French fries are a popular food item loved by all. The ingredients of the fries consist of potato, oil, and salt. Although it does not contain additional flavors, it is necessary to observe whether french fries could be dangerous to cats. Cats might love to try these yellow-colored fries for a time. It is indeed a snackable that must be tried since it is crispy and delicious. When you are busy enjoying your party, you might feel like offering your cat some fries as well. However, it can be a wrong idea. Cats belong to the category of curious species that love to try out unique items. Feeding cats with french fries can be quite problematic from the nutritional point of view. We often tend to feel sympathetic towards animals and feed them human food, thinking that it will add a new change to their diet. However, it can affect their digestion and cause more problems than before. Fries are not very nutritious for humans, too, since they contain a large amount of salt. It becomes hard to resist the yellow fries that can tempt any person on a diet as well. In such cases, one might think of leaving them for your cats without considering whether they are good for their health.
Is there a need to panic if the cat ate a few fries?
There is no need to worry if your cat has accidentally eaten a few fries. However, it is not recommended to feed them with a bunch of fries and include it as a part of their daily diet. It is likely to do them more harm than it appears. Special care must be taken if you have animals as pets since they can accidentally munch onto these attractive fries, which would ultimately land them in big trouble.
Why is it problematic for cats to have french fries?
The fries have a lot of salt that might not be safe for the animals. Although fats are important for cats and humans for healthy growth, it must not be too much that it starts harming the body. Such fried food items contribute a little to the requirements of fatty acids needed for the growth of cats. Feeding your cats with such fried foods will not contribute to their growth and indeed gives them a large number of calories, making them obese.
Can one feed plain potatoes to the cats instead of french fries?
Food items made of potatoes are very tasty. However, it is an example of the most unhealthy food items that you will ever see. Feeding plain potatoes does not contribute positively to the cats. Cats need an adequate amount of nutrients like fats, proteins in the right amounts. Feeding them with items that will not bring any growth in them will not be fruitful enough. The commonly available cat foods already contain a large number of carbohydrates and other nutrients. So it will not be a good idea to feed them with items that will add more fats. Moreover, they can feel difficulty in digesting and eating them properly. So it is advisable not to feed them with unnecessary food items that do not contribute to their growth in any way.
Will the ketchup on the french fries prove dangerous to the cats?
It is a different feeling when one sees the french fries dipped in tomato sauce. However, if cats are in your home, they would also like to try their hands on this. If your cat has tried some of the french fries, there are high chances that the cat must have consumed the ketchup on it as well. Again it is an additional risk to the cats as ketchup is also not good for the cats. The mixture of the ketchup consists of onion powder and other flavors that can prove toxic to the cats. The acidic nature of ketchup can be harmful to their body. So be it the ketchup or the french fries, both have equal chances to upset any cat’s stomach. Hence one must not try to feed them out of curiosity to observe their reactions.
Examining the toxicity of french fries
The toxic nature of the fries depends on whether the fries are cooked or in raw formats. One might think of giving the uncooked french fires thinking that the cooked ones might pose a health problem for them, you must think of your decision again. Raw french fries can be toxic to cats due to the presence of alkaloids. French fries contain salt, mayonnaise, carbohydrates, and fats. The huge number of calories makes them difficult to be burned out. It is a mixture of many fats that contributes to the obesity of cats and makes it difficult for them to burn the calories gathered. So it is better to avoid feeding your cats too much fat since they might not digest all the fats.
Can one feed kittens french fries?
When a cat finds it difficult to shed off the extra calories gathered via french fries, it can pose the same health risks to kittens. The digestive system of little cats is not very developed in comparison to adult cats. So they might be more harmful to the kittens to digest such fatty foods. When unhealthy food is offered to the cats, it will affect their little ones too. It is better to avoid feeding the cats and their little ones foods filled with too much salt and oil. If the cat accidentally consumes the french fries, special care must be taken since they are likely to fall ill.
Types of foods to avoid for cats
The consumption of junk foods has become a favorite pastime of people. When people try to share junk food with pets, their health also gets affected. It is better to avoid feeding pets with the common junk foods humans eat. Different junk foods like pizzas and burgers can contain elements that the pets might not digest quickly. Chocolate isn’t that harmful to human health but it can pose health risks to cats. It can result in nausea and fever. Items like garlic and onion are nutritious to humans but feeding the cats is not a good option. So the pet owners must take care of the foods given to cats to ensure them a safer diet.