So Can Cats Eat Beef Jerky? The long, thin, dried, and chewy lean meat isn’t just for humans. Your cat might be curious, hoping for a share of the beef jerky. With this backdrop, deciding if your feline friend is at liberty to eat beef jerky becomes easier when we consider some salient factors, these include:
It’s best to skip beef jerky for your cat—those additives and salt aren’t their jam. Treat them to plain, cooked beef instead for an occasional feline feast. Keep it chill, though—consult your vet before any menu changes to make sure it suits your cat’s vibe and health.
Impact of Beef Jerky on Cats’ Health
Beef jerky when taken in moderation and sizable quantity can benefit your furry friends in many ways. You should take care in deciding how much they should have and how it is prepared.
The impact of beef jerky on your cat’s health can range from mild to severe; homemade beef jerky can impact your cat’s dentition by helping them work on their chewing as the meat itself is chewy.
On the flip side, your cat is susceptible to obesity, and severe heart conditions if the intake of beef jerky isn’t regulated.
To be on the safe side, it is advised that you get your cat out of harm’s way by substituting beef jerky with more cat-friendly choices.
Also Read: Why Daschunds are the Worst Breeds
Is Beef Jerky Safe for Feline Consumption?
We know the bond that exists between you and your feline friends and how much you wish they had the delectable lean meat they crave, but here are a few things to consider:
Beef Jerky is Tough and Dried
Your cat’s ability to chew on this lean meat rests largely on how good their teeth are. However, do remember that the dried nature of this beef could cause serious choke hazards, to be on the safe side, try feeding your cats will a diced size quantity of jerky for a start.
Beef Jerky is Salty.
If there is one thing as a cat owner you need to know about beef jerky is the fact that this meat is 70%-90% salt. This is so to preserve the meat from getting rotten and being edible in the long run.
Salt is made of sodium which is to us as humans may be needed in minute quantities to supplement our nutrient intake but a NO in cats as it contains toxins that pose a threat to your feline’s health.
Heart Issues, electrolyte balance, dehydration, and some life-threaten conditions can arise if your cat is fed more beef jerky.
Beef Jerky Contains Lean fat.
You wouldn’t want your furry friend acting all sluggish and having unhealthy weight gain issues, would you?
Preserved Beef jerky contains sugar and a little fat sauce (marinade), the fat content in this meat is the difference between having an averagely grown cat and an obese cat.
Beef Jerky is Seasoned
The reason you can enjoy your beef jerky is partly because of the inclusion of seasoning during preparation.
Chili, Onion, Garlic, and Cayenne make up part of the ingredients in beef jerky, these ingredients are not suitable for your cat consumption.
The seasoning in beef jerky can lead to your cat coming down with digestive problems and allergy sensitivity when fed, the more reason it should be given in caution.
Now that you know the looming dangers of feeding your feline beef jerky, the good news is you can feed your feline this lean meat if you judiciously follow the guidelines given in the next section.
Guidelines and Tips for Feeding Your Cat with Beef Jerky
The first thing to bear in mind is that beef jerky should be fed as a treat and not your feline’s main meal and once that is cleared out, here are other things you need to observe to avoid complications for your feline friend:
Feed beef jerky with no additives
One thing you would want to avoid is feeding your cat with jerky that is seasoned, following the implications stated above, it is wise to consider buying only unseasoned meat if you wish to feed them.
Preferably make your homemade beef jerky
It is better if you can prepare your jerky for your cat; this will make it easy to decide what goes into the preparation of the meat.
For a detailed guideline in preparing your beef jerky, check this out
Potential Dangers of Feeding Cats Beef Jerky
Prevention is better than cure and if your cat is susceptible to an allergy or frequently comes down with health issues, it is important to consider the inherent dangers you may be subjecting them to when you feed them beef jerky
Heart Attack
The high sodium content can cause issues to your dog’s heart, the compound irritates and inhibits the proper flow of blood to your veins making it difficult for your cat to breathe as a result of clogging.
Choking Hazards
As explained, the thin and dried nature of beef jerky makes it difficult to chew for your cats, therefore making them prone to choking hazards.
Obesity
Sugar and marinade in the inclusion of beef jerky contain fats, thereby exposing your furry friends to obesity.
Other medical conditions include anemia and dehydration.
Expert Opinion on Cats and Beef Jerky
Many experts in the field have lent their voices to the potential dangers of cats eating jerky, , in summary, they both agree to the fact that the meat should be avoided but in rare cases given in moderation.
Consider the suggestion of Doctor Bruce Dayer, A veterinary doctor who’s worked on cats for the past sixty years. According to him,” beef jerky should be avoided due to your furry friends need of having to take a drink”
Furthermore, Dr Hazel Bailey, the owner of the website charmingpetguru.com suggests that instead of feeding cats beef jerky, alternative to it can be added to their diets (cat nips, and harmless chewy items)
Now Can Cats Eat Beef Jerky?
Beef Jerky is fine if given in moderation to your cats, however, bear in mind that this should only be served as a treat and in no way substituted for main meals will go a long way in having a healthy cat and frequenting the vet.
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