Around the world, corn is a popular cereal grain and corn contains a lot of valuable nutrients that are good for you but what about your cat? Are the nutrients good for them and can they eat corn? The answer is yes, some cats can eat corn while others cannot. Among cats, corn allergy is a common allergy so you need to find out if your cat has this allergy before giving them corn. To do this, you will need to have then eaten a small portion and then wait to see if you see any allergic reactions. These reactions can be wheezing, sneezing, or coughing. If you see none of this then it is safe to give them a bit of corn.
Cats are carnivores, so if given the choice they would not eat corn or any other grain as these usually do not appeal to them. In the wild, they are raised on meat and that is what their body needs in order to survive. The meat gives the cat the protein their body needs. They do need little carbohydrates so a little corn would supply this need.
Can Cats eat Corn?
Cats can eat corn but should not be used as a replacement meal. Yes, it is used in cat food and it is used as an animal muscle meat substitute because it is much cheaper. This means that the pet food company can sell their product cheaper. Unfortunately, it can be bad for a cat if they have too much corn. Their digestive tract is short. This means that it was made to digest meat, which is a source of high-energy food. A cat cannot produce the right vitamins and amino acids their body needs so they have to get it from the foods they eat. This is why it is important that the cat food you feed them gives them a well-balanced diet.
At one time, corn was referred to as hot grain or filler. They called it a filler because had no nutritional value although now they are seeing that corn does have some essential nutrients. Hot grain means that it can be digested easily so it will not cause your cat to have an upset stomach. Basically, corn is a wholesome, natural product that will give your cats some carbohydrates they can easily digest, essential fatty acids, antioxidants, and protein.
Benefits
- Carbohydrates that are highly digestible for energy help keep him active all day. With these complex carbohydrates, you have to make sure that they do not go over 25% starch. If you go over that it can affect digestibility and cause it to decline.
- Antioxidants like beta-carotene, vitamin E, and Lutein and these antioxidants can help reduce the cat’s chances of developing heart disease, cancer, arthritis, stroke, and cataracts. It may also help to slow down the process of aging.
- Fatty acids for a healthy coat and skin
- High-quality protein for tissue and muscle growth
- Essential amino acids, fiber, and linoleic acid
Negative aspects
- Intestinal obstructions if they accidentally eat the corn silk or the corn cobs
- Diabetes because is a complex carbohydrate. This means that it is high in starch and it can increase their blood glucose level. In turn, it will raise the risk of your cat developing diabetes
How to serve corn to your cat
Always make sure that what corn is soft enough that they can swallow it easily. You do not want it to get stuck in their throat. It is not a good idea to give your cat processed cereals because of the artificial flavorings and additives unless they are all-natural cereals. Just give a tiny amount because most cats are also lactose intolerant. Also, a lot of the cereals contain a high amount of sugar and that is not good for your cat as they cannot digest sugar very well. The best way to serve it is to boil it and mix it a little into your cat’s wet food. They can also eat it boiled and cooled.
Corn in cat food
Manufacturers put corn gluten, corn, and cornmeal in their foods. They feel that if the corn is processed efficiently it will make it easier for the cat to digest. Make sure that when you purchase your cat food that you check the ingredients to make sure that corn is not the main ingredient as your cat needs meat for the protein.
Can kittens eat corn?
It is not recommended that you feed corn to kittens that are younger than four months of age because they can be a choking hazard. Make sure that it is cooked and that they do not overeat.
In conclusion
Before you give your cat corn as a treat, you should give them just a little bit to see if they are allergic to corn. It can take as long as twenty-four hours for any allergic reaction to show up. If they do not have an allergic reaction, then you can give it to them as a treat but only in moderation. Eating corn has some great benefits but there are also some negative things that you should be aware of. A cat is a meat eater so its diet should contain a lot of this protein.
In almost all dry cat foods and some wet foods, corn is listed as an ingredient. The manufacturers think that this is adding nutrients and benefits the cat. This is not true. Corn used this way is just considered filler. To get the benefits of corn your cat would have to have a kernel of corn to eat to get those benefits.
Remember, only as a special treat and in moderation. You should give your cat no more than a kernel or two of corn at a time. Also make sure that it is not loaded down with a lot of butter, sugar, or salt. Just plain boiled corn is the best. If they eat too much they could get an upset stomach.