Can Cats Eat Tortillas?

While it can be enjoyable to feed your cats with food on your plate, you should know that some human foods can be potentially harmful to our feline friends.

So, can cats eat tortillas, and what kind of food can they eat? Here is your answer!

Although cats are predominantly carnivorous, most owners do not know that their feline companions can eat plant-based foods. Cats generally eat meat, but they will not pass up anything close to their usual diet.

Can cats eat tortillas? Yes! However, you cannot feed felines these types of food every day. It is more like a weekend snack for them and should never substitute their usual daily meals.

Reasons Why Tortillas Are Bad For Your Cats

Indigestible

One of the facts about cats is that they cannot properly digest tortillas. This is because of a missing enzyme called amylase, produced in very large quantities by human salivary glands.

Amylase is responsible for breaking down starch into sugars. And there tends to be quite a bit of it in high-starch foods such as tortillas, which 100 grams can have as much as 18.5g of starch in it.

If a kitten eats something with too much starch content, it won't have enough enzyme to digest that food, leading to gastric problems and diarrhea.

Presence Of Saturated Fat

For humans, it was discovered that tortillas contain saturated fat. With the increase in saturated fat in your diet, there are increased blood cholesterol levels, becoming obese, and even an increased risk of heart disease.

Cats have higher levels of good cholesterol than humans, so they don't need to worry about the excess calories coming from saturated fats as much.

However, felines cannot use it alone. They need the support of some essential fatty acids. Unfortunately, tortillas do not provide these basics but saturated fat. That is when the problem arises.

Contains Too Much Salt

One small piece of tortillas will give the cats half the sodium they need in a day. And obviously, they cannot just eat a single piece to fill up their stomach for the whole day, right?

So at the end of the day, your cat may contain twice the sodium intake limit. It could lead to side effects such as being extremely thirsty, constantly urinating, diarrhea and vomiting.

When it comes to tortillas, there is the fact that these treats are loaded with salt. Therefore, it can be severely toxic for felines if ingested in large amounts, although it is a yes to "Can cats eat tortillas?".

It may cause poor appetite, dehydration, lethargy, leading to poor coordination, a coma, or seizures. It's best not to feed your cat a lot of salt as it can prove just as dangerous for them as anything else because it may end up being sick or, even worse, fatal.

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Thing To Do When Your Cat Ingests Tortillas

Can cats eat tortillas? Yes, but ingesting too many tortillas may cause serious issues for your felines, such as damaging the kidneys and other body organs.

If you suspect that your cat has suffered an allergic reaction after consuming tortillas, contact your vet for instructions on handling the situation or having your cat examined and treated with the right antidote.

Some Foods That You Can Feed Your Cats

Fish

Fish is perfectly fine to feed your cat in moderation. Fish improves your cat's heart, respiratory and immune health. It also helps protect against kidney disease, arthritis, and certain illnesses.

Fish oils are good for a cat's coat because it helps with blood circulation, which allows them to enjoy healthy skin and hair.

Canned or raw fish is not recommended as it contains harmful ingredients to your felines, such as preservatives and salt, and can upset a cat's stomach.

Chicken

Once it comes to cat food, protein is the key. Chicken is a great source to provide good protein. It is essential to a feline's health. They need the proper ratio of protein which includes the essential amino acids that are lacking in meat-derived proteins.

Fruits And Vegetables

Cats can gain great benefits from chewing on veggies. It is well known that felines thrive on a high protein diet, but they will love to munch on plenty of vegetables.

Cucumbers and other vegetables such as broccoli are excellent to include in your animal's diet because they contain vitamins and minerals that provide a lot of needed nutrients for a feline.

Eggs

Eggs are very nutritious and have enough supplies needed for your ravenous feisty feline. Just make sure they're cooked first - cats aren't big fans of raw eggs. Moreover, raw eggs may contain bacteria such as E.Coli which can make felines ill.

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Foods Are Poison To Your Cats

If you want to save your cats by asking the answer to "Can cats eat tortillas?" is no, here is the food you should avoid feeding your pet as well:

Grapes And Raisins

While some people prefer raisins and grapes on their breakfast cereal, felines are not quite as fond of these tasty treats in all forms. They may seem harmless, but they are extremely dangerous to your furry friends.

Raisins or grapes accumulate quickly in the animal's body. If cats consume enough, they could experience kidney failure, which is difficult to treat.

Caffeine And Chocolate

Both caffeine and chocolate are poison to felines. It can cause vomiting, cardiac arrhythmia, diarrhea, seizures, and a fatal rise in body temperature.

The darker the chocolate is, the more dangerous it becomes for our feline friends due to its high concentration of methylxanthines - the compound responsible for these unpleasant symptoms.

Onions And Garlic

Cats are extremely sensitive to onions, garlic, and other spicy seasonings. These ingredients can burn holes in their red blood cells over time, causing anemia and life-threatening health problems.

Dairy Products

Milk and dairy-related products are a big no for felines, since none of those nutrients exist in a natural animal diet in adulthood.

Cats lack specific crucial enzymes which help them digest lactose and other sugars found in milk. Through too much consumption of these substances, felines can develop gastrointestinal problems.

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Conclusion

Thanks for reading our article about can cats eat tortillas. We hope you have a better understanding and make the best decisions for your cat with this knowledge. If you have any questions, please don't hesitate to contact us. We would love to help you out.

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