As a pet owner, we know that our cats are obligate carnivores. That means cats love to eat meat in their meals. Generally, people like bacon for breakfast, but the question is, can cats eat bacon? The answer is “No” because this is not healthy. You can give a small amount of bacon to your feline as a treat but should not give them as a full meal.
Bacon is not toxic, but it is still not a good choice for cats. It is full of saturated fats and sodium, which can cause heart disease and high blood pressure. In 2015, the WHO (World Health Organization) classified it as a carcinogen. According to reports, bacon has agents that can cause cancer.
Key Takeaways of Can Cats Eat Bacon
- You can give a small amount of bacon to your feline as a treat but should not give them as a full meal.
- Bacon is not toxic, but it is still not a good choice for cats.
- Bacon is very salty, which is harmful to the kidneys in pets
Is bacon safe for cats?
A small portion of bacon is considered safe for cats—just not to give them on a regular basis or as a proper meal. As we know, bacon is highly salted, so if your kitty eats a lot of stuff, they become dehydrated. The high salt also causes high blood pressure.
This food also contains high fats, and cats that eat fatty foods develop a very painful condition called pancreatitis. Once a cat faces this condition, it will last their entire life. The symptoms of pancreatitis are tummy pain, vomiting, and diarrhea.
According to U.S. Department of Agriculture, one slice of bacon contains 115 milligrams of sodium. An excessive amount of sodium can cause weakness, lethargy, and reduced appetite.
Is bacon good for cats?
You may feel your cat is happy while eating bacon. Bacon has many nutritional benefits like (Protein and vitamin B). Though bacon has high protein, you can find safer and more prosperous protein foods than bacon. Cooked turkey and breast chicken are lower in salt and fats. So it’s our responsibility as parents to give healthy and tasty food to our furry family.
How much bacon can a cat eat?
A cat can consume a small amount of bacon once in a while. Giving them bacon should not become a regular practice. You can feed your cat bacon as an occasional treat without worrying about the harmful impact. It is recommended that they only give them a tiny piece the size of a pencil. That will be enough to fulfill their craving for such a treat.
How often can a cat eat bacon?
It is okay to offer your cat bacon occasionally, but that too in a minimal amount. However, adding it to their regular meals can harm their health. Your cat may develop obesity and high blood pressure. Make sure that the portion of bacon you are feeding your cat is adequately cooked.
Can cats eat raw bacon?
If you think you can give your cat raw meat, then the answer is a big NO. Raw meat should not be offered to kitties because it can carry bacterial contamination, such as salmonella, parasites, and trichinellosis.
Giving pork meat to your paws is just like calling a serious disease to attack your cats.
Can cats eat turkey bacon?
Turkey bacon is made of both light and dark turkey meat. Turkey bacon has low calories and fats as compared to traditional bacon. But still it has huge amount of sodium so you cannot give it on daily basis. Remember to always give a small amount if it for the safety of pet.
Can I feed my cat smoked bacon?
Cats love a smoky smell, and smoked bacon is one food that can attract cats. The smoking process involves seasoning and various curing agents, which can be harmful to your cat, so it is best to avoid smoked bacon for better health.
Do Cats like the taste of Bacon?
Cats love the taste of bacon because of its different smell and salty taste and sometimes it tastes smoky also. But at the same time, it is not good to give our cats bacon because it is full of salt and rich in fats that may cause diarrhea, vomiting and other tummy problems. So, it can be an occasional treat but not something that can be given everyday.
What to do if your cat consumes Bacon?
First of all, bacon is not poisonous, so it may cause stomach upset rarely but pancreatitis possibly. All we have to do is to just go with a trial diet like boiled chicken or we can go with a normal diet if there are no signs of worry. But if you notice vomiting and diarrhea then you must consult a veterinary immdiately.
How to prevent your Cat from eating Bacon:
Cats are naturally attracted to the aroma and salty taste of bacon and if your cat is also doing so then, you can give bacon flavored cat treats or food might help satisfy their cravings. Secondly when you are having bacon as your meal, your cat must be in another room. you can also give her 1/10 piece of bacon occasionally, but make sure that your little one must have a good amount of water after it in order to reduce dehydration because of the bacon’s saltiness, but if your cat consumes more than the normal quantity, whether they are cooked or raw you must take your cat to some veterinary.
Is It Okay to offer bacon grease?
It is not recommended because of the high amount of sodium and fats. Bacon grease is incredibly fatty, and it may be very difficult for your cat’s digestive system to digest it. Cats have limited ability to digest fat, so this high-fat food may cause problems like pancreatitis, which is a very painful inflammation.
Is bacon used in commercial cat food?
As we all know, bacon is not good for cats, so it is not used in cat food. Generally, cat foods are made with very safe ingredients. Due to its high sodium content, bacon is not used commercially but can only be used in treats. It has a very strong smell, which could be a reason to use bacon in treats.
Conclusion:
Can cats eat bacon is the question every other person asks. Bacon is a prevalent food that is used almost all over the world. Humans, as well as cats, like bacon, but this is not the best food for your cat’s health. A small amount of bacon as a treat occasionally is not harmful to pets, but giving bacon as a complete meal is risky. Bacon is very salty, which is harmful to the kidneys in pets. Bacon also has an excessive amount of sodium and fats, which is very difficult for cats to digest.
FAQS:
What about Canadian bacon?
Canadian bacon is actually back bacon, a term commonly used in the USA. This name was created when the back bacon was first imported from Toronto to New York. Back bacon is a back of bacon, which includes the pork loin from the back of the pig. This is nontoxic but still not the best choice for your cat.
Can cat eat cooked bacon?
You can give a small piece of cooked bacon to your cat occasionally. Cooked bacon has fewer health risks, but still, it has a high salt content. Cooked bacon is still not the best choice for your kitties. Remember high salt foods affect kidneys so always choose rich nutrient food for your pets.
References:
- https://www.petco.com/content/petco/PetcoStore/en_US/pet-services/resource-center/food-nutrition/can-cats-eat-bacon.html
- Catster.com/Can-cats-Eat-bacon
- https://www.trustedhousesitters.com/blog/pets/can-cats-eat-bacon/#:~:text=Bacon%20certainly%20shouldn’t%20be,they’ll%20become%20seriously%20dehydrated.
