Cats are well-known for being curious animals. Whenever you are doing something, your cat will run towards you and check what you’re up to. This is especially true when you are cooking. They will be so nosy that even if you are cutting ingredients up to the time you’re sauteing them, your feline friend will come up to you. And when you are not looking at them, they will sneak a lick of the vegetable oil that you have in a small bowl. This leads us to the question, “Can cats have vegetable oil?”
In this article, we’ll list down the benefits or harm of vegetable oil or any kind of oil to your cats at home.
Can I Give My Cat Vegetable Oil for Hairballs?
You should not give your cat vegetable oil to remove hairballs. This is a very dangerous thing to do because instead of helping your cat, you will instead harm them. Below are the alternative ways you can do to pass a hairball or prevent it from happening:
Purchase a Hairball Formula (Cat Food)
There are cat food options online or in pet stores that are formulated to help your cats pass the hairball and remove the same from their bodies. But before buying, consult with your doctor if the products are safe for your furry friends.
Read also: Best Dry Cat Food for Hairball Control (Reviews and Buying Guide)
Make Use of Petroleum Jelly
This is a safer way that you need to do to remove the hairball from your cat’s throat. First, gently get one of their paws up and cover the same with petroleum jelly. Just use the least amount as possible to not upset their stomach. They will surely lick their paw and the product shall ease down the hairball and they can cough them out.
Groom Your Cat Regularly
To prevent this kind of scenario and you don’t want to see your cat getting hurt because of the coughing and vomiting, groom them regularly. However, do not overgroom them as well. Bring them to the groomers regularly and always keep them clean at home.
Undergo Surgery
This is the last resort when your cat is already having a hard time removing or coughing out the hairball from its throat. Bring them to the veterinary clinic for emergency surgery. You don’t need to rely on this especially when hairball will pass after home methods. But, when the hairball is so big, your cat might need professional help.
Can Cats Have Tuna in Vegetable Oil?
You should not feed your cats at home tuna in vegetable oil. When it’s just tuna, it’s perfect for them because of the nutrients from the same. But, when the tuna is covered or smothered with vegetable oil, this might make them sick and upset their stomach.
Aside from this, the addition of this kind of plant-based oil will strip down the various nutrients that your cat can get from the fish. This being said, make sure that your feline friends only eat the best quality of food and avoid feeding them those that are harmful to them.
Can I Give My Cat Vegetable Oil for Constipation?
Vegetable oil will never be the cure for a cat having constipation. This might be a reason for them to have diarrhea and an upset stomach. No studies are backing the myth of giving this kind of oil to cats when they feel any kind of sickness including constipation.
Below are ways to cure a cat’s constipation:
Feed Them More Water
To soften the hardened food inside the cat’s stomach, increasing their water consumption is very helpful. This will not only clear their stomach but also relieve their stress.
Read also: Can Cats Drink Tap Water?
Let Them Try a New Diet
Cats tend to get used to a certain diet then not like it afterward. You can look for healthier diets online or consult a veterinarian on what kind of diet your cat should try next. Look for those plans that have high fiber content.
Read also: Check Out The 3 Best Cat Food For Picky Older Cats!
Why Vegetable Oil Can Be Harmful to Cats?
If your cats accidentally ate vegetable oil, your subsequent actions will depend on how they will react. When the amount of oil is just a lick, you don’t need to worry about it and feed them water to wash it down. However, when your feline friend at home ate food that is covered with vegetable oil, you might need to bring them to the nearest veterinary clinic. Your cats may experience any of the following:
Diarrhea
When foreign objects, even liquids, go inside the cat’s body, it will not know how to react. Cats are mostly carnivorous animals and feeding them plant-based food will take a toll on their body. They might experience going to the bathroom more than once a day that will dehydrate them.
Nausea
Another harmful effect of vegetable oil on cats is nausea. They will feel dizzy and non-energetic after devouring food filled with vegetable oil. You will notice as well that they will act differently from what they usually do. And the most prominent one is the vomiting part. They will feel like throwing up whenever they will eat their meals or treats because of the vegetable oil inside their body.
Fatigue
Speaking of lack of energy, cats will feel tired and will lack motivation after consuming so much vegetable oil. You will be able to notice this right away especially when you’re used to the nosiness of your cat in whatever you do. They will shy away in the corner and feel their spirit lacking the spirit.
Upset stomach
Expect that your furry friend will always have an upset stomach as well. Generally, vegetable oil is not toxic to cats but they are also not creatures who can digest plant-based oils as well. This will affect their ability to eat healthily and live their regular lives.
Inflammation
Last but not least, vegetable oil may cause inflammation in your cats. This is true when they are allergic to any kind of oil, especially vegetable oil. What you can do when this severe condition happens is to get your cats checked by veterinarians and get prescribed the right medicine.
What Alternative Oil Can Cats Have?
The best alternative oil that you can give to your cat is animal fat from the butcher near your area. You can also find them in grocery stores or wet markets. Do not force your cat to go plant-based because unlike humans, they are carnivorous.
Hence, eating meat and other animal products is the best diet that you can offer them. Aside from this, the nutrients of the animal meat and oil will give them more energy compared to the ones made from plants.
Final Thoughts
Cats will eat almost anything that you offer to them because of their animal instincts. However, there are exceptions. Can cats have vegetable oil? No. So, it is your job as their owner, to ensure that all that they consume only benefits their body and does not harm it.
A piece of advice that you need to remember is to not experiment with the food you give to your furry friend at home. Follow best practices to show your love to them. No benefit can be derived by cats from vegetable oil so you better avoid giving it to them.
