When you have cats at home, you should be very careful about what you give them to eat. The felines have very sensitive digestive systems. They are obligate carnivores and their systems can digest only meat and meat-based products. When you give them foods that are not compatible with their system, they can show symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, etc.
To avoid taking your cat to the vet at regular intervals, you should watch what you give your felines. Oil is one of the tricky foods that can confuse you when charting a diet plan for felines. Oil can be added to many dishes that are given to cats. Sometimes, even if you give cat-compatible foods, you may notice your pets showing some signs of discomfort in their abdomen. This is because while the food itself may go well with the digestive system of cats, the oil that is used for making these foods may not be okay for their digestive systems.
So, which oil can you give to cats? You may love foods cooked with sunflower oil, in your kitchens. However, can the same be given to your feline friends as well? Keep reading to know more about giving sunflower oil to cats. To answer this question in a few words, sunflower oil is not toxic or fatal for cats. However, you have to practice moderation, as the digestive system of cats cannot handle too much sunflower oil.
Are cats attracted to sunflower oil?
As you all know, sunflower oil is extracted from the seeds of the sunflower. It is one of the healthiest oils for humans, as it has Vitamin K, an ingredient that helps in the healthy functioning of one’s heart. Cats are naturally attracted to the bright color and aroma of sunflowers. So, naturally, they have a liking for the flavor of sunflower oil.
Like we already told in the above sections, cats should be fed sunflower oil in moderation only. Like any other oil, overconsumption of sunflower oil can lead to weight in gain cats. When you don’t check in the early stages, feline obesity can lead to other severe illnesses, which we will explain more about in the later sections.
Different types of fishes cooed in sunflower oil – can cats them?
Tuna and sunflower oil
You might have noticed that most of the brands of cats foods available in the market contain tuna fish. Yes, most fishes are good for cats, but we would always recommend you check with your vet when chalking out a diet plan for your cats. This is because though tuna is overloaded with some of the essential nutrients like omega 3 fatty acids and protein, too much of it can lead to mercury poisoning in felines.
Overconsumption of sunflower oils can also lead to obesity in your furry friends. So, when you make a diet combining tuna and sunflower oil, you should be careful not to feed large quantities of the same to your cats. Yes, you can give tuna cooked in sunflower oil in small quantities, occasionally. However, these should be given as treats only. As long as your cats take a nibble of tuna in sunflower oil at times, they should be okay. Only when they eat this in large quantities, over a long period, they exhibit symptoms like lethargy, vomiting, diarrhea, etc.
Sardines and sunflower oil
Sardine is one of the healthiest and tastiest dishes that you can give your cats. It is loaded with more nutrients than tuna. Omega 3 fatty acids and vitamins D and B12 are some of the major nutrients found in this type of fish. So, while it is healthier than tuna, you shouldn’t give too many sardines in sunflower oil to cats. This will lead to weight gain, and stomach-related issues, leading to extreme discomfort to the felines in the long run.
Mackerels and sunflower oil
Mackerels are excellent sources of protein and can be given to your cats in moderation daily. However, when you want to mix this fish with sunflower oil, you should remember to give it as treats only. Always use canned or cooked mackerel, when giving it to cats, to avoid toxicity from bacteria present in the raw fish. However, please ensure that you don’t give more than one spoon of sunflower oil at a time for felines. Feeding more than one spoon of oil to cats can upset their digestive systems to a great extent.
From the above, it is evident that you can give any fish that doesn’t contain any hazardous substances to cats in sunflower oil, as long as you practice the concept of moderation.
Is sunflower oil safe for cats?
Feline experts have stated about 5 to 6 oils as safe for cats. They are fish oil, cod liver oil, coconut oil, hemp oil, and a few more. Unfortunately, sunflower oil is not on this list. So, it can increase your cat’s risk of obesity. Feline obesity is a serious issue these days, as most cats suffer from this problem, all over the world.
Obesity in cats can lead to lethargy, imbalance in body movements, loss of appetite, failure of internal organs like liver, kidneys, and heart, difficulty breathing, diabetes, etc. You should be very careful about your cat’s diet, and make all possible efforts to prevent it from putting on weight. Making a cat lose weight is not easy at all. So, please give sunflower oils and other weight-inducing foods to cats only as treats.
Final Word
Sunflower oil is not toxic for cats. Also, it doesn’t contain any hazardous ingredients, which can cause problems for cats. Cats have a natural liking for the color and aroma of sunflower oil. However, all of these don’t mean that you can give sunflower oil to your cats regularly. Like most oils, sunflower oils, if consumed regularly, can lead to weight gain in felines. Feline obesity, if undiagnosed in the early stages, can lead to serious health issues and even death in some cases. So, you can give sunflower oil to cats, but only in moderation.