Can cats eat chocolate ice cream? Chocolate ice cream is liked by many of us, whatever the weather is. But what if you have introduced your furry friend to chocolate ice cream? Have you ever thought, Can cats eat chocolate ice cream? Is it safe for them?
Unfortunately, the answer is no. Some flavoring can be pretty toxic to felines. Besides, sugar is not suitable for them at all. Caffeine and theobromine make chocolate harmful to cats. Also, some cats are lactose intolerant, and chocolate ice cream is not a good choice.
There are a lot of things that you need to know about, Can cats eat chocolate ice cream? So, let’s start it.
Why Do Cats Like Ice Cream?
Can cats eat chocolate ice cream? Why do they like ice cream? Unlike humans, felines are not attracted to ice cream because of sugar or the sweet taste. The proteins that aid in detecting sweet taste is absent in cats.
They like the whole fatty milk that makes the ice cream. Cats find those foods rich in fat, milk, and cream attractive. Therefore, ice cream might be their favorite.
Is Chocolate Ice Cream Bad For Cats?
Let us answer this question: Can cats eat chocolate ice cream? Is it bad for our felines? No doubt it is.
Here are some basic ingredients of chocolate ice cream:
- Cocoa Powder
- Eggs
- Whipped Cream
- Vanilla
- Sugar
Well, the main ingredient of chocolate ice cream is cocoa powder. However, it consists of harmful substances like caffeine and theobromine. When it comes to eggs, they aren’t dangerous to cats, but they might attract them to the ice cream.
Whipped cream is somewhat safe for felines; however, because of it, cats find ice cream attractive. In addition, your adult cats are lactose intolerant. So, they might suffer from diarrhea after consuming milk or cream.
Regarding sugar, a small amount is okay to consume. But keep in mind that your pets are obligate carnivores. An excessive amount of sugar can make them obese as well.
Why Shouldn’t Cats Consume Chocolate Ice Cream?
Can cats eat chocolate ice cream? No, they shouldn’t. That’s because there are some toxic ingredients found in chocolate. These ingredients might harm your pet.
Here are some other reasons that make chocolate ice cream unfavorable to cats:
Adult Cats and Lactose Intolerance
Many of your adult cats are lactose intolerant, making them seem lethargic. Additionally, consuming ice cream or other dairy products can lead to diarrhea in felines. But if you observe a severe reaction in your pet after consuming chocolate ice cream, call your vet immediately.
Food for Cats: Did You Know?
Felines are not actually picky eaters as one might think. Therefore, we have looked at several different foods and tell you if it’s safe for your cat to eat or not. Like this one: Can Cats Eat Smoked salmon?
Sugar and Artificial Sweeteners
In the case of felines, their systems are not made to process sugar-rich foods. Alongside, cats can’t taste sweetness in food as they lack taste receptors related to sweetness.
If your pet is already obese and has diabetes, feeding more sugar is the worst thing to do. Also, sugar doesn’t provide any nutrition to felines; they don’t need many calories in a day like humans. Artificial sweeteners are also poisonous to cats as they can’t digest them well.
Cats Can Get Brain Freeze
Chocolate ice cream can cause brain freeze in cats. It results in constriction of the blood flow toward the brain. Therefore, your cat might experience discomfort and intense pain that they can’t communicate.
Other Alternative To Chocolate Ice Cream
Instead of chocolate ice cream, you can offer some other alternatives to your pet. These include:
Cat-Specific Ice Cream
Cat ice cream and frozen treats are getting more common nowadays. Some of them look like vanilla ice cream and also have some vanilla taste but are nutritious. While some taste like chicken, fish, and other cat food.
It’s better always to serve them in small amounts, even if these cat treats aren’t truly frozen. That’s because you don’t want your cat to get brain freeze.
Ice Cubes
One way to keep your pets hydrated is to feed them ice cubes. Licking ice cubes also seems interesting to cats. You can offer them a huge ice cube in a tray or add some to their water bowl.
In addition, you can also offer felines these treats:
- Ice cubes with cat-nip
- Frozen, unseasoned bone broth
- Ice cubes containing suspended kibble or cat treats
Final Thoughts
Can cats eat chocolate ice cream? No, they shouldn’t. Chocolate ice cream contains some toxic compounds that are harmful to cats. Most adult cats are lactose intolerant and might suffer from diarrhea.
Being carnivores, felines don’t need chocolate ice cream to fulfill their nutritional requirements. Ice cubes and frozen treats are some good alternatives to chocolate ice cream for felines.
