Our daily breakfast consists of some delicious golden-brown toasted bread but what if your cat wants you to share some? Before your heart melts and you toss that bread your furry friends’ way, here’s all you need to know about cats and baked bread goodies.
Is it ok for cats to eat bread?
Small amount of Plain white bread is safe for your curious little kitty. The important word here being “plain”. Bread is mainly made of ingredients that add no value to your cat’s nutrition. You can feed your cat a small piece of plain white bread once in a while, but not regularly.
Bread can be a good source of fibre and is high on carbs. Unfortunately, cats need only 10% of carbohydrates in their diet. Bread contains fat, sugar, protein, less refined grains, wholemeal, folic acid, niacin and a lot more ingredients that depend entirely on how the bread was made. Feeding your cat, a little too much bread may cause an upset tummy and can increase the chances of obesity or diabetes.
Different types of bread may consist of ingredients that can be very dangerous for your cat. Raw bread or bread dough is not safe for cats. If your cat has helped itself to some dough, please consult a vet immediately as it can cause some extreme health problems.
Can cats eat pizza crust?
Plain Pizza crusts are made of dough that consist of a lot of oil and butter. Some cats may find it tempting. Pizza dough consists of a lot of yeast. Yeast if consumed raw can kill your cat in a couple of hours. We do not recommend feeding your cat pizza crusts. Pizzeria Chefs use all sorts of herbs and spices in their dough. Nowadays, Pizza crusts come filled with cheese, garlic and herbs. Delicious for humans but extremely toxic for cats.
Can cats eat Zucchini Bread?
Zucchini as a vegetable is really good for cats. They are used in various store-bought cat food and cats love them. In fact, most cats love chomping on zucchini stems and leaves as well. Zucchini leaves, stems and zucchini itself are safe for cats to eat.
Let’s talk about Store-bought Zucchini bread. Is it safe? No, It’s not safe for your little kitty. A small piece? Maybe. Any bread that has a lot of toppings, I would highly advise you to avoid it. Zucchini Bread, Garlic bread, any bread with herbs & seasoning that’s meant purely for humans has a lot more ingredients than just zucchini that could harm your fur baby.
Can cats eat bread and milk?
Growing up, I watched cartoons that showed cute kittens drinking milk from a bowl. It is ok for kittens to consume a small amount of milk, as they have enough of the enzyme lactase to digest it. As they grow older, less amount of lactase is produced which leads to digestive problems. So, if you have an adult cat try and avoid giving it milk as it could lead to tummy problems.
Plain Bread on the other hand can be given in small quantities, occasionally. If your cat has a liking for bread, you can use the bread as another form of treat and give it a tiny piece without worry.
Can cats eat bread and butter?
A general rule of paw is that dairy and its by products are not good for your cat. Butter is no exception. Their internal system really finds it hard to process and break down dairy products. If your cat accidentally licks some butter off your toast, you don’t need to panic. Butter being low on lactose will not harm your cat. Consuming excess amounts of fat however could shorten their lifespan.
Some pet owners believe butter adds to the cats’ diet as they are filled with vitamins and can help the cat gain some weight. If you are looking for vitamins and nutrition there are other cat friendly food that you could give instead. In my experience, butter can harm your cat more than help it.
What about the different types of butter like Vegan butter, plant-based butter & Margarine?
They have a different composition from that of butter but are still not safe for cats. This is something you should avoid feeding your cat or any other pet. It’s always best to keep human and pet food separate as our nutritional needs and digestive systems are very different.
Conclusion
If your cat is a foodie like mine and curiously watches over your shoulder every time you have toast for breakfast, making you wonder if it’s safe for your cat to eat plain white bread.
The answer is Yes. A small piece of plain white bread is completely ok once in a while. However, bread that have a lot of other toppings and are seasoned with herbs must be strictly avoided.
Cats are curious by nature and will always want to try different types of food that are not meant for them. As pet parents, it is our responsibility to be aware of what they can and cannot eat.
