Can Cats Eat Clams? Are They Healthy for Them? – Freelancer Tamal
If you’ve ever been having fun with a flowery surf and turf dinner solely to search for and spot your cat eyeing you hungrily from a close-by counter, you would possibly marvel if it’s secure to share a few of your refined meal choice together with your feline. Is it okay for cats to eat seafood? For instance, can cats eat clams?
Yes, clams are a secure meals on your cat to get pleasure from sparsely, as long as they’re correctly ready. We’ll talk about among the well being advantages that consuming clams may present on your cat. Additionally, we’ll speak about easy methods to feed your cat clams and the way they could match right into a balanced weight loss program.
Why Clams Can Be Healthy For Cats
Clams are one of many meals highest within the amino acid taurine, a vital nutrient for cats. If cats don’t get sufficient taurine of their weight loss program, they’ll develop coronary heart and eye issues.
Shellfish, like clams, are excessive in nutritional vitamins and minerals and are particularly good sources of antioxidants, which might lower total irritation. Antioxidants are sometimes beneficial to assist deal with power circumstances, corresponding to arthritis, in cats.
Clams are additionally excessive in protein and low in fats and energy. Cats are true carnivores who require not solely a protein-packed weight loss program however one through which that protein comes from animal sources, together with clams. Because you need most of your cat’s each day energy to return from their cat meals, it’s useful to choose treats or human meals that supply extra dietary worth with a smaller caloric footprint.
How To Feed Clams To Your Cat
If you need to embrace the diet of clams in your cat’s weight loss program, there are a few other ways to take action.
First, you possibly can feed your cat clams as a deal with or blended in with their common meals. Make positive the clams are cooked totally and by no means supply them uncooked. Raw fish, meat, or shellfish may be contaminated with harmful micro organism that would make your cat sick or be handed on to weak people.
When cooking clams on your cat, keep away from utilizing any fats like butter or oil. Also, don’t add salt or different seasonings.
Another choice so as to add some clam to your cat’s weight loss program is to supply clam juice. Clam juice is commonly steered as a option to encourage cats to drink extra water. Add a number of drops of clam juice to your cat’s water bowl or freeze clam juice ice cubes for them.
When providing any new meals to your cat, double-check together with your veterinarian that it’s okay. In addition, monitor your cat for any indicators of digestive hassle like vomiting or diarrhea. Every cat’s digestive tract is completely different and never each cat might be able to tolerate meals like clams.
Can Cats Eat Clam Chowder?
This is a standard query, most likely as a result of creamy, aromatic clam chowder looks as if it will be interesting to cats. However, most clam chowder recipes comprise components that aren’t secure for cats, together with onion and garlic. Many cats are additionally lactose-intolerant and the milk and cream in lots of clam chowders may upset their abdomen.
Keep the clam chowder to your self and save your cat some plain clams as a deal with as a substitute.
How Clams Fit Into Your Cat’s Balanced Diet
As we talked about earlier, the majority of your cat’s weight loss program must be made up of nutritionally-balanced meals formulated for the particular wants of the feline physique.
The simplest way to make sure your cat will get all important vitamins and amino acids (together with taurine) is by feeding them a high-quality, commercially-prepared weight loss program. Homemade diets are an choice, however you’ll must enlist the information of a veterinarian to ensure your meal plans aren’t missing any very important diet.
Any treats—whether or not they be clams or industrial choices for cats—ought to solely make up a small portion of your cat’s weight loss program. rule of thumb is to maintain treats to 10% of complete each day energy. Unlike cat meals, treats usually are not required to be nutritionally balanced and are sometimes excessive in fats.
Other than clams, listed below are some secure human meals you possibly can supply your cat:
Your cat ought to at all times have entry to contemporary water. If you spike one in all your cat’s water bowls with flavoring like clam juice, present a plain water choice as nicely.
Conclusion
While canine usually appear to function canine rubbish disposals, cats have a popularity for being choosy eaters, bored with human meals. However, many cats will gladly snatch as a lot meals off your plate as a canine. Before letting your cat clear up your leftovers, it’s necessary to coach your self about what they’ll and might’t eat. In this case, clams are a secure meals on your cat. If you’re ever fearful your cat has eaten poisonous meals, contact your veterinarian for recommendation as quickly as attainable.
Featured Image Credit: GonzaKnox, Pixabay