Updated: August 11, 2022 by Kristen Chapple
New cat parents are sometimes too eager to please their furballs. There’s nothing wrong with that attitude, but if you aren’t well informed and careful, it can lead to serious consequences. Your cat has very different nutritive needs and digestive system than you do. And that’s why cats can’t eat lasagna, among many other things.
Garfield disapproves of this article, I know. But it’s the painful truth, and there’s no easy way to say it.
Why You Shouldn’t Feed Lasagna to Your Cat
There’s like a hundred reasons why cats should never eat lasagna. Where do I start? Pretty much every single ingredient on that plate is toxic or otherwise dangerous to them. Yes, he is very likely to enjoy lasagna – what’s there not to enjoy? A meal that’s packed full of meat and cheese is made to be enjoyed, as you are very well aware.
But the fact that it’s tasty and gourmet doesn’t make it healthy. On the contrary – it has so many flavors, sauces and spices that just weren’t meant to be fed to felines.
To explain every single bit, I’ll start as the recipe goes.
First, boiled noodles or whatever pasta you’re using. I won’t say that pasta is outright bad for your cat. There’s nothing inherently wrong with those carbohydrates that dough is replete with. The only problem is, cats thrive on proteins and there are virtually none in pasta.
Okay, that’s why there’s lots of meat – but what kind of meat? Salted, spiced, loaded with onions and garlic, which are extremely toxic to cats even in small amounts.
If your favorite recipe comes with added processed meats like bacon and sausage it gets even worse since they are literally bursting with different spices and flavor enhancers. Not every culinary herb is bad for cats, though. For example, they probably won’t get any problems from eating a wee bit of basil or parsley.
When it comes to cheese, cats tend to love it and it’s not toxic in itself, but it contains high amounts of salt. To add to that, many cats are lactose intolerant, which means it can upset their tummies even if it’s not too salty. And then, the tomato sauce. In theory, a little bit of properly washed tomatoes with the seeds removed probably won’t be too dangerous. However, lasagna sauce is replete with tomatoes, which makes it very acidic even for your stomach, not to mention Fluffy’s little belly. And I seriously doubt that you have a habit of removing the seeds. I know I don’t!
I hope I’ve made my point here. But what if you and your cat already gobbled down your delicious Italian meal and you’re here to find out what to do now?
If she ate just a little bit of it, she probably won’t suffer any serious consequences. Her tummy will likely get upset, so you should expect a puddle of surprise on your carpet. That’s just to let you know not to do it in the future.
If, however, he ate a bigger share, try to give him more water than normally. Should there be any symptoms such as drowsiness, unresponsiveness or even seizures, a visit to the vet right away is obligatory.
There Is a Safe Way to Share Your Lasagna Dinner With the Cat
So, if your cat is giving you that reprimanding look for not sharing your dinner with her, don’t feel guilty. There is a solution to that.
The safest thing to do is put aside a little bit of the meat while cooking the lasagna. Don’t put salt, spices, onions, garlic, or any sauce into it. Just cook the meat by itself to make sure it isn’t raw and feed it to your cat as is. That’s the safest and most natural part. Better yet, it’s probably the only lasagna ingredient that your cat will genuinely crave for. Bon appetit to both of you!
