Graham crackers are a cracker that come in a variety of different flavors that are popular among humans. However, some cat owners wonder can cats eat graham crackers?
This article will explain whether cats should consume graham crackers, how often they can eat graham crackers and some of the potential hazards of feeding this food to your cat.
Can Cats Eat Graham Crackers?
Yes, cats can eat graham crackers, however, it is not recommended on a regular basis. Although graham crackers aren’t poisonous to cats, they don’t provide nutritional value to a cat’s body and contain some ingredients that can be harmful to cats.
Potential Hazards of Feeding Graham Crackers to your Cat
Below are some of things you should be aware of as hazards if you are feeding graham crackers to your cat:
Sugar content
One of the biggest concerns with graham crackers is their sugar content. Graham crackers can contain both natural and artificial sweeteners. Too much sugar can create a risk of diabetes in cats.
In addition, some graham crackers can contain artificial sweeteners which cats should not consume at all. Graham crackers that are sweetened with honey can be ok in moderation, but some cats experience digestive upset from consuming honey.
Sodium content
Graham crackers usually contain baking soda, which is a type of sodium. Generally, you want to keep the sodium intake of your cat to a minimum. A diet too high in sodium can cause hypertension and other heart-related ailments.
Allergic reactions
There are a variety of graham cracker flavors on the market. The problem is that there are some flavors that cats should not consume, and there are some ingredients within these flavors that may cause cats to have an allergic reaction.
Some of the most popular flavors of graham crackers are honey, chocolate and cinnamon. Chocolate graham crackers should never be given to your cat as chocolate can be poisonous for them. Although honey and cinnamon aren’t lethal for cats to consume, some cats have more sensitive systems and they should be monitored to make sure they don’t experience any negative side effects.
Weight gain
Just like humans are prone to gain weight from an import diet, so is your cat. Graham crackers have a higher carb and fat content, and thus can lead to weight gain if given too frequently. Obesity in a cat can lead to many long-term problems so it is best to avoid feeding them foods too high in carbs and fat.
Are there any Benefits of Feeding Graham Crackers to your Cat?
No, there aren’t really any benefits of feeding graham crackers to your cat. Some cats like graham crackers, but nutritionally, they don’t do anything to contribute to the nutritional needs of your cat.
How to Feed Graham Crackers to your Cat
If you want to give your cat graham crackers occasionally as a treat, you should limit their serving size to no more than two small rectangles once a week. In addition, sticking to the plain flavor will be better as it contains less sugar.
Tips for Feeding Graham Crackers to your Cat
- Never feed your cat the chocolate flavor
- Limit your cat’s consumption to one or two small rectangles each week
- Monitor your cat for 24 hours for allergic reactions
- Keep an eye on your cat long term to make sure they aren’t gaining weight from eating graham crackers
- Check with your vet to see if your cat is at risk for any long-term health issues from the consumption of graham crackers and for help finding other alternative treats.
Conclusion
Yes, technically cats can eat graham crackers, but that doesn’t mean they should eat them regularly if at all. Although graham crackers are a nice snack for humans, they serve no nutritional purpose for cats, and have ingredients that can actually be harmful to their system.
If you are going to feed this food to your cat, make sure to limit their intake and only give it to them very occasionally as a treat not on a daily basis and your cat should be just fine.
Other human foods that are a better alternative to feed your cat are carrots, bananas, cheese, pumpkin and celery.