Cats tend to explore the world around them with their mouths. No cat parent is free from the looming threat of their cat eating something they aren’t supposed to. Still, plenty of the things we eat in our daily lives are safe for cat consumption. What about syrup?
Syrup is not toxic to cats. By default, licking a little syrup off your plate won’t kill your cat. However, just like syrup offers little nutrition to humans, it provides no benefits to cats.
Cat Nutrition: What Do They Eat?
Cats are known in science as obligate carnivores or hypercarnivores. This classification means that in the wild, cats would consume a diet that is made up of at least 70% animal meat.
Cats are not designed to efficiently digest plant material into nutrients because their bodies are optimized to process mainly animal proteins. It is thought that the few plant-based nutrients wild cats consumed would have been in the stomach of their prey. Cats consume every part of their prey, even the bones. So, they won’t just be eating the game but their prey’s last meal as well—stomach contents included!
Additionally, carbohydrates do not play a very important role in cat nutrition like protein or fat do. Still, cats are capable of digesting certain amounts and types of carbohydrates.
Further, cats don’t even have the taste bud receptors for sweet foods; they can’t taste sweet foods at all, and most don’t particularly like them.
Despite this, all cats are unique, and some cats may develop an affinity for sweet foods (despite not being able to taste them).
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Is Syrup Healthy for Cats?
Syrup is not healthy for cats. It provides no nutritional value. Additionally, the high sugar content of syrup can cause vomiting and diarrhea in cats that are fed large amounts. In addition, it can lead to health issues as well, which we’ll discuss next.
Risks of Feeding Your Cat Syrup
Feline Diabetes
It is not scientifically proven that feeding cats too many carbohydrates can increase diabetes risk; however, if your cat already suffers from diabetes, you should not feed them any additional sugar. Signs of feline diabetes include excessive thirst (often paired with increased urination), unexpected weight loss, excess or lack of appetite, poor-quality coat, lethargy, and vomiting, among others.
Gastrointestinal Issues
Cats should not eat sugar. Even in small amounts, sugar can upset your cat’s gastrointestinal system when introduced. Signs of gastrointestinal upset include decreased appetite, abdominal pain, vomiting, and lethargy.
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Obesity
Obesity appears when excess calories are consumed. If your cat ingests “empty” calories from food that provide no nutritional value, then you are not doing them any good. Obesity is prevalent in cats already, and every effort should be made to provide your cat with complete and balanced high-quality food and provide them with enough physical activity to avoid obesity and all the health problems associated with it.
Truthfully, there is no safe way to feed your cat syrup. The syrup is not nutritionally dense for cats, and unlike humans, they aren’t going to resist their instincts to gorge themselves on high-calorie foods just because it’s not healthy. It’s best if you don’t feed your cat syrup at all.
Additionally, also be very wary of feeding your cat syrup if you have a dog. Some syrups contain xylitol, an artificial sweetener commonly used. While xylitol is not fully understood yet if it is harmful to cats, it can be fatal when ingested by dogs. While it is not fully understood yet if xylitol is harmful to cats, it can be fatal when ingested by dogs.
It is also important to note that chocolate syrup should never be offered to cats, as chocolate is toxic to them.
Final Thoughts
Cats may be curious, but that doesn’t mean we should let them eat everything they see. Syrup may not be toxic for them, but it’s certainly not healthy, and pet parents should be cautious when it comes to feeding syrup to their cats.
Not only does it provide no nutritional value, but the ones that contain chocolate or xylitol can be extremely dangerous, even for other pets in the household.
As always, if you suspect your cat has ingested something that they weren’t supposed to, you should check with your veterinarian first. They will be able to guide you through the care of your cat while they monitor them for any unpleasant side effects.
If your cat seems listless or otherwise ill, getting them to an emergency veterinarian can very likely save their life!
Luxifa is a freelance writer with a passion for animal science and technology. She loves to share the world of animal science with people to help them make informed decisions for themselves and their pets. Luxifa has worked in professional pet care for over six years and strives to help change the world of pet care by bringing the information people need to them in terms they can understand. Knowledge is power, and Luxifa loves to help everyone become the most informed they can be.
