Chicken nuggets, though tasty, are unhealthy for humans. We all know that but we can’t help ourselves from binging on this snack, and then working out for an extra hour in the gym to burn the extra calories we ate. When you eat your chicken nuggets, is your cat looking eagerly at you, waiting for a bite or a lick of your share?
You might know that cats are obligate carnivores, and they can digest animal meats very well. Does that mean that you can give them chicken nuggets? Is it okay to feed chicken nuggets to cats regularly? Are there any health risks associated with this? If you have all these questions, don’t panic. We have answered these questions for you in this article. After reading this, you will understand why chicken nuggets are not safe for cats.
Is it okay to feed chicken nuggets to cats?
The short answer to this question is no. There are many reasons why we wouldn’t recommend chicken nuggets for cats. Here are our main reasons to convince you why this dish is not a safe choice for your felines.
- The ingredients in chicken nuggets are not exactly known, especially when you buy from stores or restaurants.
- Even when you make chicken nuggets at home, you cannot avoid certain ingredients like corn flour, oil, flavorings such as salt & garlic powder, flour, and more. All these ingredients don’t contain any nutritional value for cats.
- The ingredients used for breading (or the tasty coating of the chicken nuggets) are toxic for cats. Some, like garlic powder, can prove to be too toxic for cats, even if ingested in very small quantities.
- Since chicken nuggets are fried in oil, they are quite unhealthy. Overconsumption of these can lead to obesity in cats.
If your cats eat a smile bite of chicken nuggets (maybe 1/4th or lesser of a whole nugget) occasionally, it shouldn’t be a problem. So, chicken nuggets can be given to cats occasionally, after removing the breading. However, we suggest you keep felines away from chicken cooked in the form of nuggets.
Yes, cats love chicken but feeding them chicken nuggets will not give the benefits of this meat at all. The best way to feed them chicken to ensure that they stay healthy is by boiling the meat. Boil the chicken in water until the meat is not pink at all. Then shred the chicken with a fork, and give small chunks to your cat, to avoid choking. Please note that in this method, we have not added anything to the water while boiling chicken. The meat is as bland passible, and that’s the only way cats can handle chicken properly.
Why is it not okay for cats to eat chicken nuggets?
The main ingredients used for preparing chicken nuggets are baking soda, refined flour, salt, corn starch, cornflour, oil, garlic powder, some seasonings, and added flavors. When you buy chicken nuggets from KFC or anywhere else, you never really know what goes into making them. The ingredients we have given you here are just the list of basic items used to make the nuggets.
As you can see, even this basic list contains some ingredients that can cause many health hazards in cats. The first dangerous item on this list is garlic powder. Garlic, onion, and other spices belonging to the Allum family should be completely avoided, as they can cause severe toxic reactions in cats. Even a small quantity of garlic or onion can extreme discomfort for felines.
The next dangerous ingredient here is oil. Chicken nuggets need to be fried; therefore, they use a lot of oil in the process of making these. This is not good for cats at all. Overconsumption of oil and fat-rich foods leads to a condition known as feline obesity. It isn’t easy to make cats lose weight, once they gain a lot of weight. Obesity can lead to other serious health issues in cats, including arthritis, imbalance in movements, diabetes, increased blood pressure, liver damage, kidney damage, etc.
Salt is an essential ingredient while preparing chicken nuggets. We love the crunchy, salty taste of the nuggets as we bite into them, don’t we? Unfortunately, salt is not good for cats. Overconsumption of salty foods like nuggets can lead to sodium poisoning or salt toxicity in cats. This eventually leads to severe problems like swelling of the legs, excessive urination, constipation, dehydration, damage to the kidneys, lethargy, and more.
The rest of the ingredients used for making chicken nuggets don’t contain any nutritional value for cats. Since they are carnivores, cats can digest animal proteins well, if ingested the right way. Chicken nuggets don’t give the required protein that cats need. Also, you cannot feed them more than 1/4th of a nugget once a week or so. Your cats can live happily and safely, even if you don’t introduce chicken nuggets in their diet at all.
Healthy alternatives to chicken nuggets
If you want your cats to enjoy the goodness of chicken, you have other healthy options to try, instead of the dangerous chicken nuggets. Boiled chicken or baked chicken are great options, especially if you cook them bland. Homemade fresh chicken can also be given to cats if cooked without any of the spices that are toxic for cats. You will find many brands of chicken jerky or healthy dried chicken, specially designed for cats, in the supermarkets. If your cats are interested in trying your chicken nuggets, divert their attention by introducing these healthy treats to them.
Final Word
Your cats may be okay to eat a very small bit of chicken nugget occasionally, but they don’t need this item for their survival. The ingredients used for making chicken nuggets are highly toxic for cats and can cause extreme discomfort in their digestive system if eaten in large quantities. Therefore, we recommend you keep your cats away from chicken nuggets, and introduce them to healthy chicken treats, or simple, boiled, and shredded chicken pieces, cooked without any spices or flavorings.