Can cats have noodles and cheese?
Can Cats Eat Lasagna – Little Known Facts!
You’ve seen it in the newspaper when you were a kid. Garfield, the cat, leaning over a massive plate of lasagna (and sometimes even pizza!). You never saw your family cat drooling over lasagna, but you always figured lasagna was one of those things that cats just loved as humans do. However, your cat never ate lasagna, and you’re curious if they’ll enjoy it. So, can cats eat lasagna?
Cats can eat lasagna. While lasagna itself is not poisonous to cats, the ingredients found inside lasagna, like garlic, can make your cat seriously ill.
If you make your own lasagna, you have control over the ingredients that you put in, but if a friend makes lasagna or you buy it from a store, you cannot be sure what is in it exactly or in what amounts. You might not think anything will come of your cat having a taste, but you can’t be sure. Let’s talk a little more about why lasagna isn’t the best human meal for your cat.
Is Lasagna Poisonous To Cats
Lasagna itself is not poisonous to cats. However, lasagna with added ingredients could be poisonous. The main culprit is garlic, which is something cats cannot tolerate even in small amounts. The sodium content in lasagna, different spices, and ingredients mixed into the sauces can also be bad for your pet.
Lasagna has different ingredients based on who makes it, but the staples usually are:
The meat in the lasagna likely won’t upset your cat’s stomach, but let’s think about the cheese for a moment. Although your cat might like the taste of cheese, cats really shouldn’t eat dairy. People usually think of a cat licking up milk, but your cat actually can’t digest lactose. It’s better that they don’t have cheese.
Largely speaking, lasagna is pretty salty too. Salt isn’t great for cats, either. A bite of lasagna probably won’t be deadly for your cat, but cats don’t need much salt, and human food can get salty. All the ingredients in lasagna might be a recipe for disaster for your cat… No pun intended.
Why Is Lasagna Bad For Cats
Lasagna itself isn’t bad for cats; it’s the ingredients that you might add to your lasagna that can be bad for your cat.
Even though you might make the best lasagna from your great-grandmother’s secret family recipe, it doesn’t mean that your cat needs a taste too.
It’s not that lasagna is a bad dish. Lasagna contains ingredients that can be harmful to your furry friend, so it’s best to stay away. A cat’s body and digestive system aren’t equipped to handle that much salt, garlic, sauce, and dairy from the cheese.
The combination of ingredients in your favorite leftovers might taste amazing to you (and, honestly, maybe your cat), but they aren’t the best or the safest food for your cat to eat.
Can Cats Eat Lasagna Without Garlic
Lasagna without garlic might be slightly better for your cat (but not by much), but you do want to make sure your cat doesn’t eat any garlic.
If you’re anything like me, you might not have known that garlic is bad for your cat. Humans love the stuff, so what’s the big deal about a cat eating garlic?
Garlic is very toxic to cats. Garlic creates a type of anemia in cats that destroys red blood cells faster than they can reproduce, which is scary.
Often, anything in a small dose isn’t bad for your pet, but garlic is one of those things that you want to watch out for. There are many factors that decide how much garlic may poison your cat, so it’s best to stay away from it either way. Less than a clove of garlic could be too much for your cat!
Is Meat Good For Your Cat
Since cats are carnivores, meat is good for your cat to eat. Your cat can eat many types of meat that humans do, as long as they’re cooked.
The meat in your lasagna might be the one ingredient that I can’t say is bad for your cat. But that doesn’t mean lasagna is suddenly a great option for your cat. The meat is still combined with the sauce, cheese, and pasta.
Even though you think the meat benefits might outweigh the negative effects of the other ingredients, it won’t. Don’t put your cat at risk.
If you want your cat to have some meat, set aside some plain meat before you combine it for your lasagna.
Is It Safe For Cats To Eat Pasta
Pasta is safe for cats to eat, but pasta is not a nutritious meal for your cat.
Your cat can safely eat pasta, but it isn’t a great staple food for your cat. Much like some of the other foods that humans eat, pasta is empty calories for your cat. There is no health benefit for your cat to eat pasta. You probably shouldn’t give it to them, but it won’t hurt if they do steal a noodle off your almost empty plate.
It’s probably the pasta sauce that you should watch out for. Since most people don’t eat plain pasta, you might have sauce and other ingredients on it to add flavor, which may be worse for your cat.
As with any pasta dish, there’s probably some tomato element to it too. Tomatoes in small amounts are safe for your cat, but you shouldn’t get into the habit of giving your cat tomatoes.
Tomatoes aren’t necessarily a great food for your cat, but they’re not so bad either, especially in small amounts.
The problem with the tomatoes in your lasagna is that they’re probably not fresh tomatoes. Most of us use canned tomatoes and tomato sauce, which has more additives than fresh tomatoes. Tomato sauce is often packed with salt and other spices, which may be harmful to your cat.
What Should I Do If My Cat Eats Lasagna
If your cat does eat some lasagna, you probably don’t have to worry, but you can give your vet a call if you want to be safe. Depending on what ingredients you put into your lasagna, or if it were storebought, there could be reason for concern. A tiny amount might make your cat sick, but it won’t cause them to have severe health issues.
Let’s face it: your cat isn’t your dog. Chances are your cat won’t eat the entire pan of lasagna that you slaved over before you can catch them. They’ll probably take a few bites or lick some sauce off the top.
If this is the case, you probably don’t have to worry too much because your cat didn’t eat enough lasagna to be harmful. Still, keep an eye on your cat because they might have an upset stomach.
If you’re a cat owner who gets concerned, you can call your vet too, but they’ll probably also tell you to keep an eye on your cat for the next few hours.
What Do People Think About Cats Eating Lasagna
Many people think that cats might like to eat lasagna because of Garfield, the popular comic strip cat who was often seen with a pan of lasagna.
Even though lasagna was great for Garfield, that doesn’t mean it will be good for your cat. Let’s not forget that your cat is real, unlike Garfield.
But I know what you’re thinking. You grew up with Garfield and love the image of him hanging over a pan of lasagna! I do, too, trust me, but one of Garfield’s favorite foods shouldn’t be your cat’s.
If you have no idea what I’m talking about, give it a Google. You might have a good laugh!
Although you might want your furry friend to partake in dinner too, lasagna isn’t the best option for your cat, even if your favorite childhood comic strip told you otherwise. I’m positive you love your furry friend, so why would you give them something that you know might make them sick? If you want to eat dinner with your cat, pop a can of cat food when you’re about to sit down to eat.
My name is James, and welcome to FAQCats!
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Can Dogs Eat Macaroni and Cheese? They Can, But Shouldn’t!
Did your pup eat some Macaroni and Cheese, leaving you scouring the internet to find out if it’s safe? Your pup should be fine, but read on and find out more.
Last Updated: December 7, 2022 | 4 min read
Can dogs eat macaroni and cheese? You’ve likely landed on this page wondering if it’s safe for your pup because they accidentally ate some, or you purposely fed them table scraps. The short answer is yes, dogs “can” eat it but they probably shouldn’t. It’s not healthy for them to eat on a regular basis for many reasons.
If your dog accidentally ate some, they will likely be OK. But you shouldn’t be making it a regular occurrence where you feed your pup a box of Kraft. How your furry friend reacts will depend on many factors, but most dogs will be just fine if they ingest some by accident or on a very rare occasion as a treat.
As with any type of processed foods, your pup can run into several issues if they regularly ingest human food they shouldn’t be eating. Macaroni and cheese is made with processed materials and includes wheat (gluten), which some dogs have a hard time digesting. Below we discuss what you can expect if you decide to feed your pup some table scraps from time to time. Let’s jump in!
Nutritional Value & Ingredients
Macaroni and Cheese does not have a ton of real true nutritional value for your dog. It does contain carbohydrates, protein and other nutrients so it’s not wholly without nutritional value. It’s also packed with calories, due to the addition of milk, butter and other ingredients.
Some people get upset with the fact that most boxed mac & cheese contains something called phthalates. This is a chemical compound that’s found in things like plastics, rubbers and soaps. These chemicals can be found in many foods during the manufacturing process, specifically from the powdered cheese. These compounds are known to cause cancer, which is why some people swore off eating boxed Mac & Cheese in 2017.
Wheat
Wheat is one of the primary ingredients in any boxed food that contains pasta. This means that it contains gluten, and some dogs have a gluten sensitivity. When this happens it can cause your dog to be Gassy, and potentially give them the runs. It’s recommended that you only let your pup eat Mac and Cheese on very rare occasions so that the wheat, calories and processed gluten don’t make their way into your dog’s digestive tract frequently.
Sugar
Sugar is included in the pasta, which breaks down very slowly in your dog’s GI tract. Overeating pasta will start to break down into Glucose, and when your pup doesn’t process all of it, they will start storing it as fat. This is one of the reasons we don’t recommend your pup eat it very often, as it can cause very quick weight gain. If your dog starts to put on pounds, your costs as a pet owner will likely increase as you shift to a reduced-calorie dog food.
Cheese Powder Ingredients
The cheese powder is where artificial ingredients and coloring comes into play. Inside the cheese powder, you’ll find artificial flavoring, colors and more. While this isn’t especially wonderful for humans, it’s also not great for dogs. Dogs have a hard time digesting artificial ingredients, and this can lead to sluggishness, lethargy and weight gain if they eat macaroni and cheese excessively.
Is it Safe For Dogs?
We’ve somewhat already answered this question, but yes, it’s safe but only in very small quantities. If you know your pup has wheat or gluten intolerances, then you should absolutely not feed this to your dog, or any other boxed dinners that might contain pasta. Gluten intolerance can cause your dog to have loose bowels, gassiness, skin rash or irritation and a host of other problems.
This is usually because most dogs suffer from lactose intolerance, which while bad, shouldn’t be life-threatening unless your furry companion consumes an overabundance. It’s also worth noting that most of this article is focused on the boxed version. If you have home-cooked your recipe, it’s going to likely have less processed ingredients and will be a bit safer for your pup.
How Much Can My Dog Eat?
Similar to dog food, this will depend on the dog’s size. Smaller dogs that ingest a lot of mac & cheese all at once will have a higher density in their body per pound than a large breed dog. This means that larger breed dogs will likely be able to digest it a little easier due to having a larger stomach.
That is as long as your large breed doesn’t eat an entire box. No matter the size of your pup, if your pup is showing signs of illness after ingesting something new, we recommend you contact your veterinarian as soon as possible.
How Frequently Can They Have it?
You should only feed your dog Macaroni and Cheese on very rare occasions. It’s not awful to feed it to your pup occasionally as table scraps once or twice a month. Test your dog with a small amount first, before allowing them to ingest larger quantities.
Once they’ve established that their stomach can digest it, then it becomes something that may be able to be used on a more frequent basis as a supplement to other food. Ideally, you’ll only be using it as a treat, or if some leftovers happen to fall on the floor during dinnertime.
Healthier Alternatives
There are obviously many other healthy alternatives that your dog can eat instead of eating human-grade Mac and Cheese. Some brands offer Gluten-Free recipes as well, which might be of more benefit to your dog if they have a gluten intolerance.
With all that being said, it’s much healthier to feed your dog real raw and natural food. There are a number of different nutrient-dense foods that your dog can eat instead of Mac and Cheese. Some food we recommend as treats include the following:
- Cooked or Uncooked Sweet Potatoes
- Raw or Cooked Zucchini
- Pineapple Bits or Chunks
- Raw or Cooked Bell Peppers
- Cooked Shrimp
All of the foods above are natural foods, and whether or not they are cooked or raw, will contain more nutrients, antioxidants, and vitamins than boxed Macaroni and Cheese. All five options above will be better for your pup in the long term, helping them build a healthy immune system as they grow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can dogs eat Kraft’s brand of mac & cheese?
The Kraft brand is certainly the most popular. No matter the brand, we recommend starting off slowly and making sure your dog’s stomach can handle it. It should only be used sparingly as a treat, and not as a primary source of nutrition.
Can dogs eat Velveeta’s brand of mac & cheese?
There are some slight differences between Velveeta and Kraft, but yes, this falls into the same grey area. Your pup should be OK, but you’ll want to test slowly. Again, this shouldn’t be used as a primary source of nutrition for your dog.
What about Annie’s brand that’s gluten-free?
Annie’s is an organic formula, with slightly better ingredients. They do have a gluten-free product that will offer your dog a reprieve if they don’t function well with wheat or gluten in their GI tract. Just remember to test it slowly as a treat, and not as part of your dog’s normal diet.
Final Thoughts
So can dogs eat macaroni and cheese? The answer as we’ve stated is yes, they “can” eat it but they really shouldn’t. It’s not a healthy alternative for normal dry dog kibble, especially if your dog is a senior dog and is likely to gain weight.
Mac and Cheese is extremely calorie dense and likely to cause fat gain and may even start your pup down the diabetic path. While you are likely safe from any long term impacts if it’s just once a month, we recommend looking at healthier alternatives.
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