a deadly amount of salt is just approximately 4 grams. Given the salinity of a French fry, especially if you add more salt yourself, it’s better to avoid them.

Skin

Deep-fried meals’ skin is frequently a human’s favorite component! But don’t share your excitement with your cat. The deep-fried exterior of the French fry, which is high in salt, can be tough for your cat’s body to metabolize and can potentially pose a choking threat.


Why French Fries Are Bad for Cats?

If your cat has already had some fries, don’t worry because they are not hazardous to these animals. However, it is not advised that you include them in your cat’s diet because consuming them will cause more damage than benefit. Here are some of the reasons why your cat should avoid eating French fries.

They Have High Calorie and Fat Content

Cats, like humans, require fat to stay healthy. However, not all fats are safe to consume. Cats benefit from essential fats such as Omega-3 and Omega-6. Saturated fats, on the other hand, are harmful to humans.

Deep-fried meals, such as fries, have less essential fatty acids and more saturated fat. If you provide such items to your cat on a regular basis, he will gain weight due to the excess calories.

Potatoes Aren’t Good for Cats

Deep-frying potatoes is tasty, but it is not healthy. Even plain boiled potatoes, however, are not a suitable feed for your cat. Cats require mostly proteins to survive, although a few carbs will not hurt. However, the carbohydrate level should be kept to a minimum. Furthermore, most commercial dry cat meals already include significant quantities of carbs.

This means that giving your cat carbohydrate-rich treats if he already consumes dry kibble is a terrible idea. The green bits of uncooked potatoes, once again, can be poisonous to your pet. Not to mention the fact that he is unable to stomach raw potatoes.

They Have Too Much Salt

One big issue with French fries is that they contain an excessive amount of salt, which can be harmful to your pet. A small serving of McDonald’s French Fries, for example, has roughly 134 mg of salt.

This quantity is three times the recommended sodium consumption requirements for your pet each day. This indicates that a cat might be poisoned by salt from a food. Furthermore, salt contributes to urinary issues such as kidney damage and seizures.

While potatoes may appear to be a fun snack to offer your cat, providing them food that they can benefit from is a better option. There are cat foods on the market that provide 100 percent complete and balanced nutrition for cats. In our research, we discovered cat food to be quite useful.


What should I do If my cat likes fries ?

It might be tough to resist something your cat enjoys, but if you want the best for your cat, you should stop offering them French fries right once. Including excess carbs, fat, and salt in your cat’s food can result in long-term harm such as obesity, diabetes, and heart disease, as well as joint and mobility issues. If your cat steals a mouthful of fries every time you turn your back, the best thing you can do for him is consume them behind closed doors or just don’t bring them into the house at all.


Final Thoughts

According to this sharing above, it is not safe to share French fries with your pet. Fries have a high calorie and salt load and provide little nutritional benefit. Worse, if they’re slathered in added flavourings like garlic or ketchup sauce, which may be harmful to cats. Sweet potatoes are considered human foods. I would be cautious about providing that sort of food to a cat.

Cats can eat potatoes as a treat on occasion, but consuming fries might create health problems. Humans’ foods, in general, are intended for humans. And there is a misconception about the potato chip being healthy because the plant itself is healthy but that’s not the case and giving your cat this sort of food might upset his digestive system.

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