Can cats have turkey?
Can Cats Have Turkey Bacon?
The short answer is “yes” cats can eat turkey bacon, but before you go tossing your famished feline a treat, here are a few things you should know.
Can Cats Eat Turkey Bacon?
Yes cats can eat turkey bacon. By nature, cats are carnivores, which means they need to primarily consume meat to survive. But, moreover, cats are what are known as obligate carnivores. This means that they are biologically obligated to eat meat, as plants do not provide the necessary nutrients for their survival.
Meat is the best thing for a carnivore, and given that turkey bacon is made of meat, it’s definitely something you can feed your cat, and even something your cat will likely enjoy. However, this doesn’t mean that turkey bacon or regular bacon is good for your cat’s health.
Bacon—and yes, even turkey bacon—is loaded with salt and other preservatives. These additives aren’t ideal for cats, and can even be harmful to them if consumed too often.
It’s even inadvisable to humans to eat too much bacon, as it can cause health complications.
The same goes for cats. Too much turkey bacon can be detrimental to your cat’s health and can lead to long-term problems such as hypertension, heart problems, obesity, and dehydration.
The moral of the story is that while turkey bacon can be consumed by cats, that doesn’t mean it should. An occasional tidbit here and there shouldn’t cause any issues, but large and regular offerings of this meaty snack are a no-go if you want your cat to live long and prosper.
More Questions on Cats and Meat:
- Can cats eat bacon?
- Can cats eat beef?
What to Do If Your Cat Ate Turkey Bacon
Let’s say your cat stole that turkey bacon off your breakfast plate while you weren’t looking. What then?
As mentioned, a little nibble or a few bites shouldn’t be harmful to your pet. Aside from feeling smug satisfaction for their crime, your cat will be just fine.
If your cat manages to wolf down a few strips of bacon, however, they may wind up with a few short-term stomach problems, and you may be stuck cleaning up a mess or two. Your cat may wind up vomiting or having diarrhea if they’ve consumed too much bacon, so just be prepared.
They may also be dehydrated from all the salt, so be sure to provide them with plenty of water. You can see the recommended sodium intakes for cats here if you need to estimate how much over their daily limit your cat consumed.
As with anything pet-related, it’s best to consult a vet if your cat begins to show symptoms of other issues or doesn’t feel better after a little while. But other than that, turkey bacon shouldn’t harm your cat in the long term.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can cats eat raw turkey bacon?
Even if your turkey bacon isn’t cooked, it can still be fine for your cat to consume. However, feeding it to your feline isn’t the same as when it’s cooked.
Cats are notoriously bad at chewing their food, and raw bacon poses more of a choking hazard than cooked. You need to make sure that if you’re offering your pet raw bacon that you cut it up into very small pieces.
Additionally, raw turkey bacon has a higher risk of carrying harmful bacteria, such as salmonella. This treat would still be something that you’d want to moderate giving to your cat, but it might even be better to opt for cooked over raw turkey bacon to avoid the additional hazards raw can pose.
When should I give my cat turkey bacon?
It’s best to only offer turkey bacon to your cat as a treat or for a special reason. Following a trip to the vet or a successful bath can be great times to present a small amount of turkey bacon as a reward.
You can even offer your cat turkey bacon just because you love them. But no matter the occasion, be sure that this treat remains one for occasions.
Is turkey better than chicken or pork for cats?
This question boils down to how the meat is prepared. Generally speaking, though, raw meats are healthier than deli meats for your cat.
Deli and pre-prepared meats are often much higher in sodium, nitrates, and seasoning additives than raw or unprocessed meats. These things aren’t great for your cat’s health, so try and avoid them, if possible.
If you’re asking this question because you think turkey bacon may be a better option for your cat than regular bacon, you may want to reconsider. Turkey bacon is no better for your cat than regular bacon, as both are extremely salty.
Can I give my cat meat if it’s gone bad?
If you found some expired meat in your fridge and are considering offering it to your cat so it doesn’t go to waste, you should hold off on that.
Just like humans, spoiled meat is not good for your cat and can make them sick. Even though cats hunt and eat various creatures and meat, it’s still not good for them to eat rotten meat.
Best to just play it safe and throw that meat in the trash.
Can cats eat salty turkey bacon?
You might be surprised to know that sodium is contained in your cat’s cat food. It’s an essential nutrient, and cats need some of it to thrive.
But just as in humans, a high salt intake can be devastating to the feline body. Even though cats can eat salt, their ingestion of it should be limited.
Your pet’s cat food contains all the nutrients that they should need to stay healthy and happy, so there’s no need to try and supplement this unless advised by a vet.
This is why turkey bacon and bacon intake for your cat should be monitored closely. Bacon is notoriously salty, and just one strip contains almost ten times the daily recommended intake for cats.
Last Updated on March 10, 2023
by Renee Whitmore
Table Of Contents
- Can Cats Eat Turkey Bacon?
- What to Do If Your Cat Ate Turkey Bacon
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Can cats eat raw turkey bacon?
- When should I give my cat turkey bacon?
- Is turkey better than chicken or pork for cats?
- Can I give my cat meat if it’s gone bad?
- Can cats eat salty turkey bacon?
Is Turkey Safe for Dogs and Cats?
Thanksgiving is the ultimate foodie holiday. For meat lovers, prepping the bird can be a matter of great pride, and what you do with the leftovers can be too. From turkey casseroles, to soups, pot pies, there’s no shortage of food following a grand Thanksgiving feast!
The delicious smells that fill your house make pets crazy, and you’ll likely find them hovering in the kitchen more than usual on turkey day. With so much food, it can be very tempting to give our pets table scraps or even make a plate of fixings and turkey for our dog and cat so they can join us. After all, they are our best friends and a part of the family!
So, is turkey safe? Yes and No. Let us break it down for you!
Raw vs Cooked
Because dogs are omnivores and cats are carnivores, meat is an essential part of their natural diet . For cats and dogs, turkey is a lean meat that is a key ingredient in many pet foods . Plain, unseasoned, boneless, skinless turkey is safe for cats and dogs in small amounts. While you can give raw turkey to your pets, you increase their risk of bacterial contamination, like contracting salmonella. Raw meat is also not recommended for puppies , dogs with cancer , and dogs with liver or kidney disease. Feeding a raw diet to cats, however, cat help provide the extra taurine they need as carnivores. The dark meat, heart, and liver of turkeys contain higher levels of taurine. Plain, cooked turkey is safest for dogs and cats in general.
The Skinny on Seasonings
Almost every human food you are tempted to feed your pet contains spices and seasonings that may taste amazing to us, but can cause stomach upset, diarrhea, and gastrointestinal issues for our furry friends. If you’re lucky, your Thanksgiving turkey is slathered with butter, salt and pepper before it’s put on your plate. Stuffing is also filled with spices and other ingredients that may be bad for your pet.
For example, onions are often added to stuffing and they are toxic to both dogs and cats , causing damage to their red blood cells. Garlic, which is in the onion family, is also toxic to pets in large amounts. The last thing you want to do on Turkey Day for your dog is clean up after them in front of your guests or worse, take them to the vet. If the food is heavily seasoned and your dog has displayed stomach issues in the past, play it safe and don’t feed it to your pets .
Turkey Skin & Fat
Whether your family is cooking up a turkey, ham, or prime rib roast for Thanksgiving, there will be plenty of fat clinging to the good stuff. In turkey, the main source of fat is the skin. While you may trim your food of fat before you eat it, you know your cat or dog would love to gobble down your tasty fat morsels. Remember fat = flavor!
Be careful to dispose of fat where your pets can’t reach it. A big fatty meal can cause disastrous results in the form of pancreatitis. Pancreatitis can cause immediate symptoms of fever, vomiting , diarrhea , and abdominal pain. It requires immediate vet attention and it can progress rapidly without treatment into a potentially fatal condition.
So, Can Dogs Eat Turkey Bones?
Dogs and bones go together, right? Well, not so fast. Poultry bones, like that of turkey, chicken, and duck, are fragile and splinter easily, especially when cooked. Even rib and pork bones will splinter.
The bone fragments can cause many GI problems for both dogs and cats. Pieces of bone can puncture the digestive tract or cause tears, internal bleeding, and bacterial infections. Bones can cause blockages that may need to be surgically removed in costly procedures.
Remember, cats and dogs can’t eat turkey bones . Always trim turkey for dogs and cats away from the bone!
A Turkey Thanksgiving Recipe for Pets
As a general rule when feeding your pets home-cooked meals, keep it simple. If you want some safe turkey for your dogs or cats to enjoy on Thanksgiving with you, grab some ground turkey meat. Since cats are carnivores, you can just cook it plain and feed it to them in limited amounts. For dogs, boil it together with some plain white rice. The meat will flavor the rice and it will be easy on their stomach. They will even have leftovers to enjoy with you over the next few days.
