Can cats eat peanut butter? 4 things you need to know

Many cats pine over peanut butter to the point that they won’t stop licking your finger. They sure do love it! Peanut butter is deemed safe for cats in general. It is not even included in the ASPCA’s list of human foods that are toxic to cats, so go ahead and heave a sigh of relief (if you allowed your cat to lick some up before suddenly panicking and wondering “Oh no, can cats eat peanut butter?”). In fact, many vets actually encourage the use of peanut butter to aid cats in swallowing their medication. With insufficient evidence that peanut butter does cause harm to cats, there is no stopping cat owners from feeding it to their pet. Just to be sure though, it is still worth investigating how much peanut butter you should give your pet and what benefits (if any) or effects it may have on your cat’s overall health. After all, you don’t want anything bad happening to your beloved cat right?

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How Much Peanut Butter Should My Cat Eat?

Cats need animal-based proteins to meet their nutritional needs. Although peanut butter is protein-rich, it also is loaded with fats and carbohydrates. Once your cat eats too much peanut butter, fats and carbohydrates may build up and result in your cat becoming obese and diabetic. On top of that, unlike humans, the digestive systems of cats are not equipped to break down too much fat as is found in peanut butter. Additionally, eating too much peanut butter may lead to it sticking to the walls of your cat’s mouth causing choking or obstruction of the throat. This is why peanut butter consumption among cats should be limited. As the song goes, “Too much of something is bad enough”.

Read: Why Does My Cat Bite Me? and how to stop it

Also, if you have an affectionate cat, read up on why my cat licks me.

Can Cats Eat Peanut Butter? How Often?

Considering the effects of peanut butter on cats, pet owners should learn to avoid constantly giving in to purrs when cats beg for peanut butter. Sure, we know how hard it is to resist especially when they look so adorable covered in peanut butter! As a general rule, cat owners should no longer feed them to cats unless the cat is being given medication. To completely avoid going overboard with feeding your cats peanut butter, it is a good idea to use it as a treat. But again, it should only be used in small quantities. Half a teaspoon of peanut butter twice a week is a rather acceptable amount.

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Any Health Benefits For My Cat From Peanut Butter?

Studies have shown that peanut butter contains vitamin A which helps boost the immune system of cats thereby preventing them from acquiring certain diseases. Aside from that, peanut butter is also said to have resveratrol, Vitamin E and other minerals which prevents them from having heart problems. It is also believed that the oil in peanut butter works wonders for your cat’s fur. However, there is no evidence found to prove this claim is true. Peanut butter has no real known health benefits to cats aside from its protein contents.

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What Should I Do If My Cat Suffers From Diarrhea After Consuming Peanut Butter?

Once your cat develops diarrhea after eating peanut butter, it is a must that you stop feeding it to your pet. Do not be tempted to give your cat Pepto Bismol because this is dangerous to cats. Instead, use products that are proven to help fight diarrhea in cats such as Probiotics for Cats. Another thing you could do is to avoid feeding your cat anything for the next 8-12 hours except for water. On the other hand, some vets suggest giving your cat a mixture of cooked beef or chicken with rice to help solidify the stool. However, if the diarrhea persists, a trip to the vet should be considered.

Feeding your cat peanut butter is generally deemed safe – that is the short answer to your question if you’re wondering ‘can cats eat peanut butter’? However, it does pay to bear in mind some of these information so your cat doesn’t suffer from any unwanted effect. Do you feed your cat peanut butter?

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