Cheerios are a classic breakfast cereal that almost everyone has on board. This cereal is simple, easy to digest, and a healthy option for a quick and easy morning. There’s no denying that Cheerios are good for humans, but can your cats eat cheerios?
Yes, cats can eat cheerios! However, experts recommend keeping cheerios away from your cat as, while Cheerios aren’t harmful, they’re also not a fantastic dietary mainstay for your cat. Cheerios don’t provide your dear cat with all of the essential dietary nutrients. Therefore they’re not very healthy for your cat to consume on a daily basis.
Keep reading the article to know if cheerios have any adverse effect on your cat and how much cheerios can you feed them.
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Can Cats Eat Cereal?
Yes, cats can technically eat cereal, but it’s not the meal of choice for your cat.
Yes, cats can consume cereal on a technical level.
If we’re asking about whether or not cats can eat cereal, the answer is yes. Even though it is a touch gritty, the cereal is small enough to fit in your cat’s mouth and soft enough to chew. Cereal, especially when wet from your cat’s saliva, may be even softer than dry cat food.
Cereal is a cat-sized food, keeping nutritional value aside. If your cat does eat the cereal, there’s a slight danger he’ll choke on it, but his saliva will soften it if it gets caught in his throat.
Even though cats can eat cereal, it is not their preferred snack or supper. Cheerios are not toxic to cats. If your cat eats a Cheerio that you dropped by accident, it will not be poisoned.
Cheerios aren’t poisonous, but they’re still bad for your cat to eat.
Cheerios are devoid of the essential nutrients that your cat requires to keep healthy. Cheerios, on the other hand, are created entirely of empty calories for your cat. Cheerios have no nutrients for cats.
Cheerios is an oat-based cereal, but cats don’t require oats in their diet. Cats acquire their nourishment from meat rather than oats, which are carbohydrates.
Check out more details about Can Cats Eat Cereal? Is Cereal Good/Bad For Cats?
Can Cats Eat Honey Nut Cheerios?
No, it is advised not to feed your cat honey nut cheerios as it has loads of sugar which is not suitable for your cat, along with nuts which have a high-fat content.
The general consensus appears to be no, as honey contains too much sugar, which is bad for your cat.
Furthermore, the nuts include a high-fat content, which may cause stomach issues in your cat.
Pancreatitis can be caused by eating too much fat, and diabetes and obesity can be caused by eating too much sugar.
While Honey Nut Cheerios aren’t poisonous to cats, it’s vital to be aware of the components in this cereal and why it might not be the greatest choice for your cat.
They’re created with healthy grains, have reduced fat content, and are gluten-free.
One thing to keep in mind with Honey Nut Cheerios, or any other commercial item that claims to utilize honey, is that while it may have a honey flavor, it may not be manufactured with honey.
And if it’s prepared with honey, it won’t be raw organic honey; instead, it’ll be loaded with chemicals and sugar.
Honey Nut Cheerios have “honey” as an ingredient, but they also contain sugar for flavor. That’s one of the reasons they’re so tasty!
However, whether it comes from natural sources or not, all of this sugar is bad for your cat. Over time, it can lead to weight gain and the development of diabetes and other health issues.
This product also contains almond flavorings, which are not advised for cats.
Honey nut cheerios exclude substances that are part of your cat’s regular diet, such as meat. On Saturday mornings, cats do not eat breakfast cereal because they are carnivores.
So meat contains the nutrients they require to keep strong and healthy, which is why commercial cat meals have such a high proportion of meat ingredients — your cat needs this protein and enjoys the flavor.
If you do decide to provide Honey Nut Cheerios to your cat, make sure you just give him one or two nibbles on rare occasions; it should never be a regular component of his diet.
This cereal should not be given to your pet as a nutritional supplement or as a regular treat. This can cause a nutritional deficiency in your cat, as well as a variety of other health issues.
If you decide to give your cat Honey Nut Cheerios, keep in mind that you should feed him dry cereal rather than milk, as dairy is not recommended for cats.
Although your cat is unlikely to have digestive discomfort or diarrhea as a result of eating Honey Nut Cheerios, it is conceivable, depending on the amount he eats and the high sugar level.
So keep an eye on his behavior and stool in the days after his cereal ingestion.
While Honey Nut Cheerios aren’t quite the worst thing your cat might consume, they aren’t necessary. It’s unlikely to damage him if you give him one or two bites on rare occasions, but it’s not something he requires. They’re just not a healthy choice for your cat.
Can Cats Eat Dry Cheerios?
Yes, cats can eat dry cheerios, but it is advised not to feed it to them as it can cause vomiting and stomachache to your cat if not provided in moderation.
You won’t be giving your lactose-intolerant cat milk if you use dry cheerios, which could cause a stomachache or even vomiting.
When it comes to cheerios, though, milk isn’t the issue.
You’re already doing a great job by skipping milk, but you might as well avoid the cereal as well.
There is no way to offer cereal to your cat that is healthful.
The components in dry cheerios, whether dry or with milk, are bad for your cat. While the components in cheerios vary by brand and variety, many of them contain carbohydrate-containing substances.
Everyone is divided on whether or not people should consume carbohydrates, but it has already been established that cats do not require carbohydrates.
Cats’ bodies lack the enzymes needed to break down carbs. Carbohydrates can be used as a source of energy in humans, keeping us feeling full and energized, but this is not the case in cats.
Carbs will not be able to provide energy or fuel to your cat. Your cat could eat and consume carbs, but there will be little gain and a lot of negative consequences.
Can Cats Eat Whole Wheat Cheerios?
Yes, cats can eat whole wheat cheerios but only as a little snack and not regularly or as a staple diet.
For people seeking a healthier alternative to their regular cereal, whole wheat or whole grain Cheerios may be a good choice. Even yet, it isn’t any more nutritious than conventional Cheerios.
Cheerios contains the following ingredients:
- Whole grain oats
- Whole grain corn
- Corn starch
- Whole grain rice
- Brown sugar syrup
- Salt
Whole wheat cheerios are manufactured from various whole grains, including oats, corn, and rice.
As previously stated, your cat’s diet does not require cheerios or grains to be healthy.
Grain and cheerios provide more than just calories. They may also cause a few problems with your cat in the near term, such as:
- Allergies
- Intolerance to the food if they have never eaten it before
- The health of your cat’s skin could translate to dry, flaky skin that causes your cat to itch
- Quality of your cat’s fur, including the shine and thickness of your cat’s fur
As a result, these Cheerios are designed for people, not cats, as the majority of the components are things your cat doesn’t need to eat.
Whole grain Cheerios also contain 8 grams of sugar. This amounts to around 16 percent of the average person’s daily sugar intake.
As you can expect, this is a lot of sugar for your cat, who doesn’t require it in their diet.
Check out more details about Can Cats Eat Wheat? Is Wheat Bad For Cats?
How Much Cheerios Is Safe To Give To Cats?
Cats should be fed cheerios in a very small amount as feeding it more than that will have adverse effects on your cat’s health.
Cats in any quantity should not eat Cheerios. You don’t have to be concerned about how much Cheerios a cat can consume because cats shouldn’t consume Cheerios in the first place.
A modest amount of Cheerios will have no effect on your cat. We’ve all dropped a Cheerios on the floor or on the counter and resolved to clean it up afterward. There’s no need to be concerned if your cat gets to it first.
Cheerios only become a concern for your cat if they consume them for an extended period of time; a one-time snack on Cheerios will not harm your cat.
Alternatives To Cheerios
Alternatives of cheerios to feed your cat could be cheese, fruits, and vegetables.
If you’re looking for a quick but nutritious snack for your cat, there are many possibilities. Give them fish or meat sliced into minor parts without bones to mimic their natural diet.
You can also serve cheese to them. Keep in mind that many cats are lactose intolerant or sensitive, and dairy consumption can cause an upset stomach.
Even if these don’t closely resemble their regular diet, there are plenty of healthy fruits and vegetables for them to eat. Baby carrots, cherries, melons, and banana slices are all excellent options.
Which ones you choose will depend on your cat’s preferences, as not all cats enjoy fruits and veggies.
Finally, if they require additional motivation to eat, consider boosting their food with rice. It adds some texture and protein to their diet without introducing gluten or excessive fats.
Things to Remember
Things you should keep in mind before feeding your cat cheerios are: –
- In the long run, feeding your cat Cheerios can lead to a slew of issues. Cheerios are nutritionally empty, so they don’t help your cat meet their daily dietary needs, which can lead to nutritional imbalances and deficiencies.
- Furthermore, providing your cat with empty calories may increase their chances of becoming overweight or obese.
- Obese cats frequently lose their love of exercise and suffer from health issues such as diabetes, heart disease, arthritis, and various types of cancer. Given that more than half of our cats are overweight or obese these days, we don’t need to start feeding them empty calories!
- If you decide to feed your cat some breakfast cereal, several Cheerios products should be avoided because they are toxic to cats.
- The most dangerous cereals are Chocolate Cheerios and Multigrain Cheerios Dark Chocolate Crunch. Honey Nut Cheerios, Frosted Cheerios, and Dulce de Leche Cheerios are also particularly unhealthy options.
- As a general rule, choose the options with the least amount of sugar and added flavors.
Frequently Asked Questions
Are cheerios with almonds unhealthy for cats?
Ans. Cheerios with almonds are not unhealthy for your cat if given in moderation, as almonds do not poison cats. However, because they’re not a standard part of a pet’s diet, they might induce stomach discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, and perhaps pancreatitis if eaten.
How many calories should a cat eat in a day?
Ans. According to experts, a cat’s daily calorie intake should be between 24 and 35 calories per pound in order to maintain a normal, healthy weight.
Can Cats Eat Chocolate Cheerios?
Ans. No cats should never be fed chocolate cheerios, as while normal cheerios aren’t poisonous to cats, several of the different cheerio flavors are. Chocolate cheerios of any kind are harmful to cats and should never be given to them. Chocolate is poisonous to cats because of an ingredient called theobromine, which is found in all types of chocolate. Dark chocolate and unsweetened baking chocolate are the most harmful, and cats who consume chocolate in any form may experience irregular cardiac rhythms, convulsions, tremors, and even death.
Final Words
Finally, giving your cat a handful of Cheerios now and again will not cause any immediate health issues.
However, remember that ‘nontoxic’ does not equal ‘healthy,’ and that your cat is an obligate carnivore.
Cheerios are nutritionally devoid and should never account for more than a small fraction of your cat’s caloric diet.
For any other questions, keep it right here at askmycats.com.
