Can kittens eat sweets? Can cats eat sweets? can cats eat raw eggs

Many owners often notice how domestic cat strongly stretches and even demands sweet foods: chocolate, sweets, ice cream, cookies, marshmallows, cake, etc. How hard it is to resist not to treat little friend such a delicious dessert! But, is it possible to give domestic cats chocolate or cookies without exposing their body to certain stresses?

In fact, cats do not genetically have a taste receptor that recognizes sweets, so when they consume various desserts and chocolate, they do not experience the pleasure of a pleasant taste at all.

So why does a cat reach for such products? This interest is caused by other components that are understandable for the body of a carnivorous predator. Many sweets contain protein, carbohydrates, vegetable, milk fats and other elements that are useful and necessary for the cat's body.

Based on this information, many owners can draw the appropriate conclusions: it means that cats can have sweets and even need them! But, unfortunately, this opinion is somewhat erroneous, and we will tell you why!

Sugar, getting into the body of cats, “absorbs” the useful elements necessary for proper development and growth. In a small amount, the consumption of sweets will go unnoticed by the pet, but in an overabundance of these products can cause serious harm.

You should also consider the high content of carbohydrates in sweet dishes. When consuming them, it is necessary to observe the most active and energetic lifestyle. But can domestic cats allow such an active pastime in the cramped conditions of a small living space?

All these delicacies will lead to the accumulation of body fat. Obesity is a dangerous condition for cats that impairs the functioning of internal organs and other important systems organism. The consequence of eating sugary foods can be the early death of a domestic cat.

During the tasting process, the animal's body does not recognize sugar, so the pet can eat a large portion without controlling the allowable dosage of the forbidden substance. As a result of such overfeeding, serious poisoning, allergic reactions and other adverse consequences for a small predator can occur.

If cats do not recognize the taste of sugar, and their body only suffers from such food, then why do they insist on dessert and eat sweet dishes with such pleasure? This question worries the minds of many owners. Let's hear what experienced experts have to say to justify animals!

The main reasons why cats love sweets:

• they are attracted by the pleasant smell of the dessert, which often has various synthetic additives that cause a violent appetite;
• a cat can appreciate the consistency of a sweet dish, and therefore will gladly absorb the next portion, imagining with all its appearance that it receives incredible pleasure from this food, which in reality is not at all the case;
• an unbalanced diet in cats, in which there is a lack of carbohydrates in food, makes the pet want to eat sweets;
• beriberi, in which there is also a lack of useful minerals and vitamins in the body of the animal;
• some fluffy representatives of the feline family simply love to eat from the table or from the hands of their beloved owner, so they react to any treat with a joyful reaction.

Having learned many specific facts about the body of an animal that is unable to recognize and digest food with a sugar content, you can come to the right decision - to exclude sweet dishes from the menu of your pet.

It follows from the above that if a cat eats sweets, it does not get such pleasure as you do. Is it worth it to treat a pet with a product that he does not need? No, because it doesn't make any sense. Surely you are thinking: “I don’t feed the cat with sweets, I just treat her, pamper her.” Accept it as a fact - cats cannot have sweets, and we will analyze the reasons for the ban below.

Many owners believe that urolithiasis leads only salty food, but it is not. The disease develops due to a violation of the acid-base balance of urine. Sweet can both oxidize and alkalize the body, it all depends on the type of delicacy and its naturalness. Too much sugar in the diet can lead to kidney failure. Given that the cat's body is not adapted to the processing of sugar, a large amount of it leads to an overload of the kidneys and liver.

Diabetes develops when a cat's body does not produce enough insulin. Insulin, in turn, helps to process sugar. Sweets lead to metabolic disorders and hormonal disorders. As a result, the body of a cat with a sweet tooth ceases to produce insulin in sufficient quantities.

The most unpredictable consequences are a decrease in the level of the body's immune defenses. Simply put, the health of the cat becomes not so strong, the pet becomes prone to colds and other diseases. Those with a sweet tooth often suffer from otitis and conjunctivitis, since harmful bacteria also love sweets. Given the tendency of all purrs to fungal skin diseases, sweet treats are pure provocation of the disease.

Such a love of sweets among cats has long raised a lot of questions from zoologists. Indeed, unlike humans, felines do not have special receptors on their tongues that are responsible for distinguishing taste. This confirms the fact that when consuming a treat, the pet does not feel its sweetness. Yes, in fact, predatory animals, which are cats, require protein, not carbohydrate components in the diet, so there is no particular need for sweet sensations.

However, there is speculation that the cat senses that the food is high in sugar. This is due to the fact that in its DNA there is a single protein that allows this to be done. In addition, such food may well be attracted by its aroma, as well as the presence of salts, vegetable fats or any amino acids necessary for the cat's body. Also, the consistency of the product can be an attracting factor.

The foregoing indicates that when a person and a cat eat something sweet, only one eater enjoys the taste, while the second does not react in any way to the taste. Therefore, it simply does not make sense to treat your pet with sweets. Even though such products do not bring any benefit to the animal's body, and sweets are not a necessary product in the animal's diet, but why not just treat your pet? There are good reasons not to.

The thing is that zoologists managed to identify some nuances. Since cats do not distinguish between the sweetness of food, they are not able to determine the amount of sugar that comes to them with food. In general, the cat's body is able to regulate the level of certain substances that are needed for the normal functioning of organs and systems.

Physiological features of taste buds

1. If we take into account the numerous reviews of the owners, we can conclude that their cats are crazy about sweets. They eat chocolate, ice cream, cakes and other treats. Looking at this whole picture for the first time, it may seem that the cat really enjoys this kind of meal.
2. However, in reality, things are a little different. Cats are by nature carnivores whose taste buds are not adapted for sweets. They simply do not accept them. When such a treat gets on the tongue, the pet feels the taste of vegetable fat, milk, nuts, but not the main sweetener (sugar).
3. This feature is explained by the fact that the cat does not have a gene responsible for the perception of sweet taste qualities along the DNA line. A person has this gene, so people can enjoy various sweets and catch even the most hidden notes.
4. If we are talking about an animal omnivore or herbivore, they need this gene. Since, according to their characteristics, such individuals should receive carbohydrates, which are abundant in sweet dishes.
5. But because cats are carnivores, they don't have a wild need for carbohydrates. Rather, four-legged pets require protein compounds. Sugar in this case is of no benefit, so there is no need to feel a sweetish taste.
6. Cats need to be able to identify protein, in this they can be envied. Animals are able to determine its presence not only by taste, but also by smell. As for prey, cats feel how many hours ago it died.
7. In search of an answer to your question, it is worth starting from the opinion of zoologists. As a result of long and numerous tests, they came to the conclusion that cats cannot taste sweets, therefore they are not able to determine the amount of sugar consumed. That is, they can eat it immensely, so they often harm their body.
8. For example, a pet enjoys ice cream, because it feels notes of cream or milk in it. But in reality, she receives not only these components, but also a decent portion of sugar, which is not always safe for the body.
9. Why can't cats eat sweet treats? Because it will absorb harmful carbohydrates, this will lead to poisoning and a significant deterioration in well-being.

can cats eat raw eggs

Consequences of the "sweet life"

In addition, excess sugar can cause the development of serious diseases in an animal:

• Urolithiasis disease. A similar ailment is quite often diagnosed in cats that consume sweets. This is due to the fact that foods high in sugar do not allow the kidneys to fully perform their functions, their size increases, and the organs work under increased stress.
• Diabetes. Sugar is dangerous not only for humans, but also for cats. High levels of glucose in sugary foods increase the risk of developing this serious disease. This is due to the fact that there is an excess production of insulin by the pancreas. Against the background of this process, cats gradually lose their sensitivity to this enzyme, which causes endocrine disorders, including diabetes.
• Decreased immune mechanisms. Sweets are not suitable food for cats, so such foods overload the digestive system, which is not able to fully digest them. Therefore, the body throws all reserves to help the gastrointestinal tract cope with an impossible task.

If the organs and systems of a young, healthy animal are able to “survive” all harmful treats, then with age it becomes more and more difficult for them to do this. The same candy, which five years ago did not cause significant harm, today can cause serious violations. In cats that eat sweets, there are premature aging processes, frequent bouts of tachycardia, overweight, increased gas formation, and impaired defecation.

But not only older cats, but also kittens can suffer from harmful treats. Their unsteady digestive system will suffer tremendous damage and may take a long time to recover.

Definitely, it is necessary to treat or encourage your pet with something tasty, but it should not only be a delicacy with a pleasant aroma and taste, but also not detrimental to the health of the cat. You can buy a similar product at a pet store or cook it yourself. Proper balanced nutrition is the key to a healthy and long life of a four-legged friend.

Why sweets are harmful to cats

Of the sweet passions of cats, chocolate, ice cream and sucking sweets (on a stick, caramel) can be distinguished. Most owners admit that sometimes they can give cats sweets, but very little, as a treat. The difficulty is that sweets do not cause instant harm, that is, the cat does not feel bad immediately after eating a piece of ice cream.

Any experienced owner and veterinarian will tell you that chocolate treats are a big mistake. Real chocolate is poison for cats and dogs. For poisoning that leads to liver failure, big dog you need to eat a bar of chocolate (100 gr.), 30–40 gr. is enough for a cat. Naturally, we are not talking about a surrogate treat, but about real chocolate, which contains cocoa and caffeine.

Chocolate warnings are based not only on experience, but also on research. Veterinarians monitored the dynamics of the development of poisoning and the rate of its progression. The collection of anamnesis and autopsy testimonies made it possible to draw unambiguous conclusions - the animals died, poisoned by chocolate.

Even the specialty chocolate treats sold at the pet store are not as harmless as they say on the packaging. As mentioned above, there is no point in such treats, because cats cannot like sweets due to the fact that they do not feel this taste.

The favorite treat of adults, children and cats is ice cream. Seemingly, milk product Shouldn't do any harm, but it's not that simple. Firstly, there is sugar in ice cream, and secondly, the store-bought product hardly contains milk. Even if we take ice cream as an example, which was once produced according to GOST, it included cream and butter - extremely harmful products for a cat's liver. A cat that has received too much sugar suffers from intoxication, in other words, from poisoning.

Another favorite treat is condensed milk. The logic of the owners is similar, albeit sweet, but milk, therefore, cannot be harmful. The warnings are the same: condensed milk contains a lot of sugar, and the store-bought product includes preservatives, flavors, non-natural sweeteners, and exclusively powdered milk. The cat does not taste sweet, powdered milk does not benefit, so is there any point in treating her with such a treat?

What could be more useful than fermented milk products for cats - lovers of milk? Every four-legged feeding guide recommends diluting the cat's diet with yogurt, kefir, fermented baked milk, etc. However, not every guide specifies that the products must be natural and not store-bought. Only in this case can we talk about real benefits.

Against the background of the use of store-bought dairy products with sweeteners, a cat may suffer from chronic conjunctivitis and this is not a coincidence. Many owners did not know how to eliminate bad smell from the ears of a cat, and its cause may also be the use of sugar.

It remains for the owners of sweets to wish patience in the re-education of their wards. Try to balance the diet, take a vitamin course and gradually wean the cat from sugar. If your nervous system cannot withstand the onslaught of begging eyes, offer the cat a piece of dried apricots (raisins by no means) or peanuts. These foods are not healthy for the cat and contain a lot of carbohydrates, but are safer than sugar.

Another safe alternative is special treats (sweets) for animals, which are sold at the pet store. However, be careful, many owners have weaned cats from eating sugar in favor of treats, but they cannot be excluded from the diet. It is important that any supplements to the main diet are strictly rationed.

Before you get a kitten in your home, you need to familiarize yourself with the basic rules for the nutrition of representatives of the cat family.

And immediately the question arises - Will such gastronomic delights hurt them??

The owners of many four-legged households notice that they are very fond of eating sweet treats. But in fact, cats, as befits predators, do not taste sweet. When they eat chocolate, they feel nothing but fats and milk.

In other words, the non-sugar component chocolate bar makes them crush it on both cheeks, and completely different ingredients. The reason is the absence of a certain DNA, which is responsible for the perception of "sweet", because the body of a predator is tuned to more consumption. squirrel, but not Sahara.

Thus, scientists concluded that Is it bad for cats to eat sweets?, because they cannot control the amount of sweet treats eaten, which, even in small quantities, harms the animal's body.

Veterinarians say with confidence that chocolate (primarily contained in it caffeine and theobromine) in large numbers is poison for cats. And even the consumption of this product in small doses threatens to excite the animal, increase blood pressure, and in large doses it can result in the death of a pet.

The second reason why cats should not be given sweets is large amount of carbohydrates. They are deposited in the form of subcutaneous fat, which leads to obesity and related problems.

When the pet is no longer young or his body is weakened by the disease, then even the smallest amount of sweet can lead to poor eyesight, hair loss, allergic reactions, problems with teeth and diseases of the stomach.

When the question arises whether or not to pamper your cat with sweets, be sure to remember that this can lead to diabetes. Such food is poorly absorbed due to insufficient production of insulin, which is necessary for the breakdown of sugar.

Also, do not stuff the animal with sweet yoghurts and glazed cheese curds, citing the fact that these are fermented milk products. Kefir is real fermented milk product, and strawberry yogurt is high in glucose, as well as artificial flavors and preservatives.

What causes excessive consumption of sweets by cats:

1. Aging and death of cells.

2. Insufficiency of oxygen in cells.

3. Exhaustion of capillaries.

4. Poor digestibility of proteins in the body.

The owner of a pet should always remember that a cat is a predator, which, first of all, needs protein - meat. But carbohydrates in the body of a cat should be introduced, where in a smaller amount.

In an effort to please their beloved pets, many owners indulge them with various delicacies. But is it possible for cats to have sweets and will such delicacies harm the health of four-legged pets?

Physiology of animal taste

A picture of a cat licking ice cream or chewing it with pleasure chocolate candies, is comforting. It seems that the sweet tooth shares the owner's gastronomic preferences. In fact, cats, which are essentially carnivorous predators, don't taste sweet at all.

So why do cats love sweets and consume them with great appetite? Animals experience pleasure by sensing the presence of vegetable fats, amino acids and milk protein with their taste buds, but not sugar.

The reason for this perception lies in the absence in animals of the gene that is responsible for the ability to feel sweet - Tas1r2. Predators need large doses of protein. Therefore, in recognizing it, they are great tasters. Sugar is just a by-product of milk and vegetable-based treats, which is absolutely useless for cats.

Moreover, an excess of harmful carbohydrates can lead to serious poisoning. And therefore, the answer to the question of whether it is possible to give cats sweets is unequivocal - no! Serious danger confectionery treats are:

• for pregnant and lactating cats;
• for aging animals;
• for pets suffering from chronic diseases.

Against the background of a weakened immune system, only one candy can provoke the development of allergic reactions in the form of redness and itching of the mucous membrane, increased salivation and visual impairment. Overeating sweets, the animal may feel unwell, suffer from vomiting and diarrhea.

The most harmful sweets

The main enemy of animal health is chocolate. Cocoa beans used for its manufacture contain theobromine alkaloid. This component, along with caffeine, is dangerous for animals. In small doses, it provokes an increase in heart rate and increased pressure, and in significant doses it causes intoxication of the body and death. Knowing about the toxicity of the product, the question of whether cats can have sweets disappears by itself. After all, even a small piece of chocolate by human standards is a serious test for the animal's body.

The main reason why you should not give sweets and condensed milk is the high content of carbohydrates. Domesticated pets do not consume as much energy as their wild relatives. As a result: the carbons consumed in excess are deposited in the form of body fat "in reserve". Moreover, fat is formed not only subcutaneous, but also around the internal organs. This leads to a decrease in their performance.

Ice cream brings no less harm. Cats will eat a dairy product with an appetite, without even realizing the sugar present in it. The body of a four-legged pet is not designed for frequent absorption of glucose.

Cats that eat sweets fall prey to diabetes as their bodies begin to produce excess amount insulin. In addition to this, xylitol, used by manufacturers to sweeten the product, makes its contribution. As a consequence: there are manifestations of diabetes in the form of an increased level of glucose in the urine and blood.

One of the main reasons why cats should not be given any kind of sweets lies in the fact that excessive intake of sugars in the intestines several times reduces the number of protective cells, which negatively affects the animal's immunity.

Sugar in any of its manifestations is like a drug: it is quickly absorbed, saturates with the same speed and is always stored “in reserve”. Accustomed to processing light carbohydrates, the body further experiences difficulties in digesting normal food.

The opinion of the veterinarian on why cats and cats should not be given sweets: video

Is it possible for cats to have sweets, many owners are interested, seeing how their pet with appetite eats cake, chocolate or ice cream, which he was treated to. It is worth noting right away that cats do not feel the taste of sweets, since there are no receptors on their tongue that capture such a taste. Also, the animal lacks a number of enzymes that ensure the digestion of sugars, which is why they only harm their health. The owners need to remember exactly - cats cannot have sweets.

The animal in the sweet is not attracted by the taste, but by the smell or texture. Regarding ice cream, which they are treated to in the heat, everything is quite simple - pets do not need its sweetness, but cold. Also, the cat may like the oils that make up the sweetness. Thus, it is understandable why, in principle, a cat cannot love sweet things, and it is not sugar that is attractive to her at all.

When does a cat need sugar?

In rare cases, a cat needs sugar as a medicine. Such a phenomenon occurs during the recovery period of the animal after a serious illness, when it is exhausted and there is a reduced level of sugar in its blood compared to what it should be in the norm. However, sweet medicine can only be used as prescribed by a veterinarian. The owner of the cat himself should not prescribe such therapy.

In this situation, the cat is fed with a glucose solution or plain sweetened water. In the process of such treatment, strict control of the animal's condition is required in order to stop the sweets in a timely manner. Even when treating an animal, the following sweets are prohibited:

• confectionery;
• sweet dairy products;
• chocolate;
• sweet carbonated drinks (some cats drink them willingly).

In order not to harm your pet, you must strictly follow all the recommendations of the veterinarian. If the cat is not ready to drink sweetened water, it may be forced to drink it. It is also not uncommon to resort to the very easy way and put a dropper with glucose on the pet, which can be not only intravenous, but also subcutaneous.

You can not uncontrollably apply sweet therapy to a cat even when it is old and after it it always gets better. A loving owner should know how to properly maintain an animal, and therefore the management of older cats by a veterinarian is required.

What harms sweetness to cats

The cat gets a lot of harm from eating sweets. For this reason, a loving owner will never test the animal for strength and feed it with sweets, justifying itself with the fact that the cat loves sweets.

Also, sometimes the owners of the animal find improper feeding and such an excuse: “Since the cat eats sweets, it means that it lacks something from what it contains.” Alas, such excuses are needed only so as not to scold yourself for the fact that the cat became seriously ill and, as a result, its age was significantly reduced.

The main dangers posed by giving sweets to a cat is that the animal develops serious diseases.

• Obesity - due to the fact that eating a sweet cat receives a large amount of light carbohydrates, her metabolic processes in the body are disturbed and the absorption of food does not occur correctly. As a result of this, the active formation of fatty deposits begins, and not necessarily subcutaneous, which are visible to the eye. Sweets often cause obesity of the internal organs in a cat, due to which the irreversible pathologies caused by this can be an unpleasant surprise for the owner.
• Diabetes. Cats do not taste sweet and eat excessive amounts of sugar without even noticing it. As a result, the pancreas of the animal receives a monstrous overload and cannot work normally. When sweets are given regularly, inflammation gradually develops and the process of destruction of the tissues of the organ begins. As a result, the normal production of insulin stops, and the cat becomes ill. diabetes. In this condition, the animal requires constant maintenance therapy. The life expectancy of a cat is significantly reduced.
• Blindness. Cats that are regularly given sweets develop it as a result of high blood sugar or even diabetes. The process is irreversible and leads to a drop in the quality of life of the pet.
• Poisoning. It occurs when you give a cat chocolate. It contains the alkaloid theobromine, which in small quantities causes a jump in blood pressure in a cat, an increase in heart rate and strong excitement, and in large doses leads to death. Even mild intoxication, which occurs with a small intake of a substance into the body, is an extremely difficult test that can cause heart disease or disorders in the functioning of the kidneys and liver.
• Urolithiasis disease. It appears mainly with excessive stress on the kidneys. When cats eat sugary foods, they suffer from an overload that is much greater than when they are fed fish frequently. When an animal consumes sweets, the risk that it will develop a KSD is almost the same as when fed economy class dry food.

In addition to all of the above, feeding a cat with sweets also causes such negative consequences.:

• drop in immunity;
• development of allergies;
• early old age;
• increased fragility of blood vessels;
• miscarriages;
• stillborn kittens;
• deformities in kittens.

Thus, the owner who loves his pet does not have the question of why cats should not have sweets. Everyone who gets a cat must learn from the very beginning that sweets for a pet, if it is not prescribed by a doctor, are strictly prohibited. The desire of a pet to eat butter or nuts, which often attract cats, can be safely satisfied by giving them to him in their pure form without sugar.

Heat and not sweet ice cream

In the heat, ice cream is useful for a cat, on the one hand, as it helps her body to cool down, and on the other hand, because of sugar, it causes significant harm to her. In order for the cat to receive only the benefits of the product, you need to prepare ice cream for it yourself, simply by freezing cream, or milk churned with butter.

Sweets and cats are not compatible, and you should not look for an excuse for your unreasonable behavior when an animal is given something that only harms its health. Sweet taste for cats is not of interest.

Undoubtedly, the best treat for a cat, it is a fragrant fried chicken or a baked turkey. But what about traditional sweets for people? Do our furry friends like them?

Let's start with the fact that cats, in principle, cannot taste sweet. They do not have such receptors on the tongue. Here, in humans, everything is completely different: our tongue is divided into several zones, each of which is “responsible” for its own flavor. The same sweetness, for example, we feel with the tip of the tongue. That is why it is so nice when ice cream melts in your mouth, because all the sweetness is concentrated exactly where it is needed ...

But cats are able to distinguish a lot of flavors of meat food. Their world of taste is completely different from the human one. On the sides of the cat's tongue, at its tip and on the lower part, there are more than two hundred and fifty taste buds, each of which will contain from forty to forty thousand receptors.

Cats easily distinguish between sour and bitter tastes, and their tip of the tongue is "responsible" for the recognition of salt. But the taste of sugar for them remains a mystery. A cat can drink sweet water and not feel the trick. However, there is a problem with this - the cat not only does not feel sweet, but is also unable to digest sucrose. In other words, if she overeats sweets, she will feel very bad.

Some cats and cats love yogurt, ice cream, condensed milk and even chocolate. In no case should you spoil them with such products. The fact is that the cat is not attracted by the sweet taste. She just needs amino acids, which are found in large quantities in these products. It is thanks to them that protein is formed in the body of cats.

In addition, in such treats there is a lot of fat, which is also necessary for cats. That's why our tailed pets put their curious little faces in a yogurt cup. Or pounce on a piece of milk chocolate.

Yet sugar is extremely harmful to cats. It not only upsets the entire digestive system, but also causes cavities and other unpleasant diseases in animals. Diabetes is considered one of the worst ailments associated with excess sugar consumption.

And chocolate is toxic to cats. It contains theobromine or methylxanthine, an excess of which can lead to the death of the animal. Moreover, the dosage for each is individual.

Theobromine causes an increase in heart rate, as well as vomiting, diarrhea, and even stomach ulcers. In addition, negatively affecting nervous system, it can lead to convulsions and seizures. Therefore, veterinarians not only do not recommend giving chocolate to cats, but also insist on urgent hospitalization if the animal accidentally ate sweets or chocolate chip cookies.

If you really want to pamper your beloved cat, it is better to buy special cat treats at the pet store. They will please the cat, and leave her digestive system healthy. Or you can cook something delicious yourself, and your kitty will definitely purr you “thank you”.

Better yet, just feed her high quality food. cat food. Then you can certainly be sure that your pet will always be healthy and cheerful.

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