Feeding time comes with numerous questions about what and how to feed your pet. Is it okay to give them human food? Can you share, for example, some Goldfish crackers? Yes, cats can eat Goldfish crackers. A few crackers can be a snack for your fuzzy kitties. So, don’t panic when you find them sneaking into that bag you left out on the coffee table. Some nibbles won’t cause any harm.
However, it’s essential to note that they have no nutritional value. Goldfish crackers are meant primarily for human consumption and can have adverse effects if cats consume a lot at once. Therefore, keep an eye on your puss if a whole bag goes missing.
The reason being, Goldfish crackers have some ingredients that cats can find hard to tolerate. Eating plenty at once can result in vomiting, but a few won’t cause much harm. Just strive to give them feline food and avoid a diet entirely made up of crackers.
The good news is this article is here to give you a deeper insight into this issue. Learn to feed cats Goldfish crackers, how often, and other snack options more suitable for them.
Cats Eating Human Food: What’s Safe and What Isn’t?
Cats are sneaky and tend to find their way to your plate and grab a bite when you’re not looking. Or, in some cases, you may drop them a few pieces of your chicken or fish. But is it safe to feed them human food?
Truthfully, the simple answer is no. Cats must be fed on a feline-friendly diet only since their digestive system isn’t suitable for human food. However, a few pieces won’t cause much harm.
Still, ensure you keep the number of Goldfish crackers, for example, to a minimum. Instead, search for feline snacks. Vets recommend a nutritious diet for pets to help them live a long life.
What’s in Goldfish Crackers?
Admittedly, Goldfish crackers are attractive, given their fish shape and colour. But, as stated earlier, they have no nutritional benefits. The ingredients play no role in helping your kitty grow healthy and strong.
Apart from the shape and colour, the smell is quite attractive to cats. But, what’s in these snacks? First, there’s lots of wheat flour in Goldfish crackers. Added to that is yeast, salt, spices, cheddar cheese, milk, sunflower oil, and additives.
Frankly, just looking at the ingredients is an eye-opener. They offer no nutritional value even to human beings and only fit as snacks. Next, you can take note of the vast amounts of salt in a bag. High salt diets are known to affect feline digestive systems adversely.
A bag of 55 Goldfish crackers has 250 grams of salt. Feeding a lot to your pet is a no, no! Cats mustn’t consume more than 0.021 grams of salt per day.
Additionally, you’ll notice these crackers have plenty of oil despite being a baked product. Also, there are lots of spices and additives known to harm cats. While some cat foods contain fats, these are healthy options instead of cooking oils that don’t benefit felines.
Lastly, consider the yeast. Do you know if your fuzzy friend has any food allergies? Some do, especially when it comes to yeast. So it’s wise to first consult with a vet before feeding your kitties any Goldfish crackers. You might find yourself rushing to the animal hospital with an unresponsive pet, as seen in the next part of this article.
Can Eating Goldfish Crackers Kill Cats?
As seen above, Goldfish crackers contain many ingredients. Some of these ingredients can trigger food allergies in your kitty cats. Allergies occur for numerous reasons including gluten intolerance and reacting to yeast.
One way to note if a cat has food allergies is keeping an eye on them after consuming the first Goldfish cracker. If you notice a change in behavior with frequent sneezing, gas, vomiting, and scratching, cease feeding them the crackers and head to the vet if they get worse.
Still, it doesn’t mean if your cat isn’t allergic to the ingredients, you should feed them a whole bag of crackers. These are still unhealthy snack options for all cats. The state and shape can easily choke your furry friend as they gorge.
Mostly, Goldfish crackers are dry and can choke a cat if it doesn’t take time to chew. Therefore, it’s better to keep the bag away after snacking. Also, watch the cat but avoid panicking at all costs!
Alternative Human Food and Snacks Safe for Cats to Consume
Now that Goldfish crackers are out of the equation, does it mean there are no snacks or foods you can enjoy eating with your feline friends? No. There are many human snacks and foods you can eat together.
For instance, feed the cat a little rice but skip the spices. Rice helps cats deal with digestive problems. Also, share some oatmeal, but not from the same bowl, for lots of fiber. Lastly, a cooked egg now and then is a better source of protein.
But what if your cat has a sensitive stomach? Shockingly, even good human snacks and cat food causes food allergies. Is there a solution?
The Right Food for Felines with Sensitive Stomachs
At times, cats develop sensitive stomachs and start having allergies even to meat and other cat food. Just like humans, cats can, at times, build intolerance to some foods and require constant supervision. So it might not be the Goldfish crackers causing food allergies.
Certain foods elicit adverse reactions resulting in stomach sensitivity and anguish for cats. So refrain from switching meals often. Instead, create a healthy diet for your feline friends and stick to it. Then monitor how the cat responds to this. If the issue persists, visit a vet as soon as possible.
Like other animals, felines develop both acute and chronic stomach conditions. A proper diagnosis is necessary to distinguish between the two. You might overlook a chronic illness until it’s further along and requires a stricter diet to control.
After the diagnosis, cats require food that’s suitable for a sensitive stomach containing natural ingredients only. Such food includes high fiber carbs, top-quality proteins, and those rich in healthy oils. You have to eliminate human snacks, including Goldfish crackers, and any other that can cause more harm. Particular human food like chocolate must never find its way into a cat’s diet.
Human Food Poisonous to Cats
While Goldfish crackers aren’t lethal, some human food can poison your cats. Cats develop anemia when they eat scallions, onions, garlic, and shallots. These foods attack the red blood cells leaving your pet lethargic and with dark red urine.
Next are raisins and grapes that cause renal failure for cats and can lead to death after some time. Signs start manifesting as soon as 24 hours, with vomiting taking centre stage. Rush to the animal hospital as soon as you notice it.
Also, keep away all alcoholic beverages since alcohol gravely affects your cats’ digestive system. Cats cannot break down alcohol, meaning it circulates in the body of the animal. The pet ends up with ethanol poisoning even if it ingested a small amount. So keep away all alcohol and products that have trace amounts since they can lead to the same side-effects.
Conclusion
When you leave a bag of Goldfish crackers lying around, the smell attracts your cats. You can feed them a piece or two, but refrain from making it a staple in their diet. These crackers provide no nutritional value though small amounts don’t have any lethal effects.
However, check the ingredients and see if your cat has any food allergies associated with them before feeding. If they do, perhaps an alternative cat snack is suitable. Also, consider giving other human food or snacks that cats can tolerate better.
Featured Image Credit: New-Africa, Shutterstock
