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Do Cats Like Peanut Butter? Is it Healthy for Them?

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Imagine this situation—you find yourself with a jar of Skippy Natural peanut butter and a spoon. Your cat stares at you as you enjoy the tasty treat. Should you give her some? Do cats like peanut butter?

The love affair between dogs and peanut butter is well documented. But have you ever wondered if our feline friends are attracted to this sweet treat? This article tries to uncover any connection at all between cats and the well-loved food paste.

Cats and Peanut Butter

So, for the question in hand– do cats like peanut butter?

Any cat lover knows how finicky our furry friends can be when it comes to their diet. They’re very particular with the food they eat.

That said, cats aren’t really attracted to peanut butter in the same way that they don’t like cheese. As such, don’t be surprised if your pet ignores the teaspoon of peanut butter that you offer her.

Moreover, peanut butter lacks the amino acids that cats normally get from animal-based protein sources like mice and birds.

Is Peanut Butter Safe for Cats?

Via: http://cancatseat.com/can-cats-eat-peanut-butter/

While cats are likely to say no to a spoonful of peanut butter, this doesn’t mean that this tasty treat is not safe for them to ingest.

In fact, peanut butter is not included in the list of the toxic foods by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA).

However, be aware that the presence of a certain ingredient in peanut butter could make the treat toxic to pets. The sugar substitute called Xylitol is present in some peanut butter brands. It has also been found poisonous for dogs and cats.

Thus, in case your cat appears to be interested in the peanut butter you’re eating, check the ingredient list first and see to it that it doesn’t contain Xylitol before you give it to your pet.

Can Cats Be Allergic to Peanut Butter?

Aside from the potential toxicity posed by peanut butter containing Xylitol, your cat may also be exposed to allergy triggered by peanut butter consumption.

Some of the tell-tale signs that your cat is allergic to this sweet treat are swelling, itching, and sneezing.

If you offered peanut butter to your cat and she surprisingly ate it, look out for signs of vomiting or diarrhea. It is not uncommon for cats to suffer from these conditions when they eat peanut butter. This can be attributed to their inability to digest the food.

Once your cat exhibits signs of diarrhea after eating peanut butter, you should immediately give her diarrhea medication such as Probiotics for Cats.

You should also avoid feeding her anything for the next 12 hours. Vets also recommend giving cats suffering from diarrhea with a mixture of cooked beef and rice.

If the symptoms continue, then you should bring her to the doctor.

How Often Should You Feed Her with Peanut Butter?

But what if your cat exhibited a fondness for peanut butter? And she looks fine after consuming the treat? Should you give more peanut butter?

Most veterinarians say that peanut butter should be considered as a treat, and not a regular part of a cat’s diet. Half a teaspoon of peanut butter once a week should be enough to satisfy your cat’s cravings.

Keep in mind, too, that peanut butter is rich in fat. Thus, regularly feeding your cat with this tasty treat can lead to obesity. There’s also the possibility that your cat can develop diabetes due to regular feeding of peanut butter.

Speaking of veterinarians, do you know that they aren’t really high on peanut butter being fed to their feline pets?

In an online survey participated in by veterinarians, the said tasty treat ranked just 12th in a list of human foods that veterinary professionals would give to their cats.

In contrast, peanut butter for dogs appears to be more accepted among vets. In another survey of veterinary professionals, peanut butter was the fourth most popular human food for canines.

Health Benefits of Eating Peanut Butter for Cats?

There have been claims that peanut butter can have some positive effects on the health of cats.

It is said that peanut butter is rich in vitamin A which can help boost a cat’s immune system, and prevent her from getting sick.

Peanut butter is also claimed to be rich in Vitamin E and other minerals that can protect their heart.

Others say that peanut butter can make a cat’s fur thicker and shinier.

But are these claims true?

Unfortunately, there is no scientific evidence that back up any of these claims. The truth is that there are no proven health benefits of peanut butter to cats.

Conclusion

While peanut butter is generally considered safe for cats, the truth is that our feline friends aren’t really fond of this tasty treat.

6 thoughts on “Do Cats Like Peanut Butter? Is it Healthy for Them?”

  1. Geeze, I can’t eat a pb sandwich without sharing – my cat will climb up on me and literally try to take it out of my mouth. She’s obsessed.
    Also likes sunflower seeds, but not with the same intensity.

    Reply
  2. Geeze, I can’t eat a pb sandwich without sharing – my cat will climb up on me and literally try to take it out of my mouth. She’s obsessed.
    Also likes sunflower seeds, but not with the same intensity.

    Reply
  3. My 12 year old orange tabby, Chester absolutely LOVES peanut butter. Especially, when I combine it with my chocolate whey isolate protein into what I call “paste.” It is his favorite treat by far. No clue why and I don’t feed it to him very often or in large quantities, but it’s very interesting. Btw, he once weighed a beefy 22 lbs, but I’ve got him down to 17 lbs currently. Anyway, just thought I’d share as I’ve had many cats and never one like him who craves peanut butter. Lol.

    Reply
  4. My 12 year old orange tabby, Chester absolutely LOVES peanut butter. Especially, when I combine it with my chocolate whey isolate protein into what I call “paste.” It is his favorite treat by far. No clue why and I don’t feed it to him very often or in large quantities, but it’s very interesting. Btw, he once weighed a beefy 22 lbs, but I’ve got him down to 17 lbs currently. Anyway, just thought I’d share as I’ve had many cats and never one like him who craves peanut butter. Lol.

    Reply
  5. One of my fur babies loves all nuts and nut butters. She will not eat wet cat food or even tuna out of a can but let me sit and eat anything with nuts in it and she is climbing all over frantically trying to get a taste… to the extreme of trying to lick in my mouth while I’m trying to hold the food away and laughing… she is obsessed, and obnoxious when it comes to nuts. She doesn’t get much but there is no way short of not buying any product with nuts of not giving her a taste.

    Reply
  6. One of my fur babies loves all nuts and nut butters. She will not eat wet cat food or even tuna out of a can but let me sit and eat anything with nuts in it and she is climbing all over frantically trying to get a taste… to the extreme of trying to lick in my mouth while I’m trying to hold the food away and laughing… she is obsessed, and obnoxious when it comes to nuts. She doesn’t get much but there is no way short of not buying any product with nuts of not giving her a taste.

    Reply

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