Updated: August 4, 2022 by Kristen Chapple
A bowl of cereal has become a common breakfast for most people, because – let’s admit it – it’s super easy and fast to prepare, so when we’re in a rush to get to work, it’s a very convenient and delicious morning meal to have. And since many of us own cats, we might assume that it’s ok to share some of it with our little feline friends. But is it? Can cats eat cereal?
While cats may not say no to a tiny bowl of cereals put in front of them, that doesn’t mean it’s a safe food for them to have. Let’s take a closer look to the matter and find out if cats can eat cereal without any risks.
Can Cats Eat Cereal
You may read the claims on any cereal box, but that doesn’t mean you should believe them. While cereals are a fast and tasty snack, and some of them even resemble dry cat food, they aren’t as healthy as those claims suggest. Especially for cats. Most of the ingredients they’ve got are of no use to a cat, which means that your little furry friend won’t get any nourishment from them. Even worse than that, cereals might pose some dangers to a cat’s system through the added sugars, grains and carbohydrates.
You should keep in mind that a cat’s digestive system is very different to our own. Cats are predatory by nature, which means they are carnivore creatures, so their stomachs evolved to process only what comes from a meat body running away from them. We bet that you haven’t yet seen a cat in a field of wheat or corn eating grains by herself.
So the answer is a healthy, recommended NO.
What about granola, which is less processed and has less added sugar than your usual breakfast cereal? Read our lowdown on granola here.
The Risks
Let’s find out more about the risks concerning feeding cereals to cats. While they are not poisonous, and though most cats don’t have a sweet tooth, there are still chances they will eat them if fed, and there are some health risks.
The Sugar
Almost all cereals on the market today contain a lot of processed and refined sugar, which is not the sugar found in the natural environment. Even more, a cat’s digestive system is not as prepared as ours to process sugar, so feeding cereal to cats might lead to them becoming obese and even getting diabetes.
The Fiber
As we mentioned earlier, cats are carnivore creatures, therefore they don’t need grains and the fibers contained in them. They simply function on meat and animal proteins and their digestive systems cannot process the fibers that most cereals consist of.
The fibers and carbohydrates, if consumed in large amounts, can even cause chronic urinary tract infections in cats.
So, in conclusion, keep in mind that cereals will offer zero nutritional benefits to cats while exposing them to some health risks, so it’s better to stick to cat food for your little furry friend.
