Beef jerky is a snack made up of lean meat of beef. The meat gets dry and then preserved with the help of salt and some other sauces. It has a very delicious taste while eating. It is healthy for humans but the question we are encountering is can cats eat beef jerky? Cats are carnivorous animals and they just love meat. Meat is part of a feline’s diet but their diet contains raw meat and boiled meat without spices and sauces.
So here most of the cat parents are worried about the diet of their pet and they are often concerned about what kind of food is allowed for their cats and what contains the harmful substances which they should avoid for their cats to keep them sound and healthy.
Cat and beef:
Most of the time gets love to eat beef, they love eating beef in raw and boiled form. Some cat parents give beef to their pets as a treat. Cats love to eat beef most of the time, it is not harmful to them to eat beef but not regularly. Any kind of meat that is in its raw and boiled form is not harmful to cats so most of the time cats love to eat other things that are made up of beef. They love to eat human food that contains beef but beef in human food contains spices and sauces which are not good for Cats’ health, and beef jerky is one of them.
Substances in beef jerky:
These are made up of lean pieces of beef. These lean pieces are sliced very thin and cooked with some sauces and spices, especially salt are used to preserve the meat then these lean meat pieces are dried and used for a very long time. The sauces used in beef jerky are chili sauce, soy sauce, and vinegar sometimes and the spices may contain chili powder, garlic powder, cumin, and thymine.
Why beef jerky is not good for cats?:
There are various reasons why cats should not eat beef jerky. As described earlier, beef jerky is made up of spices and different sauces and cats are not familiar with these spices in their regular food, These are some of the main reasons why you should avoid your cat to feed with beef jerky
The high amount of Sodium
Beef jerky contains a very large amount of salt because salt is used to preserve the meat so that it can be consumed for a long time. That is why jerky has a very high amount of sodium. This amount of sodium is not at all good for Cats’ health. It can cause sodium poisoning in cats so that is why beef jerky should be avoided to feed the cat regularly.
Hard and chewy texture
Beef jerky is chewy and it has a very hard texture. Cats, especially indoor cats, are not used to such food and it is not good for their health to eat such hard food.
Spices
Some spices like chili and others are very harmful to the stomachs of cats. Beef jerky contains some of these spices and that’s why it should be avoided in feeding the cats with spices.
Not their regular food
Cats do not eat beef jerky in their regular meal so this can disturb their metabolism and can cause even severe digestive problems.
Allergic
Beef is highly intensive, even humans sometimes are allergic to beef, in the same way, cats are sensitive to beef when consumed too much. So beef jerky should not be given to cats
So these are some of the main reasons for cats to avoid eating beef jerky.
What if a cat eats beef jerky?:
Beef jerky does not act as a poison for cats. Too much consumption is harmful but if your cat eats some bites of beef jerky and is healthy and sound then this is not a dangerous condition. They can be consumed in small amounts. But if your cat has some health problems and she is sensitive to beef then you must take her to your nearest vet and make sure to take care of proper medication for your cat. Give your cat medicines according to the vet’s prescription.
Alarming conditions:
Eating beef jerky can be alarming when your cat is allergic to beef. Here are some of the severe conditions that should not be ignored by the owners if they appear:
- Diarrhea: If you see your cat is upset in digestion after eating the beef jerky then you must take them for proper medication.
- Vomiting: Another dangerous condition is when your cat starts vomiting after eating beef jerky, it means that the cat is allergic to beef you should immediately take him to a vet for proper treatment.
- Itching: A beef-allergic cat starts scratching herself after eating beef. She feels an itch in her neck, head, ears, and any part of their body. You should be careful and don’t let her eat beef again.
- Bumps: If you see bums in her body all around you must be careful and take her to the vet first time.
- Alopecia: This is a condition in which a part of hair gets lost and baldness seems. If you see this in your cat and she consumes beef. You must stop feeding your cat with beef.
These are some of the alarming conditions that should not be avoided. Other than these conditions, inflammation, infection, loss of appetite, and weight loss are some other important conditions.
Conclusion
Cat owners can not eat without sharing their food with their pets. However, they should be aware of the circumstances and conditions of their pets. Can a cat eat beef jerky? Yes if they take only one or two bites but beef is not a very good thing to feed the cat and too much consumption of beef jerky is not good for them. It has some proteins that are not good for the stomach and it can be highly reactive if the cat is allergic to beef. The spices and sauces are not good for the cat’s digestion. Pet owners must take care if any of the alarming conditions appear on the cat’s body.
