Nowadays, we are passing a busy time with office work so that everybody would like to take a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Because it is easy and fast to prepare. As cereal has the energy-boosting property, we think to share it with our cats.
But is it ok for our cats? Can cats eat cereal?
Yes, cats can eat cereal, but occasionally. Because this food contains a large number of calories from sugar and carbohydrate, which results in obesity, diabetes, liver, and kidney problems when our furry friends take excess cereal every day.
Besides this, the catās digestive system is not compatible to take bran or milk whereas, many cat owners think, their cat likes milk. These foods lack taurine, an essential amino acid. As a result, the cat may go blind and die with high consumption of cereal and milk.
Are Cereals Bad for Cats?
We canāt say cereals are bad for cats in a word. Cereal contains high sugar and carbohydrate, those are helpful for energy production. But you should not feed your cats grain-based food every single day. So, it is safe technically when it takes a bite occasionally. Examples of some important cereals include wheat, rice, maize, oat, corn, barley, rye, millet, sorghum, etc. Do not substitute the feline diet with cereals because cereals comprise no nutritional value for feline creatures.
Excess sugar accumulation in the feline stomach causes vomiting and diarrhea. As cereals like corn and bran are human foods and they have no nutritional value for the cat, so it is automatically bad for the cat. Besides, cats donāt need fiber food for their digestive system, they are obligate carnivore animals. So, they should stick with animal-based sources.
Overtaking rice, wheat is dangerous for cats because it lacks the vital nutrient taurine. Because of the lack of taurine, a cat can go blind and even die. When our furry friends become used to take grain every day, they will be so fat, they canāt groom themselves. These cereals sometimes cause choke because of their dry appearance.
Due to obesity, diabetes may occur. Too much sugar and too many calories can lead them to bladder, kidney, liver problem, and nutritional deficiency. If we consider the nutritive value of cereal food, the crude protein comes 80-94% of their dry matter and the digestible energy is between 15.5-17.1 MJ. Here you have seen, how much digestible energy is contained by wheat, barley, oat, etc.
Maria J. McGeorge, DVM, an Oregon Vet said to WebMD, āitās fine to feed your cat treats, but they ā should be a very little part of the dietā. It will not more than 10%. The remaining 90% should come from a high-quality and nutritionally complete cat food.
Can Cats Eat Dry Cereal?
Where cereal is not recommended for cats, dry cereal should always be discouraged. Because dry foods may cause a choke in your cat. The possible signs of choke include hypersalivation, dilated pupils, runny nose or eyes, etc. If you see these symptoms, contact your veterinarian immediately.
Besides, this also causes dehydration in your furry friends.
Moreover, dry cereal irritates their throat and finally causes vomiting. I think you may guess how is the feeling after vomiting. Your cat will feel unhappy and quite weak.
Is It Safe To Give a Cat Chocolate Cereal?
No, because chocolate contains an ingredient called theobromine, which is highly toxic to a pet. It is naturally metabolized in the human body. The artificial sweeteners containing chocolate irritate the catās stomach as well as wreak havoc on the animalās blood sugar level.
Dark and bitter chocolate contains more theobromine than white chocolate. This may cause chocolate poisoning. You can check them by following these signs:
- Restlessness;
- Diarrhea;
- Increased breathing rate;
- Increased heart rate;
- Increased body temperature;
- Vomiting and muscle rigidity.
Can Cats Drink Cereal Milk or Chocolate Cereal Milk?
Sometimes chocolate cereal milk causes chocolate poisoning because it contains theobromine, as weāve aready mentioned above, which is toxic for a cat. So, the answer is no here.
In terms of cereal milk, I would say, most of the cat owners would like to provide milk to kittens. Yeap, this is beneficial for the kittenās growth. Whereas, by the time, the cat becomes intolerant to the cereal milk. So, in most cases it is not recommended to feed cereal milk to your furry friends.
Can Cats Eat Cereal and Milk?
The combination of cereal and milk in your catās diet may cause gastrointestinal distress to your furry friends. As cereal is not a nutritional diet for cats, so automatically it is not needed. Besides, the majority of cats are lactose intolerant. So, try to avoid the mixture of them.
Can Cats Consume Flaxseed Cereal?
Ground flaxseed is ok for a cat. It is an excellent source of dietary fiber and omega-3 fatty acid. The three main nutritional benefits of flaxseed for cats include shiny fur, improved immune system and digestion.
It is ideal to feed your cat the proper cat foods out there, which will be the best alternative.
Is It Safe To Feed Cats Honeycomb Cereal?
Yes, they can eat honeycomb cereals, but in a small amount. Because honeycomb is sugary and when excess sugar accumulates in a catās stomach, it can cause diarrhea and vomiting. Rather, you should feed them animal-based food like meat, fish, etc.
If you need to feed honeycomb or you have a desire to feed them, I think you should take consultation with a veterinarian.
Can I Give My Cat Baby Cereal?
Baby cereal is made for human babies. So, the ingredients that are used in baby cereal will not be beneficial for your cat.
Cats & Rice, Wheat or Fruit Cereal
Well, rice cereal can be fed to your cat. The wet property of rice cereal makes it easy to swallow and prevent the choke. However, this ground-based food doesnāt contain any nutritional benefits for cats.
As it is not toxic for cats, you can feed them occasionally in a small portion. But always try to find sugar-free cereal products.
Wheat cereal is sometimes harmful for your cat because of its dry appearance, which may sometimes cause a choke in your cat.
Jackfruit contains around 50% sugar and other ingredients that are not suitable for a cat. Other fruits also contain a large amount of sugar. So, cats canāt eat fruit cereal.
Do Cats Eat Cereal Bars?
A cat can eat granola bars unwisely but as a cat owner, you should avoid granola bars completely. It causes digestive distress and allergic reactions. The Whole Grain Council also said on National Granola Bar Day that granola bars are unhealthy and potentially dangerous for cats.
How to Stop Cats to Eat Wheat, Oat or Corn Cereal?
Cats are very affiliative pets and they would like to beg or steal food from you. So, you can take the following steps to stop your cat from eating bran:
- Try not to provide them cereal food while eating
- Try to cover cereal food all time
- Provide them the animal-based proteinous food
- Hinder them to jump on your table
- Swipe away dropped food from the floor.
- Follow some strategies according to your home needs
Conclusion
We always love our cats. We donāt like to see them suffering from illness or any disorders. So, as cereal food and chocolate may cause harm to them, we should prevent them from taking these foods. And we also need to refrain them from stealing these foods.
We should always keep in mind that cereal food is nutritive for human beings, and it has no nutritional value for cats. So, try to avoid feeding cereal foods as much as you can.
Happy Cat Care!
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