Most of us love ready-to-use meat products. They help us save time when cooking. The bonus is that these foods are really tasty. Spam is one such food that we are going to talk about, in this article. For those of you who don’t know what spam is, it is a processed meat product made from ham and ground pork.
If you have cats at home, you may wonder if you can give them spam. You know that cats are obligate carnivores, so they love anything that is meat-related. Spam is predominantly made from pork. So does that mean you can start giving spam regularly to your feline friends? Definitely, not!
Though spam doesn’t contain anything too toxic to kill cats, you should refrain from giving them this dish. If your cat bites off a small piece of spam, or even if it eats a whole can of spam at once, you don’t have to be worried. It should probably be okay, except for some slight abdominal discomfort. The problem will arise if your cat consumes a large amount of spam at regular intervals.
Spam is a word usually associated with junk email. You don’t look into the spam folder at all, as unnecessary emails go to that folder. So, please follow the same principle with cats also. Never bring spam near cats at all. Spam is an affordable source of meat. Since it is fully processed, it is rich in sodium and fat – two ingredients that can cause cats discomfort.
Please keep reading to know why spam is not good for cats, and why the ingredients used in spam can cause problems in them if they ingest too much of this dish for a prolonged period.
Spam and its ingredients
Many believe that Spam is the acronym for the term, “Specially Processed American meat.” While we don’t know if it is true or not, the explanation tells you everything you need to know about this item. It is entirely processed, and it is not a healthy choice even for humans. According to the official website of Spam, here are the main ingredients used for making this meat:
- Processed pork and ham
- Salt
- Water
- Potato Starch
- Sugar
- Sodium Nitrite
Why are these ingredients bad for cats?
Salt
One of the biggest culprits in the above list of ingredients is salt. The digestive system of cats is very different from that of humans. In the wild, they are not used to consuming salty dishes. They catch animals, fishes, insects, etc., and eat them raw. So, their digestive system cannot handle salt and other spices used in human foods.
Too much salt consumption leads to a condition called salt toxicity or sodium poisoning in cats. When they eat salty foods, cats feel thirsty. So, they need to drink a lot of water. Unfortunately, it isn’t easy to make these felines drink water. Too much sodium and too little water in a cat’s diet lead to dehydration in the animals. In severe cases, this also leads to weakness, imbalance in movements, fluid loss, diarrhea, vomiting, discomfort in the abdomen, and more.
Spam contains at least 20 times more sodium than your cats require in a day. When cats consume a lot of sodium over a long period, it can lead to the failure of internal organs. The fluid gets accumulated inside the body of the cats, and this leads to swelling of the legs. If your cat’s legs are swollen, you have to immediately show it to the vet, as it could be a symptom of kidney failure.
Fats
The processed meat in spam contains a lot of fat content. When cats consume foods that have a lot of fat in them, they become fat. Eventually, this leads to a condition called feline obesity. Today, most cats suffer from this condition. Feline obesity, if not treated on time, can lead to severe lethargy and loss of appetite.
A small portion of spam contains about 174 calories, 7 grams protein, 2 grams carbohydrates, and 15 grams fat. Though it also contains some other micronutrients like potassium, zinc, and iron, it is still not advisable to give spam to cats. Cats don’t need these nutrients from processed and fat-rich meats like spam.
Since feline obesity is a serious issue, you have to check regularly if your cat is overweight or not. Check if you can see your cat’s waste carefully, or if you can feel the ribs of the cat. If yes, you don’t have to worry at all. Your cat is perfectly alright. However, if you cannot feel the ribs or spot their waist, it can be confirmed that your cat is overweight.
Obesity increases your feline’s risk of serious ailments like urinary tract infections, liver damage, diabetes, arthritis, skin-related diseases, and more. The worst part is that these cats take a longer time to respond to surgeries and other treatments. So, it would help if you refrained from feeding them spam, or any other foods that are rich in sodium or fats.
Natural animal proteins are the best
Since cats are obligate carnivores, their digestive system handles natural animal proteins very well. So, you should always talk to the vet and feed only the right and branded foods to keep it safe and healthy throughout its lifespan. A few fruits and vegetables can be included as treats, but only after getting the go-ahead from the vet. This is because not all felines handle fruits & vegetables well.
Final Word
Spam is not toxic for cats, but that doesn’t mean it is the right food for your pets. It is 100% processed meat and doesn’t contain any nutritional value for the cats. Also, it is rich in sodium and fat, which can lead to severe health issues, if felines consume a large quantity of spam over a prolonged period. Sodium poisoning and feline obesity are two of the dangerous health risks your cats will be prone to when you include spam in their regular diet schedule. If you want your cats to be healthy and free from toxicity, please keep them far away from spam