Do you love to eat sour cream with food such as burritos or fajitas, and you forgot to put its jar back in the fridge after eating? Then you see your cat licking soar cream from that jar, and wondering what would happen now as you are not sure whether sour cream is good or bad for your cat or not. There is no need to worry as such because your cat can have a little amount of sour cream, and it won’t cause any specific harm to your cat.
It is important to know that sour cream is also like a dairy item so it cannot be considered toxic or harmful for your cat. If your cat has consumed a little amount of sour cream, you need to stay relaxed as it won’t result in any bad medical condition for your cat. Still, you have to understand that if we make a list of ideal food for your cat, sour cream won’t be part of that list as it cannot be considered beneficial for the cats.
Is it safe or not?
The major question is whether sour cream is safe or not for your cat, and the answer depends on various aspects. First of all, you need to be sure about the tolerance level of your cat in terms of having sour cream or any other dairy products. Some cats do have a digestive system that can easily digest dairy products; however, some other cats are not able to digest even a little amount of dairy products. If your cat has eaten a very small amount of sour cream, then there is nothing to get panicked about as your cat won’t need any kind of medical conditions in the majority of cases. Sour cream companies do add some preservatives to their products that can make them a bit unhealthy choice for your cat. So, it can be said that if a large amount of sour cream is considered for cats, it cannot be deemed safe.
Cats being Allergic to Dairy Products
The most critical thing for you to learn is the fact that allergies caused by dairy products are extremely common for cats. The same happens to humans, to cats while reacting to dairy products. The milk contains casein or protein, and some of the cats are not able to tolerate these items of the milk. So, when your cat will take a sip of milk or eat sour cream having dairy element; it won’t be able to digest it properly which would cause issues for the cat’s stomach. In some cases, it has been observed that cats have gone through anaphylactic shock when they could not tolerate a dairy product, and such conditions can be dangerous to the lives of the cats.
Cats and Lactose Tolerance
Similar again to humans, it is imperative to know if your cat can tolerate lactose or not. When your cat consumes a dairy product like milk, there will be a few signs to look at that can help to identify if your cat can tolerate lactose or not. The most common and identifiable sign is the release of excessive gas after drinking milk or having the issue of flatulence. The other symptoms to keep in mind are dehydration, diarrhea, thirst, as well as, constipation, etc. Such digestive and other problems would be an indication that lactose tolerance is not there for your cat, so the best strategy is to avoid food items having lactose.
Sour Cream: Good or Bad?
You need to realize the fact that if your cat will have some little amount of sour cream, it is absolutely fine. However, if it has taken a large amount, then it can be troublesome. Moreover, if a little amount of cream causes any bad symptoms, it is an indication that sour cream is not proving good for your cat. In addition, sour cream can never be considered an optimal and recommended food for your cat. If you want to give your cat a little amount, then try it with just a little spoon. If your cat will adjust to this amount, and it is easily digested, then you can consider it good for your cat, however, if any worrisome signs are shown after sour cream consumption; the best part is to avoid it because it is proving bad for your cat.
Final Words
It is viable to say that sour cream is not fully harmful and toxic for your cat, rather it is considered good if your cat has been able to digest it. However, when a large amount of sour cream is eaten, it is certainly harmful Moreover, when a little amount of sour cream has caused any kind of health trouble for your cat; it is an indication that your cat cannot digest it, so the best thing is to avoid it.