Predominantly, cats are meat eaters and when you give them a taste of cake, you are basically just giving them junk food. There is nothing in a cake that is good for your cats. There are no minerals, phytochemicals, or vitamins in the cake that can help with their health. Veterinarians do not even recommend giving cats cake as a treat. Cats have a preference for animal products. They are meat-eaters and need the protein from meat to grow strong and have a healthy body. There are no benefits in feeding your cat cake but there are several negatives.
Why cats cannot taste sweets
They cannot taste sweets. The reason that cats cannot tastes sweets is that due to a genetic deficiency the sugar detectors on the cat’s taste buds are not there. So basically they do not have what they need to taste sweets. That is why cats, in general, do not seem interested in cake or anything sweet that their owner has. This is good because the cake is not good for them. If your cat does seem to enjoy that tiny bite of cake, it could be the smell, or it enjoys the texture.
They do not appreciate cake as humans do because it tastes different to them and not in a good way like it does to us. If you set down a slice of cake in front of a cat, they would maybe lick it, sniff it, and walk away without even taking a bite.
Chocolate is toxic to cats
One thing that is very important to know is that chocolate is extremely dangerous for cats. You should always keep chocolate away from cats. It is an ingredient that is often used in and on cakes. For cats, even a small bit is poisonous and if they ingest chocolate it can lead to rapid breathing, vomiting, fever, seizures, rigid muscles, and even death. If you suspect that your cat has eaten chocolate, call the vet.
Can Cats eat Cake?
Vanilla is not that dangerous to a cat but it is high in calories and sugar.
- The calories found in a taste of cake are just empty calories and do not give the cat any nutritional benefits.
- All those empty calories will do is put weight on your cat.
- If a cat is obese it can cause them to be lethargic, have decreased mobility, problems with breathing, and even lose drive and love for any physical activities. They can develop cancer, arthritis, and diabetes.
- Cause them to have heart problems.
If you do want to give your cat cake, make sure that there is no chocolate on the tiny bite you are sharing with your cat. Just make sure that you want to share a small bit of cake with your cat that it does not become a habit every time you have a slice of cake. Most cats are lactose intolerant, and the cake has milk or some type of milk products in them so this is another reason you should not feed your cat cake. For cats that are lactose intolerant, the milk can give them an upset stomach and diarrhea.
The high sugar content in cake produces a lot of flatulence and that affects their intestinal tract, causing discomfort. It can also cause stomach cramps. It can also cause vomiting and nausea. They do not have the capacity to utilize all the carbohydrates found in cake effectively.
Cake for cats
If you want to make their birthday special, then make them a special cake that is actually good for them
Ingredients
- 6 ounces tuna or salmon, or half and half
- Small egg
- 1 ½ tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon shredded cheese (what your cat likes)
Mix the tuna, egg white only, flour, and shredded cheese; put in a muffin tin that has been sprayed and bake at 350® for 15 minutes. This recipe will make two muffins. After it is mixed it will look like a lumpy cake batter. Let it cool completely before serving your cat.
You can also make a cat ‘cake’ using tuna, diced chicken, and sweet potato puree. Once you mix it all together it is ready to serve. There is no need to bake these. You can make small patties and freeze them for one hour until they are solid. They can be kept in the freezer for three months in a freezer-safe container or zip light bag. Just let it thaw in the fridge before you serve it to your cat. Some cats do not like to chew on things so you can break them into smaller pieces to make it easier for them to chew. This is a ‘desert’ that your cat will enjoy and will fulfill some of its nutritional needs.
In conclusion
The bottom line is that while cats can eat a tiny bite of cake, it is not a good idea to even feed them a taste of the cake. There is nothing in there that is good for them and there is always a chance that it could have some chocolate in there, even if it is a white cake. Being made in a bakery around other cakes there is a chance something could get in the cake that should not be in there. In addition, the milk, sugar, and butter in the cake are not good for cats. As above, there is a cake that you can make and feel safe serving your cat. There is a tiny amount of protein in the cake but when you compare it to the calories, sugar, and fat in a cake, it is a very insignificant amount and really not worth mentioning.
If you have or want to make your cat a cake, use the recipe here and make it with things that they love and are good for them. Cats need proteins to help them grow. Cats cannot digest sugars and carbohydrates, and they will only cause problems.