Can Cats Eat Peanut Butter? Will It Make Him Sick?

My own cat loves peanut butter! You must be asking yourself this question over and over again, can my cat eat peanut butter? Is it safe for my cat to eat peanut butter?

Well, cats sure love this yummy treat and yes! It is perfectly okay for your cat to eat some peanut butter. However, you need to be very careful when giving your cat peanut butter. You need to do it in moderation.

In fact, many vets actually encourage you to use peanut butter to help your cat swallow his medication.

Just to be certain, you need to read on to find out for yourself, just how safe is peanut butter for your feline friend?

Do cats like peanut butter?

Cats just like humans have different personalities.

The answer to this question may vary from one cat to another. There are some cats that like peanut butter, and there are those that don’t.

How do you then get to know if your cat likes peanut butter?

You can try to feed her a tiny bit from the tip of your finger and see if she likes it. If she does, then you can use peanut butter as an occasional treat and also it can be a great way to help your cat eat her medicine.

What is really contained in a jar of peanut butter?

Peanuts are generally healthy foods to eat.

However, you need to be aware of what is really contained in a jar of peanut butter at any given point before you give in to your pet’s demands.

Being technically a nut, it is loaded with healthy monosaturated fats that your vet will tell you are healthy for your cat’s heart.

A tablespoon of peanut butter contains an average of 8 grams of fat. For a pet that can tolerate peanut butter, it is an incredibly healthy source of micronutrients and a very delicious treat for that matter.

When going out to make your purchase, you need to make sure that you check the ingredients that are contained in the same. Not all peanut butter brands contain the same kind of ingredients.

You can sacrifice and spend a few more coins to get high quality peanut butter that does not contain xylitol which is not healthy for your cat.

Last update on 2024-07-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

So is peanut butter safe for your cat?

Well, technically, cats can get everything they need from eating just meat and fish. However, just like dogs, cats have also evolved to enjoying occasional treats of peanut butter scoops.

Giving your little kitty peanut butter is totally ok, but you should do it in moderation.

ALSO READ: Can Cats Eat Pretzels? Will Pretzels Harm My Kitto?

How much peanut butter should my cat eat?

We have already seen that many cats love to eat peanut butter. It is a yummy treat that is simply irresistible to them.

However, one important question that you need to ask yourself, is, just how much peanut butter should your cat eat on a regular basis?

When you start to give your cat peanut butter for the first time, you need to first give her a tiny bit just to see her reaction. This will also help you to be able to detect early enough if your cat is allergic to any ingredient contained in peanut butter.

Generally, cats need animal-based protein to meet their nutritional requirements. Peanut butter is rich in protein and also has some substantial amount of carbohydrates.

In the event that you allow your cat to consume a lot of peanut butter, it may result in a serious health condition like diabetes or your cat may even add to much weight and become obese.

Furthermore, when your cat ingests too much peanut butter, it may end up sticking on to the walls of his mouth which may cause him to choke or even worse lead to obstruction of the throat.

Too much consumption of peanut butter may cause your feline friend to have bouts of diarrhea.

Last update on 2024-07-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

How often should I give my cat peanut butter?

As a pet owner, you need to consider the effects of peanut butter on your cat.

I know how tempting it can be to give in to your cat’s purr at the sight of you holding a spoon of peanut butter. However, as a general rule, you should not give your cat too much peanut butter unless he is on medication.

I would recommend that in order to avoid giving your feline friend too much peanut butter, make sure you just give it to him as a yummy treat and not as a meal replacement.

Make sure to give your cat small amounts of this yummy nutty treat, just about half a teaspoon twice a week is okay.

Last update on 2024-07-13 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Are there any health benefits for your cat in peanut butter?

According to recent studies, peanut butter has been proven to contain a number of vitamins like vitamin A which helps to boost your cat’s immunity system.

Apart from being a good source of vitamin A, peanut butter is also said to have resveratrol which prevents your feline friend from having heart problems.

Nutrition experts also advise that the essential oil that is present in peanut butter helps your cat to have a shiny and healthy fur coat.

Generally, peanut butter is good as it helps to prevent your cat from having any heart problems in future.

Peanut butter contains relatively small amounts of sugar. You need not worry much if your feline friend is suffering from diabetes. You can still give her an occasional treat of peanut butter once in a while.

However, just to be certain, it is good to first, counter-check the ingredient of the peanut butter brand you have and also consult with your vet if it is okay to give your cat peanut butter if they are diabetic.

What should I do if my cat suffers from diarrhea after eating peanut butter?

Did you know that cats just like humans may also be allergic to peanut butter?

So then, what should you do in case your pet suffers from bouts of diarrhea after eating peanut butter?

You need to take your cat to the vet. There are brands of peanut butter that contain xylitol, which is a health hazard to your feline friend.

You also need to avoid giving your cat anything in the next 8 – 12 hours except for water. When your cat is experiencing diarrhea, he loses a lot of body fluid thus becomes quite dehydrated. You need to give your cat plenty of water to keep him hydrated and his blood sugar levels up.

The symptoms can naturally wear off after a few hours so there is no need to panic and be all stressed up.

However, if the symptoms persist, you need to seek medical advice from your vet on how best to treat your feline friend depending on the conditions.

Are Cats Allergic to Peanut Butter?

As briefly highlighted earlier, peanut butter is not toxic for your cat, however, there are cats that can be allergic to it.

Experts recommend that peanut butter is not a very healthy food to feed your cat on a regular basis. You need to give your cat peanut butter in moderation.

You can opt to stick to natural sources of animal protein like fish and meat because cats are carnivores anyway and would get healthy proteins from the same. Peanut butter can be used as a treat or reward to encourage good behavior.

Is Peanut Butter Bad For Cats?

Generally, peanut butter is not entirely bad for cats, however you should not give it to your feline friend on a regular basis.

Peanut butter contains rich fats that can easily lead to your cat developing gastrointestinal upsets, gas and even bloating.

You also need to be very careful if your pet is already overweight. Too much of this yummy fatty treat may lead to obesity.

Some cats may even develop undesirable begging habits when they see you holding a jar of peanut butter. Trust me, the last thing you want is your feline friend being melodramatic and embarrass you in front of your guests just because you denied them a scoop of their favorite treat.

Avoid giving your cat peanut butter on a regular basis because there are cats that will develop a bad habit of showing disinterest in their own usual meals. This can be a very unhealthy trend because peanut butter should only be treated as a rare snack and not a meal substitute.

Train your cat to only get used to little occasional treats of peanut butter. There are places where people use peanut butter in pest control to lure insects and mice.

Some pet owners mix peanut butter and say something like cheese and place it in a mouse trap. This can be hazardous for your cat if she stumbles upon this death trap.

If your cat is used to eating peanut butter, one day she might wander into some dangerous mouse trap and ingest toxic substances. So sometimes it is just good to skip the Skippy!

Last update on 2024-07-12 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API

Can Kittens Eat Peanut Butter?

I know it can be very excruciating to see those adorable eyes of your kitty staring at your jar of peanut butter. So you are probably asking whether it is okay to give your kitten peanut butter.

Kittens do not have a fully formed immunity system. When giving your kitten peanut butter for the first time, you simply have no clue as to whether they are allergic to peanut butter or not.

Simply take a tiny bit of peanut butter on your finger and just let her lick it. Watch to see how she reacts.

Observe your kitten over the next few hours. If she will pose any allergic symptoms then you will know that your feline friend is allergic to peanut butter.

Symptoms of allergy include the following:

• Vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Severe dehydration
• Uneasiness/ restlessness
• Gastro-intestinal upsets

Once you notice that your kitten is showing such symptoms, you need to stop giving her any more peanut butter lest you make things worse for the poor kitten.

Naturally, the allergic symptoms could wear off by themselves after a couple of hours.

If your kitten is still vomiting and experiencing bouts of diarrhea, you need to rush her to the vet or if the vet can come visit her at home the better for you. Stop giving her more peanut butter if she has poor tolerance for it.

Peanut butter can also be harmful to your kitten as it can easily get stuck in her mouth and throat. That is why I would over-emphasise on the amount of peanut butter that you give your cat.

It is not entirely harmful to treat your kitty to a one-time treat of peanut butter because who likes to eat the same boring food every day! A little change once-in a while is good but don’t overdo it.

ALSO READ: Can Cats Eat Cereal? Here’s What Experts Think

Conclusion

In a nutshell, your cat can eat peanut butter, once in a while. You can give her as an occasional treat and not as a meal replacement.

Remember that there are cats that may be allergic to some peanut butter ingredients. There are also some brands of peanut butter that contain xylitol, which is harmful to your feline friend’s health.

The most common side effects of too much peanut butter include, diarrhea, vomiting, obesity, indigestion and it can also get stuck in your cat’s throat.

This may not be uncommon for cats because their digestion system is not the same as ours but, you need to be aware that indigestion can be a serious issue for cats when they eat human food.

Felines may not be able to digest peanuts as well as we humans can as it can easily give them a stomach upset.

There are two sides to every coin, even though peanut butter may have side effects on some pets, it is also a rich source of unsaturated fats that are considered healthy. This may be useful and prevent your cat from suffering from heart disease.

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