It's natural to want to share some of your food with your cat, especially when the food in question is something like a hot dog. After all, cats are meat eaters, and given the chance, they will even hunt small animals. However, that doesn't mean that it's actually OK to give your cats hot dogs, or even pieces of them.
Can Cats Eat Hot Dogs?
Cats technically "can" eat pretty much any food item that isn't poisonous to them. However, they shouldn't eat hot dogs. That's because a hot dog is a highly processed food, and cats' digestive systems aren't set up to deal with that sort of thing.
Hot dogs are also generally unhealthy. They're typically full of sodium, fat, and preservatives. Not only that, they're often made up of a variety of meats, and this is also a feature that cats' digestive systems aren't set up to deal with.
What Are the Risks of Feeding Cats Hot Dogs?
The risks of feeding hot dogs to cats come from the ingredients in this form of processed meat. There is enough sodium in some brands that your cat can actually become dehydrated from eating them! If the cat is regularly fed such high-sodium foods, further problems can arise. These include sodium-ion poisoning, high blood pressure, seizures, nausea, vomiting, anxiety, depression, and more.
Hot dogs contribute to obesity in cats thanks to their high fat content. While a human can eat a relatively large amount of franks without getting fat, it doesn't take nearly as many for a cat to pile on some pounds. Since cats are normally relatively light animals, "some pounds" add up to obesity very quickly.
Preservatives are also hazardous to cats. Hot dogs have plenty of them in order to give them long shelf lives. Unfortunately for felines, their digestive systems don't handle nitrates, nitrites, and other preservatives nearly as well as we do. These chemicals are said to be twice as toxic to four-legged pets as they are for us.
What Should I Do If My Cat Accidentally Ate a Hot Dog?
If your cat manages to get and chow down a hot dog, watch the animal for the next two days. Look out for vomiting, diarrhea, and decreased appetite. If any of these signs arise, contact your cat's usual veterinarian.
Note that it's normal for the cat to be full if he or she has just eaten the hot dog; after all, it's food – just unhealthy food. If appetite does not return by the second day, however, there might be a problem.
Some note that in a one-off case like this, the biggest problem is unlikely to be the hot dog. Instead, it's how the cat got hold of it. Usually, cats get unauthorized food by going on the counter. Going there puts the cat at risk of contacting sharp knives, hot stoves, and other dangerous objects. Therefore, efforts should be made to discourage your pet from going up there.
What Meats Can I Safely Share With My Cat?
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they have to eat meat. There are many meaty treats that are perfectly safe for household felines. Freeze-dried shrimp, freeze-dried chicken, and similar cat treats are fine for your cat. You can also feed freshly-cooked chicken, turkey, tuna, and similar fare. The main key is that the meat should not be highly processed, nor should it be laden with salt, fat, or preservatives.
For more advice on feeding your cat, or to find out what to do if he or she has eaten something that might be unhealthy, contact us to set up an appointment here in Junction City, KS.