While edible corn is often used as a filler ingredient in commercially available cat foods , should you consider nitty-gritty from the cob part of your cat ’s veritable diet ?
A new ear of edible corn is a audacious , readily useable food for thought origin for humans that ’s super leisurely to pair with just about anything else for a quick , satisfying repast year - round . But if you ’re thinking your feline booster would appreciate a few nub as a collation , take this before you give them a nibble .
Can Cats Eat Corn Safely?
Absolutely . In fact , not only can your quat use up corn , your cat probably already is eating corn . Due to its ready availability and practiced fiber content , corn whiskey and cornmeal is a very rough-cut filler ingredient in many commercially available pet foods and snacks .
However , the material question here should n’t be whether catscaneat Zea mays , but if theyshouldeat it . While Zea mays certainly wo n’t harm your cat ( and in fact , some cats may really enjoy the sweet mouthful of corn sum as a treat ! ) it ’s not really doing that much else for them in terms of nutritionary value .
Cats areobligate carnivores , so their bodies are really place up to sue meat protein most efficiently . This means that , while Indian corn will provide some minor nutritional welfare in group B vitamins and fibre , it is going to mostly play as a vacuous filler in their stomachs , which can cause them to eat less .
Photo: Grizanda / Shutterstock
" Filler snacks ( like corn ) are n’t live to be the good options , " says Kaci Angelone , DVM , MS from Denver , Colo. " I always urge something meat - based . Dehydrated poulet breast , liver , Salmon River — these are all goodish pick . "
So if you ’re go to give your quat a few kernels as a snack ( or if they slip a match while you ’re cooking ) , just verify it ’s find in moderation , and be mindful of how you ’re serve it to them .
What Kind of Corn Snacks Are Best for Cats?
After moderateness , the next most crucial thing to think of about giving corn whiskey to your cat is the more patently you set up it , the expert . For many corn products , the upshot is n’t the amount of corn , it ’s everything else that comes with it . You ’ll want to ascertain out for extra ingredients like Strategic Arms Limitation Talks , milk , and butter .
Sweet Corn
Grilled or boiled and removed from the cob , this is hold out to be the sound option for your big cat . It will still retain most of the corn ’s nutritional value and , when break to them unembellished , sweet corn will be tasty without causing them digestive distress .
Corn Chips
These should plausibly be a hard ' no ' for your kitty ’s snack sitting . At their very best , Zea mays chips tend to have a fate of redundant salt added . At their worst , they ’re covered in Malva sylvestris , spice , and preservatives that can be harmful for cat .
Popcorn
A Light Within , tasty treat for humans , apparent popcorn does n’t really profit your kat nutritionally . And if it ’s covered in butter or flavourer , Zea mays everta can cause issues likevomitinganddiarrhea , Angelone says .
Tortillas and Cornbread
dough of just about any form should get pass away over as kitty treats , usually because they ’re so innocent of any nutritionary time value for cat and they take up alotof room in small stomachs . The same matter can be say for polenta and Indian meal , which add nothing to the tabular array nutritionally , and can expand to take up a fortune of room once eaten .
What Other Foods Can Cats Eat?
While corn whiskey might not be the absolute best choice , there are some other human fruit and vegetables that are safe for cats in moderation . However , the best agency to allow your cat with the nutrients he require is to keep them on a balanced diet with especially formulated cat food . Butthere are a few homo treatsthat can be an OK collation for your hefty cat now and then .
On the flip side , several food that can be potentially toxic for cats include the followers :
