You might wonder if the food you are eating or is involved in your diet can be eaten by your cat too. The system of cats is completely different from humans, and they have nutritional needs. Their digestive system will not be able to take every type of food, one of them is margarine.
If you are looking for food options for your cat or if your cat has taken a taste of it, you must be curious if cats can eat margarine. Cats can eat margarine, but it’s not a good choice for their health. In this article, we will discuss margarine, its ingredients and content, and the benefits/ consequences of eating margarine on cats.
What Is Margarine?
First of all, let’s discuss what margarine actually is. We already know about it, but we will look at the details and its origin so we can get a better idea about its impact on cats. Margarine is considered a butter replacement; it was made to look like butter. It is a spread used for cooking, baking, and flavoring. It was originally made from animal fats, but nowadays, it’s mostly made from vegetable oil.
It contains polyunsaturated fat, so that’s why they are also known as a heart-healthy replacement and can lower bad “LDL” cholesterol. Margarine and butter might look the same, but butter is a complete dairy product and has a high saturated fat content. Margarine consists of lots of calories, carbs, protein, fat, and sodium that might be healthy for humans but bad for a cat’s health. Cat’s dietary requirements are completely different, so the content of margarine might cause issues in them.
Benefits of Margarine
Margarine was made as a butter replacement to reduce and maintain LDL cholesterol, along with being helpful for people with dairy allergies. Margarine also has great taste, so there is no doubt if your cat likes it. Its polyunsaturated fat content is better than the saturated fat content of butter which reduces the risk of several heart-related problems.
But while it is most beneficial for humans, it doesn’t have any good impact on cats because their nutritional requirements are totally different from humans. Cats do not need much fat and vitamin E/C content; they mainly require proteins and Vitamin A, which they get from fish, meat, etc. So margarine doesn’t have any benefits for cats, but it can have adverse reactions on them.
Consequences of Eating Margarine
Margarine is high in fats and calories and can have negatives effects on both humans and cats. It can play a great role in obesity. It has a high level of transient fats and lacks vitamins and minerals, so this is a big disadvantage of margarine that beats all its benefits. When it is harmful to humans, it is more harmful to cats.
They don’t require too many calories and fats. It can cause digestive problems, vomiting, diarrhea, and several other issues. If your cat has taken a bit of margarine, then make sure it doesn’t get used to it and keep the margarine away from it. Check for any symptoms and if you witness any, then immediately seek the vet.
Should You Feed Your Cats Margarine?
After reading everything, you must have gotten your answer now. Margarine is absolutely not for the cats. It is extremely high in calories and fats. It doesn’t even have any nutritional content that would be beneficial for health. Cats need a proper healthy diet so they can maintain their good health. Cats might like their taste or smell as they are sensitive to it, so it’s not strange that they are trying to eat margarine.
They are felines and cannot think about good or bad. It’s your duty to prevent them from eating something that is unhealthy for them and give them only the nutritional food. They can quickly adapt to something, so they might get used to eating margarine after they have tasted it once. So keep the margarine away from your cat.
Why Do Cats Like Dairy Products?
It’s not just margarine that cats may like. They, in general, are attracted to dairy products. The taste and smell of fats, along with proteins, deliver an appeal to the cats. They like lots of things that are bad for them, and dairy is one of them. Dairy products are not good for cats because most cats are lactose intolerant, and their body cannot process it. Consumption of dairy products might lead to diarrhea, upset stomach, vomiting, and several other problems. This is why a special formula is used in the gruel for cats that are lactose intolerant.
Margarine for the Removal of Hairballs
Butter or margarine is a popular remedy for the removal of hairballs from cats. But we really should not use it as cats have their own remedies and processes to remove them, either by vomiting or diarrhea. Butter or margarine might result in an upset stomach that will, in turn, result in diarrhea. Unless your cat has a huge lodged ball, avoid using butter and seek the vet instead. Too much coughing means your cat is getting in terms with the hairball, and they are continuously trying to throw up. Butter and margarine might help your cat remove that hairball but can cause long-lasting effects and digestive issues.
Your cat will definitely not die if it licked margarine or butter. It will just have an upset stomach. It will vomit or have diarrhea for some time and will get well soon. You don’t have to worry and rush to the vet unless the symptoms are serious and diarrhea/ vomiting go for a long time. Just give them a bland and healthy diet and make them eat it at intervals. You are the one that has to protect your cat’s health and keep them away from anything bad for their health. They are naturally curious, so they will always be attracted to some things, so your job is to give them a healthy diet to maintain their health.