Can Cats Eat Hot Dogs?
It's a bright Sunday, you've set up the grill, greased the pan, and are all prepped and ready to cook your hot dog when you notice your cat looking at you with its adoring googly eyes for a piece of hot dog. You decide to wait till it has been properly grilled and cooled, before obliging your cat. Now that it's all done, you realize that you don't actually know anything about this. Can cats eat hot dogs? Can you feed cats hot dogs?
The honest answer is no; cats should not be fed hot dogs. They contain added spices and additives that make them unfit for your cat and not easily digestible.
If you desire to know more about your cat and hot dogs, you are in the right place. So, relax and read on.
Can You Feed Cat Hot Dogs?
While a hot dog might seem like a harmless meal, it is a combination of quite a few different meat types, and preservatives. The chemicals in these preservatives used to keep your hot dogs fresh have adverse effects on your cat's digestive system.
Also, hot dogs have a high level of fat, a lot of salt, onions, to mention a few, which are all harmful to your cat's health. Experts say a basic hot dog contains approximately 567 mg of salt! Do you know what your cat's daily salt consumption should be? Only 21 - 43 mg! Hence, what hot dogs offer is quite a stretch from what is required and so, if you ever see your cat eating hot dogs, you should stop it immediately.
Is a Hot Dog Good For a Cat?
Giving your cats little treats is all fine and good as long as you remember that not all human foods are right for them. The last thing you want to do is feed them something that would make them sick.
Hot dogs are no good to cats even though they are made of meat, and cats love meat. So, while they would seem like the proper go-to meal, a simple assessment of the additives contained would have you realizing that hot dogs are not an excellent addition to your cat's meal after all.
Effects of Hot Dogs on Your Cat
Hot dogs contain additives like preservatives and seasoning. The most fatal of them are the onion, garlic, and cloves.
They have elements that destroy the cat's red blood cells, even in minute quantities. This destruction of red blood cells will lead to a deteriorating condition for your cat, leading to its death. Thus, no matter how inviting the aroma of hot dogs is to your cat, always remember that the answer to “can you feed cat hot dogs?” is no!
So, if you come into your room to find your cat taking bites off of your leftover hot dog, you should be a little worried. Even though a bite of a hot dog will not hurt your cat, prolonged eating can lead to various health issues such as:
- Heightened body temperature
- Depression
- Constant seizures
- Racing heart
- Prolonged dehydration
- Lethargy (fatigue)
- Vomiting
Humans do not exhibit these side effects immediately because humans have a stronger and more defined digestive mechanism.
Conclusion
Can cats eat hot dogs? NO. In whatever form it might be presented, whether raw, cooked, or grilled, it is detrimental to the health of your cat.
When choosing or planning your cat's essential meal, there are several other options to pick from. There is chicken, tuna, deboned salmon, beef, among others. You have to ensure that the meal doesn't contain spices and seasoning, especially salt, garlic, and onion.
If you ever get carried away at your barbecue party only to turn and find your cat eating hot dogs, you should get the hot dog away from the cat and give it plenty of water to neutralize the salt and aid digestion.
We hope this article was helpful to you and that you now know what to do if you ever find your cat eating hot dogs. Do not pass by our best pet products reviews, as there you will find everything that fits your budget and taste.
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