Can cats eat potato chips? Potato chips are a staple food for humans in every part of the world, and asking, can cats eat potato chips? is a must for responsible pet parents.
According to vets and experts, cats cannot eat potato chips, but you can share a bite or two once in a blue moon.
Cats are carnivores, and potatoes do not provide them with taurine and essential amino acids to perform daily functions. If you use cat food with potato as an ingredient, this filer doesn’t give any nutritional value to the cat.
Read along to know the harms that potato chips can bring to the health and life of your furball.
Why Can Cats not Eat Potato Chips?
Can cats eat potato chips? The answer to the question is a big no. But if you find yourself vulnerable before, those big glittering eyes share only a single bite. Giving potato chips more than this amount will result in the following health issues:
1. Salt Poisoning Can Result In Brain Damage
Potato chips are loaded with salt; no matter how well you prepare them, the chips are impossible to make without adding salt. This amount of sodium is hazardous for felines in various ways.
Sodium can increase blood pressure, or the change in their blood chemistry will affect their nervous system.
Salt poisoning can result in brain damage and fits. Your furball may suffer permanent damage or compromised quality of life by eating sodium-infused potato chips.
2. Saturated Fat Can Disrupt The Gut Flora Of Your Furball
Cats need unsaturated fat, and when you ask can cats eat potato chips, the most problematic thing in the answer is this saturated fat.
Cats cannot survive the physical trauma of fat and oil. The worst thing about the oil is that it increases the number of harmful gut bacteria.
The feline gut flora gets disturbed, and your furball can suffer from prolonged diarrhea and vomiting.
Giving your cat potato chips will result in dehydration, weakness, and lethargy for your pet. If you see that your cat is showing withdrawal from food and spending more time alone, take your cat to the vet right away.
3. Potato chips Don’t Offer Nutritional Value to Felines
This point is enough to answer your question, can cats eat potato chips and make you stop sharing this food with them.
We boil potatoes and then put them in icy water; these two steps are enough to deprive potatoes of all the good nutrition.
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 Sugar?
After that, the deep fry will destroy the leftover goodness; the carbs, sugar, and dietary fiber are the least required things that potato chips offer.
You are giving nothing to your cat in terms of nutrients when you share potato chips with your furry friend.
4. The High Carb Food Can Result In Obesity
Cats do not need carbohydrates in their food. You must provide essential amino acids for their health and enhanced life expectancy.
Even if you use potato chips as a staple food, it will increase the fat in their body by shoving the carbs under their skin.
The cat will gain weight dramatically, and within months, you will have an obese kitty. Obesity is the mother of various diseases like diabetes and heart and kidney issues.
If you want to save your kitty from this problem, avoid giving potato chips to your furry friend.
5. Potato chips Overfeeding Can Result In Kidney Failure And Liver Issues
The high-carb food can increase the blood pressure and change the blood chemistry of your feline.
It will put extra pressure on their liver and kidneys. The kidney can synthesize vitamin C, resulting in UTIs and kidney stones.
The liver issues are far more complicated, and you don’t realize the problems until the substantial damage has already been caused.
You need to avoid giving potato chips to your cat for their enhanced life expectancy. A bite or two is not a bad thing for the feline.
But if you do not follow vet reconditions, you will reduce the life expectancy of your pet for more than three to five years.
Conclusion – Can Cats Eat Potato Chips?
Adding potato chips to the diet will increase carbs consumption, and your feline will suffer more.
The answer to the question, can cats eat potato chips? is a no, and you should avoid giving your feline homemade chips, store-bought chips, and fries.
The store-bought chips are more hazardous because of the presence of preservatives. These chemicals are fatal for your feline, and you should consult your vet immediately if your cat has eaten these chips accidentally.
