Last updated on December 12th, 2021
Many cat owners around the world love to spoil and treat their pets. From brand new beds, toys, and adventures, cat owners enjoy seeing their furry friends have the best things in life.
Sometimes, when a cat owner is eating their meal or a snack, their feline friend might crawl up close to get a sniff of what their human friend is munching on.
This can occasionally lead to the cat getting a bit carried away. When this happens, cats might go for a bite of the yummy-smelling food their owner is eating. And sometimes, if the food is something that the cat knows it likes, it might try to take it!
This can make cat lovers want to share their food or snacks with their cats. But sometimes that’s not always the best thing to do, and it can be hard for some people to differentiate between when
it’s okay and when it isn’t okay for you to share.
This can be especially difficult to decide when something sweet like cotton candy is in question.
Can cats eat cotton candy?
You shouldn’t feed your cat cotton candy even though sugar isn’t toxic to them because doing so may lead to stomach upset and vomiting.
While your cat might be interested in the sugary sweet that is cotton candy, it’s very important to know that cotton candy should be restricted from your cat’s diet. Whether it be on purpose or accidental, cotton candy should never be ingested by cats.
Why can’t cats have cotton candy?
Knowing that cats can’t have cotton candy and understanding why cats can’t have cotton candy
are two different hurdles that need to be jumped.
Understanding the reasons behind why cotton candy should be avoided might just make owners more aware of whether or not this treat should be within their cat’s reach.
That being said, let’s look into exactly why you shouldn’t give your cat cotton candy.
While many dangerous foods and materials don’t qualify as toxic to cats, they can be dangerous
or just not good for them.
You see, cotton candy is not a natural food source for cats, meaning their digestive systems are not equipped to properly break it down. This can lead to vomiting, diarrhea, and other signs of illness in your cat.
What foods are toxic to cats?
While cotton candy should not be given to cats as it can be harmful to their health, it is not toxic.
There are plenty of other foods that are toxic to cats, despite being perfectly okay for humans to eat.
Below is a list of foods that should never be given to a cat.
• Artificial sugars such as Xylitol
• Chocolate
• Onions
• Garlic
• Raisins and Grapes
• Coffee
What should you do if your cat eats something toxic?
Accidents happen, and that’s okay! The important thing to remember when an accident happens is to stay calm and follow the appropriate steps to make sure that everything is going to be okay. Nothing good comes from a panic-ridden pet parent.
Now you are going to want to try and determine exactly how much of the toxic food your cat was able to ingest. This may be a little difficult, but it is a very important thing to know for your next step.
Once you know what toxic food your cat ate and how much of it they ate, you are going to need to call your vet.
This is the most important step of all and can’t be skipped. Your vet will be able to assess whether or not your cat is in immediate danger with the information you provide.
Finally, and this is just as important as calling the vet, is to listen to everything your vet has to say.
The vet you call is an expert on animal care. They are going to know exactly what needs to be done to keep your cat in good health.
If your vet advises you to bring your cat in to get checked, be sure to do this immediately. Not listening to what your vet has to say in this kind of situation may lead to further injury or even your cat’s death, which is something no one wants.
What are safe alternatives to give to your cat instead of the toxic foods?
Knowing that there are plenty of things that you need to avoid giving to your cat because they are toxic can be pretty scary. It can also leave people wondering what foods are okay to give to their cats.
Well, simply put, food and treats meant to be given to cats are always the safest options. Things like treats, wet food, kibble, catnip, and gravies are perfect for meals and snacks in between.
If you are wanting to give your cat an extra special treat, you can also try giving them unseasoned cooked chicken, pumpkin, bananas, and even unseasoned fish such as tuna.
All of these “people foods” are safe for cats to ingest, and some even have additional health benefits for your cat!
