Can cats eat granola: Can Cats Eat Granola? Is It Good For Cats? (Quick Answer)

Can Cats Eat Granola? Is It Good For Cats? (Quick Answer)

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Last Updated on February 21, 2022
by David Fields

In this article, we will explain everything you need to know about cats and granola.

The short answer is that cats can eat granola, but probably should not. If your cat accidentally gets some granola, you should be fine (unless the cereal contains a toxin, such as raisins, in it). However, for the most part, stick to cat food and meat-based food for your little carnivore!

Can Cats Eat Granola?

Cats are natural carnivores–in the wild, they would eat nothing but meat. This means that their digestive system wasn’t made for processing grains and carbohydrates the same way ours is. A cat’s intestine is much shorter than a human’s, and not just because they are smaller creatures.

Granola is mostly made of grains, nuts, and carbohydrates, food items that cats wouldn’t naturally find in the wild. While the animals can digest these occasionally (eating prey with partially digested grains or nuts), a steady diet of grains and carbohydrates will put intense stress on the cat’s pancreas. This could lead to several health issues later on in life.

Essentially, you should probably avoid giving your cat granola. If you have a senior cat or a kitten, avoid any human food or diet changes. Straining a new or old cat’s digestive system is never good for any reason. For a full-grown cat, occasional granola might not hurt, but it probably wouldn’t be entirely wise.

What to Do If Your Cat Ate Too Much Granola

If your cat ate too much granola, there’s no need to panic. Unless it has an active toxin in it or your cat already has pancreas or dietary issues, it will probably only be a few days of discomfort for them. You can feed them regular food, make sure they drink plenty of water and watch for signs of illness.

However, if the granola had raisins or another cat toxin in it, you should contact your vet immediately. Also, if your cat ate more granola than you think its stomach can handle, it’s always better to be safe than sorry. Most veterinarians don’t charge for a simple question over the phone, and you don’t want to regret not asking!

If you have a kitten or a senior cat that got into the granola, you should contact your veterinarian and take your cat in for a checkup as soon as possible. Old and young cats often have more dietary issues because their stomachs are weaker.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Granola Healthy for Animals?

Just because granola is healthy for humans doesn’t mean that it’s good for animals. Because animals, especially cats, were made to hunt an entirely different diet than humans, they have a different digestive system and shouldn’t have what’s in granola.

This goes for most animals; the majority of animals shouldn’t have what humans eat. Unprocessed foods that they were made to eat are much healthier for animals than the processed foods that we make for ourselves.

What is in Granola that a Cat Shouldn’t Have?

The granola recipe varies with each batch, whether it is loose or in a bar. However, several variations are actively toxic for animals. Unprocessed grains are among some of the ingredients that could harm cats if they overeat.

However, some granola has raisins or other dried fruits. Raisins are toxic to cats, dogs, and other household pets and should be avoided at all costs. If your granola has raisins in it, keep it out of reach of your animals.

Granola also has nuts, a form of protein but also of fat and carbohydrates. Too many carbohydrates can wreak havoc on a cat’s digestive system, causing the pancreas to overload and sending the body into shock. After a while, pancreatitis (which involves constant pain) can develop.

Many granola recipes involve some sweetener, which isn’t good for a cat’s body. Because cats were made for eating meat, the presence of sugar or sweetener can cause weight problems, diabetes, and more long-term health issues.

These are only a few of the main ingredients in granola. While it’s okay for your cat to pick up the crumbs from your granola bowls in the morning, it’s not a good thing for them to get used to having their bowl or consuming too much unprocessed grain and sugar.

Can Cats Eat Grains?

Grains are in a lot of granola, but they are also common ingredients in cat foods. So why is breakfast granola frowned upon when grains are in the foods we are feeding our cats? Well, it’s all about how the grains are processed.

Grains in granola are hardly processed, which makes them harder to digest. They’re much closer to how they would be found in the wild. This makes them better for humans because our long digestive systems need fiber to work. Cats, however, require much less fiber than we do.

Grains (usually corn or oats) in cat food, on the other hand, are puffed and processed to the point where they don’t affect a cat’s digestive system. The cat can simply eat them and not have to do the tough work of breaking down the fibers. The cat’s pancreas does less work and doesn’t get as taxed.

Last Updated on February 21, 2022
by David Fields

Table Of Contents

1. Can Cats Eat Granola?
2. What to Do If Your Cat Ate Too Much Granola
3. Frequently Asked Questions

Can Cats Eat Granola? What You Need to Know!

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Reviewed & Fact-Checked By

Dr. Tabitha Henson (Vet)

The information is current and up-to-date in accordance with the latest veterinarian research.

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A granola bar certainly hits the spot when we’re starting to get hungry before lunch and dinner. They’re easy to transport and are a good source of energy for humans. Of course, we often get curious about whether or not human food serves as a good snack for our cats too. While granola bars are excellent sources of energy and nutrition for humans, they are not recommended to give to cats.

A cat’s regular diet should not consist primarily of grains, but are they harmful as a treat? Depending on the ingredients in the granola, you can feed some types of granola to cats without putting them in danger. Still, you have to be very careful about checking the ingredients list. One wrong type of food could have some serious consequences.

Can Cats Eat Granola?

Cats can eat most granola in small amounts without any health risks. However, it should never make up the majority of your cat’s diet. Cats are carnivores and only need meat to survive. They don’t require fruits, veggies, and grains like humans do. We understand that some cats do try to sneak a few bites of human food, and yours might thoroughly enjoy eating granola, but you have to make responsible decisions. This means only feeding them tiny amounts of granola as a treat and picking granola brands that use safe ingredients for cats.

Image Credit: Tatiana Volgutova, Shutterstock

What are the Dangers of Feeding Cats Granola?

The two main ingredients used in granola are rolled oats and puffed rice. Cats are not capable of properly digesting the nutrients found in whole grains. Because granola is not part of a feline’s natural diet, it will take longer for them to digest these types of foods. If you were to only give your cats granola to eat, they would eventually become malnourished, experience diarrhea and constipation, or suffer from obesity.

The Nutritional Value of Granola

Believe it or not, granola isn’t all that rich in nutrients. It’s only when we add fruits and nuts to the mix that it becomes more beneficial to us. When you know that cats already can’t absorb these nutrients, it’s better to avoid feeding them granola altogether.

Granola tends to be high in sugar and carbohydrates and both of these could create some health problems in your cat. Sugar affects a cat’s blood sugar and increases insulin production in their bodies. Carbs can be dangerous for cats because they put a strain on the pancreas, and cats also lack the enzymes required to break the carbs down. In reality, feeding them granola on a regular basis could cause more problems in the long run.

Image Credit: Pixabay

Other Ingredients Found in Granola

Your cat eating granola every once in a while likely won’t cause any harm. It‘s the other ingredients added to granola that you have to be more cautious with.

Dairy

Dairy like milk or yogurt is often added to granola, but cow’s milk is potentially harmful to cats as most are lactose intolerant. This means that they lack the enzyme required to digest milk sugars in their intestines.

Image Credit: Myriams-Fotos, Pixabay

Honey

Honey isn’t technically poisonous to most cats, although there are some mature cats that do not react well to it. Even small amounts of honey could upset your pet’s digestive tract and cause vomiting, upset stomach, diarrhea, and lethargy.

Berries

Some fruits are safe for cats, and others are highly toxic. For example, blueberries and strawberries are safe and high in fiber and water content. On the other hand, grapes, raisins, and plums could have deadly results. This is the perfect example of why you have to be especially careful about the additional ingredients added to granola.

Image Credit: Duplass, Shutterstock

Almonds

Almonds and other nuts are dense in nutrients and omega-3 fatty acids. Even though they are great for humans, your cat might struggle to metabolize these foods.

Final Thoughts

Cats don’t require the variety of foods that humans do. In general, they can eat commercial cat food for every meal and get everything they need to live a long and healthy life. On the other hand, eating the same thing repeatedly could lead to digestive problems and malnutrition.

It makes sense that you’d want to feed your cat the foods that bring you joy and make you feel energized. Unfortunately, cats’ bodies don’t work the same as ours. If your cat got into some granola, you likely don’t have to panic and assume that they’re going to get sick, but even though it is technically safe for cats to eat plain granola, it isn’t recommended.

Related Reads:

• Can Cats Eat Dates? What You Need to Know!

• Can Cats Eat Beets? What You Need to Know!

Featured Image Credit: Silviarita, Pixabay

Foods that are harmful to cats – British Cat Blog

It’s no secret that cats, our favorite pets, are carnivores by nature. The teeth and intestines of cats are designed in such a way that they eat only meat.

For the only vegetable food that cats eat in the wild is found in the intestines of their prey, with the exception of grass, which they occasionally chew for medicinal purposes.

Due to the fact that any harmful substances contained in plants are usually destroyed in the liver of prey cats (rodents and birds), this function of the liver was not developed in cats.

The most important intermediate organ of metabolism, the cat’s liver works in such a way that it is not able to quickly process some toxic substances. Therefore, cats are extremely prone to food poisoning that other species of animals can eat without harmful effects on the body.

Domestic cats are often more adventurous in their tastes than their country counterparts and will try different vegetables and fruits and other foods in the house.

To avoid dangerous consequences for the health of the animal, it is necessary to know what “human food” poses a threat to the life of a cat.

Some of the foods listed below are poisonous to cats even in small amounts, while others will not cause illness unless they are eaten repeatedly or in large quantities.

Alcohol

Cats can get drunk even after licking the rest of the wine sauce off the meat. While a single incident will not cause long-term effects, large amounts or repeated use of alcohol will cause liver damage. Like any other poisoning or gastrointestinal irritation, alcohol poisoning will lead to breathing difficulties, coma, and death.

Chocolate, Cocoa

Chocolate contains theobromine, a substance very toxic to cats. Theobromine increases the heart rate, causes arrhythmia and has a diuretic effect. A small amount of chocolate eaten initially leads to hyperactivity, neurological syndromes (disorientation in space, etc.) and causes thirst in cats. After a few hours, vomiting and diarrhea may begin. A large amount of theobromine leads to a heart attack within 24 hours.

The average lethal dose of theobromine concentration in the body of a cat is 200 mg/kg.

Cocoa powder, chocolate used in desserts, and premium chocolate are the most toxic because of the high percentage of theobromine.

Coffee and Tea

Coffee grounds, coffee beans and tea contain caffeine, a strong stimulant of brain and physical activity. While some cats enjoy drinking milk tea and coffee, this is not safe. Caffeine always leads to hyperactivity, and in large doses – to diseases of the cardiovascular and nervous systems.

Hops

Causes an increase in body temperature in cats, increases the heartbeat, leads to seizures. In this regard, dishes in the preparation of which beer was used, and beer itself, should not be given to cats under any circumstances.

Vegetables

Avocados . All parts of the avocado contain a toxin known as persin. It causes gastrointestinal irritation, vomiting, diarrhea, breathing problems, fluid accumulation around heart tissues, and even death. Cats may be attracted to the oily texture of avocados, but they should never eat them.

Broccoli. Harmful in large doses due to the content of isothiocyanates toxic to the cat’s body. It is unlikely that someone will feed a cat so much broccoli to cause illness. In small quantities, broccoli contains healthy bioflavonoids, so you can give this type of cabbage occasionally 1-2 times a month.

Onion and Garlic. All onions contain N-propyl disulphide, which destroys red blood cells in cats, causing hemolytic anemia. Onions are poisonous in any form: raw, dried, powdered or cooked. Prepared food containing onions or onion powder should not be given to pets as a treat.

Garlic contains a similar toxic substance in smaller amounts. In some countries, owners add small amounts of garlic to pet food on the grounds that garlic is good for humans. It must not be forgotten, however, that the different functioning of the liver in cats, often makes human food unacceptable to cats.

Onion poisoning leads to hemolytic anemia, in which red blood cells rupture and circulate freely in her body. The first symptoms appear a few days after onion intake: vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite and lethargy. Onion poisoning can be fatal after a single meal containing a large amount of onion relative to the body weight of the animal or several repeated meals containing a small amount of onion.

Rhubarb . Rhubarb leaves contain oxalates and ingestion of this plant by a cat can cause oxalic acid poisoning and consequent kidney failure. Cooked rhubarb stalk is safe to eat but has a strong laxative effect and can cause indigestion, intestinal discomfort, and diarrhea.

Tomatoes . Tomatoes, like all plants in the Solanaceae family, contain a bitter, poisonous alkaloid called glycoalkaloid solanine, which can cause severe gastrointestinal pain. In general, cats do not tend to eat tomatoes, but fatal cases have been reported in cats after eating one small cherry tomato fruit. Poisonous for cats are not only ripe fruits, but also green tomatoes, leaves and stems. During cooking, the toxins are destroyed, and tomato juice in jars with sardines or other fish will be safe. The same applies to eggplant.

Potatoes . Like tomatoes, potatoes are nightshade and contain the same alkaloid – glycoalkaloid solanine. Raw or green potatoes and potato peels are poison for cats.

Potato leaves – Contains oxalates which can damage the digestive, nervous and urinary systems. This is a more common problem with farm animals.

Cooked potatoes are safe for the cat, but absolutely useless, since the starch is not digested by the cat’s intestines.

Manufacturers of some super premium foods do not comment on why they contain potatoes.

Legumes (soybeans, peas, beans). Not absorbed by the cat’s body, lead to bloating and fermentation in the intestines.

Fruits

Fruit seeds and stones : pears, apples, apricots, plums, peaches, nectarines. Seeds of pear, apple and kernels of drupes (plums, peaches, nectarines, apricots and other fruits) contain glycosides. Apple seeds contain up to 0.6% amygdalin glycoside (hydrocyanic acid). Glycosides interfere with the ability of the blood to release oxygen to tissues and lead to suffocation.

Grapes and Raisins . Grapes and raisins have not been confirmed to be toxic to cats, but they are known to be poisonous to dogs. The American Center for Animal Poison Control (ASPCA) advises against giving grapes or raisins to cats or dogs in any quantity, which means not giving your breakfast cereal or fruit pie, even if the cat is begging.

Citrus fruits (lemons, oranges), and to them: kiwi, pineapples. They induce vomiting.

Persimmon . Persimmon seeds can cause intestinal blockages and enteritis.

Nuts

Most nuts are dangerous for cats due to their high content of phosphorus, the excess of which in the body is highly undesirable. Walnuts and macadamia nuts are particularly toxic to cats. Macadamia nuts contain an unknown toxin that can damage the digestive and nervous systems, as well as muscles.

Mushrooms

May contain toxins that affect various systems in the body, leading to toxic shock and death.

Milk

Milk is harmful to cats. Milk is a baby food and is not a natural food for adult cats. Cow’s milk contains lactose, which many cats cannot digest. Drinking milk leads to indigestion, diarrhea and intestinal discomfort. The higher the fat content of the milk, the less lactose it contains, so a small amount of cream may be safe for the cat. Other alternatives are condensed milk (high temperatures change the composition), lactose-free milk, and goat and sheep milk.

Cats that have a balanced diet and water don’t really need milk and it’s best that you don’t get into the habit of giving your cat milk.

Raw eggs

Raw eggs contain an enzyme called avidin, which in excess can cause biotin (vitamin B) deficiency leading to skin and coat problems in cats. It is unlikely that cats will eat dangerous amounts of avidin themselves unless you give them raw eggs every day. Poor quality eggs may also carry the risk of salmonella contamination.

Fish

Regular feeding of raw fish to the cat leads to a deficiency of thiamine (vitamin B1) due to the thiaminase enzymes contained in fish, which is manifested by loss of appetite, manifestations of nervous disorders (dizziness, convulsions, tremors) and in severe cases to death. Only the rare occasional treat of raw fish is entirely acceptable. During the preparation of fish, thiaminases are destroyed, however, the threat does not completely disappear. So laboratory studies have shown a causal relationship between feeding fish and K-avitaminosis in cats and the associated reduced blood clotting in animals. In this case, a fatal outcome is also possible – internal hemorrhage in the liver and gastrointestinal tract. Fatty fish in any form, rich in unstabilized polyunsaturated fats, can also cause pansteatitis (inflammation of subcutaneous fat cells) in cats. Signs of pansteatitis are peeling of the skin, greasy hair and painful reactions to pressure on the skin (the cat is not given in the hands). In addition, fish caught in river and sea waters polluted by industrial waste may contain toxic substances in the body: pesticides, herbicides and heavy metals (lead, mercury, cadmium).

Meat

Pork . Many veterinarians advise against giving pork to cats. However, in fact, pork products are often used in cat food under the label “offal of meat origin”. Raw and undercooked pork can certainly be a source of tapeworm. And from frequent feeding of cooked pork, cats can develop pancreatitis, cirrhosis of the liver and chronic kidney failure.

Meat, chicken and fish bones . May get stuck in the throat, scratch the esophagus, or cause intestinal ruptures.

Fatty meat trimmings, lard . May cause pancreatitis.

Liver. Contains many biologically active substances, which leads to disruption of metabolic processes. Raw liver can cause indigestion, while overcooked liver can cause constipation.

Frequent liver feeding will lead to an excess of vitamin A in the body, the toxic effects of which are manifested by nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, bone deformity and muscle pain. It is possible to give liver to cats, only in small quantities 1-2 times a month.

Poultry meat: goose, duck . Raw leads to infection with worms, in some cases to dangerous infectious diseases, which leads to the death of the animal. Such meat is very fatty and poorly absorbed by the cat’s body.

Yeast dough

Yeast dough can cause bloating and indigestion.

Bread and pasta

Food rich in carbohydrates, eaten in large quantities, leads to flatulence and intestinal colic in cats.

Spoiled food

Spoiled food contains harmful bacteria and their decomposition products. Mold on food can also contain toxins. If the cat is not very hungry, she will avoid stale or spoiled food in every possible way. If a cat does eat spoiled food, then most likely it will have a protective emetic reaction.

Prepared foods and baby food

If you are going to give a prepared product to a cat, be sure to read the list of ingredients on the packaging. In addition to products that are dangerous for a cat, such as onion powder, preservatives may be contained in ready-made food. Many of the preservatives found in human canned food are extremely dangerous to cats.

Salt

Eaten in large quantities leads to electrolytic imbalance.

Sugar

Disrupts metabolism, weakens the immune system, leads to overweight, dental problems, dull coat and diabetes.

Fatty, spicy, salty, smoked, spicy, fried

Causes gastrointestinal upset, disrupts metabolism. When feeding food from a human table, the animal looks bad, chronic diseases appear. Excess salt, spices, preservatives can lead to diseases of the stomach, liver, kidneys, and digestive disorders.

Dog food

Safe for casual use. But with frequent feeding, it can cause malnutrition and negatively affect the heart.

Iron Human Vitamins

May damage the lining of the digestive system and be toxic to other organs, including the liver and kidneys.

Tobacco

Contains nicotine, which affects the digestive and nervous systems. May cause palpitations, fainting, coma and death.

Even if a cat has a special addiction to food alien to her body, in order to avoid sad consequences, it is not worth indulging her in this.

Is it possible to give cats pumpkin

Curious cats want to try everything! If your beloved furry friend is interested in pumpkin muesli, which the owner adds to his yogurt in the morning, or seasonal pastries, do not worry. Pumpkin is safe for cats. But there are a few things to keep in mind to feed this popular vegetable safely to your pet.

Can cats eat pumpkin?

Sweet slices of pumpkin pie, pumpkin latte or pumpkin spiced bars are very tasty for humans, but they will do little good for a cat. The body of pets is able to digest pumpkin, but excess sugar, fats and spices contained in pumpkin desserts and drinks are harmful to them.

The Pet Poisons Helpline explains that if a beloved four-legged friend reaches a jar of ground cinnamon or licks some essential oil or cinnamon extract from a bottle, they may develop any of the following symptoms:

• vomiting;
• diarrhea;
• low blood sugar;
• irritation in the mouth and lungs;
• heart or liver problems.

The same can be said about nutmeg, ginger, cloves and allspice. These spices are best kept away from the cat.

Can cats be given pumpkin? Yes. An ordinary boiled pumpkin will be a safe treat for pets. It can be purchased canned or baked in the oven.

If the owner prefers canned food, it is important to make sure there are no spices in the jar. You should choose canned pumpkin without additives, which is usually harvested in its own juice.

Health benefits

Vegetables are good for both humans and cats. According to the Minnesota Emergency and Animal Welfare Center, pumpkin is high in fiber, water, potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and high in minerals and vitamins, including A, C, and K. In addition, this orange vegetable is low in calories.

The fiber contained in pumpkin can not only reduce excess moisture in the cat’s digestive tract, but also increase the volume of stools, relieving her of diarrhea. The moisture in this vegetable also helps in case of constipation. However, it is important not to forget about moderation and portion control, since excessive consumption of pumpkin can lead to loose stools.

Balanced Diet

If your cat loves this colorful vegetable, remember to offer it as a treat, not a main course. You can freeze pumpkin pulp in small ice cube trays to treat your cat with a cool snack periodically. Then it is important to carefully monitor the pet.