For humans, oatmeal is one of the healthiest breakfast foods we can choose to eat but how about our furry friends. Can they eat this healthy food too? Yes, they can eat oatmeal but only in small amounts. Also, the oatmeal that you feed them cannot contain milk because most cats are lactose intolerant and they also have a low tolerance for salt. If you make your oatmeal with water and a little salt, then it is safe to share it with your cat.
Cats are carnivores so they need to have a diet that is high in animal protein but low in carbohydrates. Oatmeal has a lot of carbohydrates so this is just one reason they can only have a small amount. Oatmeal cannot give your cat the all nutrients that they need. It should just be used as a small treat, maybe to complement their main meal. Mix some of the oatmeal in with their wet cat food because most cats do not like to eat plain oatmeal. A small amount should be included in their diet occasionally because of what oats offer.
Oatmeal does offer a cat some valuable nutrients, which include:
- Iron—oatmeal is a great source of iron and this is essential for their blood health. It also helps with the correct function of certain enzymes. When a cat has iron deficiency it can lead to anemia.
- Vitamin B-6—this is needed to help their body utilize amino acids. A cat that eats a high protein diet has a high need for vitamin B-6.
- Calcium—this vitamin is necessary for the cat’s nerves and muscles to function properly, their bones, and for them to have healthy blood.
- Fiber and Manganese—this helps to lower their cholesterol levels and maintain their digestive health.
Oatmeal also contains anti-inflammatory, anti-tumor, and diuretic properties. In expectant cats, it can help promote hormonal stability.
Just because it is okay to give your cat a small amount of oatmeal, it does not mean that you can sneak a small bite of your oatmeal cookie to your cat. Some people like to put raisins and chocolate chips in them, both of which are extremely toxic to cats. It could kill them. The cookies also have a lot of sugar and calories that can lead to your cat being obese. On average, one oatmeal cookie has 100 calories and cats only need 200-300 calories a day.
How to serve oatmeal to cats
- Oatmeal tea—for this tea, you need to boil a tablespoon of oat seeds in a cup of water. Strain the seeds out and add just the water to your cat’s dry food. It will make dry food softer and more nutritious.
- Oatmeal porridge—this is basically fixing it as you would for yourself but with water and a little salt. Put some oats in a bowl, add some water, and stir. Heat in the microwave until it starts to become thick. You can add some brown sugar to give it a taste. When it cools give a small amount to your cat.
- Salmon oatmeal cookies—these cookies are made especially for cats and most love them. Use 1.76 ounces of salmon, finely mashed, one egg, and combine with a teaspoon of oil in a bowl. Stir five to ten minutes and then add enough oat flour, along with a tablespoon of oats to it, until it forms a ball. The oven should be set at 180°. Put some dough on a baking sheet and flatten with a spoon, as if you were making regular cookies. Bake for 15 minutes.
- Tuna oatmeal cookies—use 6 ounces of tuna, egg, and a little fish oil and mix The fish oil has anti-cancerous properties and is a good source of omega-3. Combine the ingredients; add a tablespoon of oats and enough oat flour to form a dough ball. Bake at the same temperature as the salmon cookies but bake these 12-15 minutes.
The reason that it is recommended that you use brown sugar instead of white sugar is that it contains fewer calories, and has a higher mineral count so this makes it suitable to use in different recipes for cats. Do not go overboard and use a lot. Just a teaspoon or less will do for the bowl.
What kind of oatmeal can cats eat?
You can feed your cat either rolled or instant oatmeal. With the instant oatmeal, when they are cooked for five to ten minutes, they turn into a mushy liquid, which makes great cat food. This is soft, easy to digest, and tasty. One thing to note is that young kittens should not be fed oatmeal. Start your kitten by letting them nibble on oat grass for a few weeks to let their digestive system adjust to the oat grass. After they have adjusted, slowly introduce oatmeal to their diet. When you feed your cat oatmeal, it can be cooked or uncooked. The uncooked definitely has to be mixed with their food as it has no taste or appeal to a cat otherwise.
How do you make oatmeal for cats?
If you have a cat with diabetes, you can also use oatmeal in a diet for them. Mix oatmeal with vegetable broth, chicken liver, zucchini, or carrots and it can help to strengthen the cat’s pancreas and promote insulin production. You can mix three tablespoons of oatmeal with equal parts chicken and chicken liver. You can add some cooked green beans or raw carrots and zucchini, finely chopped or shredded to the mixture. If it is too dry for your cat, you can add some vegetable broth to moisten it.
In conclusion
So the answer to the question is yes cats can eat oatmeal but only in small amounts. It should also not be made with milk and have very little to no salt in it. Try the various recipes on here to give your cat a special treat. With the cookies, you should break them into bite-size pieces to make it easier for the cat to eat.