Can Cats Eat Blueberry Muffins? Vet Approved Facts & FAQ
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Technically, if your cat snuck a bite of a blueberry muffin while you weren’t looking, they’ll probably be fine. The question is, however, is intentionally feeding blueberry muffins a good idea?
You shouldn’t feed your cat blueberry muffins. While we like to sneak our furry felines a tasty treat every once in a while, it isn’t a good idea to feed them most human foods. However, as long as your cat has no health concerns and the muffins don’t contain any toxic ingredients, the occasional bite doesn’t mean you need to rush them to the vet. Still, it’s better to just give them a cat-safe treat, like plain boiled chicken instead.
What is in Blueberry Muffins?
Blueberry muffins contain a variety of ingredients that make them so delicious. At the top of the list are flour and sugar. You may also have milk, oil, or butter in there somewhere, along with blueberries of course.
While none of these ingredients are actually toxic to cats, they also aren’t a necessary part of their nutrition and can even do some harm if consumed in high amounts. Your cat’s diet should instead be focused on a good-quality commercial cat food, with treats and snacks making up less than 10% of that diet.
Cats and Carbohydrates
Since cats have roamed the Earth, they’ve thrived off of a high-protein, low-carb carnivorous diet. Not much has changed with their diet over the centuries, so modern house cats’ metabolism and digestive system still replicate that of their ancestors.
This means that eating foods like blueberry muffins can cause digestive upset since their system is more efficient at digesting animal protein. Not only that, the extra calories from the sugar found in blueberry muffins can lead to obesity which increases the risk for diabetes.
In addition, most adult cats are lactose intolerant, meaning the milk or butter used in blueberry muffins can also cause digestive problems, such as vomiting and diarrhea.
Now, will your cat suddenly develop these conditions with one small nibble on a blueberry muffin? Of course not. The point is these foods shouldn’t be given intentionally as a regular part of your cat’s diet.
Can Cats Eat Blueberries?
Blueberries, like many fruits, are non-toxic to cats, so an occasional treat is typically harmless. Still, the same rules apply even for fruit. Fruit is high in sugar and not a natural part of your cat’s diet. Offer blueberries and other fruit sparingly. Ideally, fruit should be no more than 2% of your cat’s diet, and are better when fed plain, not as part of a muffin.
Why Does My Cat Like Sugar?
If fruit and starches don’t belong in a cat’s natural diet, why in the world are some cats obsessed with these foods?
Truthfully, some cats just love them, but it’s not because they taste the sweetness. In fact, a study in 2006 found that cats lack sweet taste receptors, potentially because of their meat-based diets. After years of hunting birds and mice, cats haven’t developed a craving for blueberry muffins.
However, that doesn’t mean cats go out of their way to avoid sweet foods. The texture of these foods could be enough for a cat to want more, or the fact that you’re enjoying it and that makes them curious could be the reason as well.
In any case, no one really knows why some cats enjoy fruits and breads. If they snuck a bite when you weren’t looking, just be sure to monitor them for any adverse reactions, or call your vet if you’re concerned!
Conclusion
Although most blueberry muffins aren’t considered toxic to cats, they’re better off eating other treats that are far better for their health. Still, a nibble on a delicious blueberry muffin typically won’t hurt them. But if you notice any negative reactions, it’s best to phone your vet.
Featured Image Credit: Steman Shots, Shutterstock
