Does your kitty love to dip her paws into the peanut butter jar or are you looking for creative ways to sneak some healthy fats into her diet?
Although your feline friend has always been an adventurous eater, recently, you came across a question, “can cats have peanut butter?”
Unfortunately, the answer isn’t quite as simple as yes or no.
When it comes to feeding your kitty, it’s important to learn the right way to do things so that your pet remains healthy and happy.
Learn more about can cats have peanut butter, the possible side effects of doing so, and the best ways to feed peanut butter to your cat, with this in-depth article!
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Nutrient Content of Peanut Butter
Peanut butter contains carbohydrates, protein, fat, minerals, and vitamins. Here is the US Department of Agriculture providing nutritional information for 100 g of smooth peanut butter.
- Energy 597 Kcal
- Fat 51.1 g
- Sodium 429 mg
- Carbohydrates 22.3 g
- Dietary fiber 4.8 g
- Sugars 10.5 g
- Protein 22.5 g
Do Cats Get any Nutritional Benefits from Peanut Butter?
It is sometimes very tempting to offer some peanut butter to the cat when we’re eating it, and sometimes they might even eat a little bit.
But what do cats need nutritionally, and can feeding them peanut butter help meet their needs?
Well, the answer is that while they can eat peanut butter, it cannot provide essential nutrients because their digestive systems are designed for meat rather than anything processed like peanut butter.
Instead of feeding your cat peanut butter, provide your pet with meat-based treats or cat food to help them stay happy and healthy.
Peanut Butter Ingredients That Cause Problems
Make sure to read labels carefully and get familiar with problematic ingredients before feeding your cat peanut butter (if required).
1. Lots of Calories
Peanut butter contains lots of calories that are not recommended for cats. Indoors Cats are already prone to obesity, which can lead to a variety of health problems. Feeding calorie-dense peanut butter can exacerbate this problem.
2. Xylitol
During the processing of natural peanuts into peanut butter, additional ingredients may be added that are harmful to your cat. A common example is xylitol, an artificial sweetener that’s toxic to animals. You should not feed your cat xylitol-containing products.
Signs of xylitol poisoning include:
- Vomiting
- Drooling
- Lethargy
- Balance Issues
- Seizures
3. Chemical Preservatives
Peanut butter is a tasty addition to many humans’ diets. While it tastes wonderful for us, peanut butter is not all that great for cats.
In fact, peanut butter contains something called sodium benzoate which is added to preserve the food. This chemical additive is highly toxic to cats and can lead to death if consumed in large quantities.
4. High Fat
Peanut butter is high in fat, which means that cats are more likely to develop heart failure and diabetes type 2 from it. It also contains a large amount of oil. Oil in high amounts for felines can cause liver damage.
