Can Cats Eat Popcorn? If you have a cat, it is important to know the answer to this question because you may be asked by your vet or veterinary technician. The answer to this question is yes, cats can eat popcorn
Popcorn is not toxic for cats. It is possible that the oil used in making popcorn could cause illness in some cats, but it would be necessary for them to eat more than just popcorn every day for that to happen.
However, feeding any portion of a diet that is completely new or different from anything your cat has eaten before can cause some digestive upset in susceptible cats which are prone to vomiting right after eating something they are not used to.
How often can cats eat popcorn?
Cats are very good at knowing what is good for them and what is not. You may have heard that humans are the only animals that will eat their own young. Cats would never do this.
It has been shown by cat litter box monitoring that cats may decide to eliminate right after they eat something new, so it is best to wait 4 hours before feeding your cat any new food or treats.
So how often can cats eat popcorn? Only you can decide if your cat would accept popcorn as a treat if you were to offer it at intervals of no more than one time per day for up to three weeks with no adverse reports from the litter box or vomiting incidents.
Popcorn is not harmful to cats. But if your cat eats popcorn frequently because you are offering it, this could lead to weight gain if the cat is not active enough.
It is best to feed your cat popcorn once or twice a week, but not every day. And never feed popcorn to your cat while it is eating another food. If you have more than one cat, you could have two different diets being offered at the same time, so no special diets will be necessary.
Popcorn is very high in calories and fat. It is very important that cats are not overly overweight, or they may become seriously ill. Also cats are likely to get sick if their diet contains too much fat for too long of a period of time.
How to prepare popcorn for cats?
You can buy microwaveable popcorn in a grocery store or free standing gas stations convenience store. Or you can also pop it in a regular pot on the stove by using an aluminum pot with a lid that will fit snuggly over the top of the pot when popped.
When cooked in an aluminum pot, you must remove all of the lid before placing it on your serving bowl – otherwise, you are just inviting any leftover burned scents to fall into your nice clean bowl of popcorn..
Allow the cooked popcorn to cool down a bit before you add any butter or oil. A general rule of thumb for all cats is that they should never inhale any odor from food.
This is because their sense of smell is much more powerful than our sense of smell, hence the term “nose-piercingly” good food. And if you have not yet tasted the freshly popped popcorn, you will be surprised at how hard it can burn your insides!
Some cats will allow their owners to drizzle butter or oil on top of the kettle-cooked popcorn from a small plastic cup spoon. But do not use a big spoon to pile it on the wax paper. This could result in an overflow onto the floor.
It is extra important that you use only non-stick cooking spray or butter when popping popcorn, because other types of cooking oils can leave a residue that will be too hard to brush off of the popcorn.
Popcorn kernels should be allowed to pop completely by themselves without stirring them at any time during this process. This extra step will ensure that your popcorn will pop evenly instead of poppings reducing to unpopped kernel clusters.
Is popcorn toxic for cats?
Yes if given in large quantities. Some oils used in certain foods can cause some cats to become ill, just as some humans may become ill from eating the same food. But popcorn is a corn derivative and is therefore considered a safe food for cats, especially if they are given this treat on a regular basis.
The only time the use of oils might cause problems is when cats eat large amounts of a new food or a new treat too quickly, or if they have been eating an unhealthy diet. In that case, the oily substance from the food could be irritating to their intestines.
Related Article: Can cats eat quinoa? What you need to know
In addition to butter and oil, there are other healthy fats that you can choose from when preparing popcorn for your cat. These include the following:
Olive oil
Olive oil is a healthy fat that melts easily in your hand if it is at a warm room temperature. It may be used just as you would use butter or margarine when topping popcorn for a cat or kitten. Olive oil is best for cats who have a sensitive stomach and may vomit if they eat something new.
If your cat is the type that will vomit right after eating a new treat, olive oil is one of the best fat choices to use for topping popcorn.
But if your cat is not prone to vomiting, then butter or margarine would be better choices to use when topping popcorn for a cat because butter and margarine are already soft at room temperature.
Sunflower oil
Sunflower oil is a stable olive oil that can be used for topping popcorn treats. It is easier to clean up spills from a bowl of popcorn made with sunflower oil than from butter or margarine.
It is also harder for other people to tell if your cat ate butter or margarine, but may leave a sticky residue from sunflower oil. Still, the dog maintainer in your home may accidentally ingest some of it and it could cause toxicity in dogs just as it would in cats.
Vegetable oil
Vegetable oil is a good choice for topping popcorn when it is cooked in an aluminum pot on the stove. Vegetable oils are also better suited for cats who eat small amounts of popcorn and may vomit if they overindulge.
But if the cat eats large amounts of popcorn or does not vomit after eating, vegetable oils can cause intestinal problems in certain cases. This includes corn oil and safflower oil.
Canola oil
Canola oil is another healthy oil that can be used for topping popcorn for your cat. It is the healthiest choice of all the vegetable oils for cats. If you choose to use canola oil, it will be easier to clean up any spills than if you use sunflower oil or vegetable oils.
Canola oil also has a high smoke point value, meaning it can be heated higher than other types of oils without causing any toxic fumes.
Avacado oil
Avacado oil is a good choice for topping popcorn your cat, especially if the cat does not eat much popcorn or does not vomit after eating, but will become ill if given too much avocado oil.
An avocado is a fruit and not a vegetable. Cats may also eat avocado in small amounts when it is added to their food in small quantities.
So they should be able to handle avacado oil in small amounts when it is used as an ingredient in topping popcorn and other treats.
Coconut oil
Coconut oil is a stable oil that can be used when topping popcorn or other treats for your cat. It is more stable than olive, sunflower, vegetable, canola, or avacado oils.
But it does have a strong scent that many cats will not like when it is used as an ingredient in topping popcorn or other snacks.
What are the types of popcorn can cats eat?
You may be wondering if you should purchase popcorn kernels for your cat. Or if you should buy popped popcorn on the store shelf.
The answer is “yes” to both of those types of choices. You can make either one work for your cat, but why not get both at the same time?
They are both inexpensive treats for cats that will keep them occupied during their daily play sessions. Both types are also tasty to cats, because the innermost part of any kernel is edible by pets.
But if you take a few minutes to prepare your own popped corn kernels, they will be ready in less time and you’ll be prepared in case your cat shows interest in different types of popcorn.
Canned popped popcorn is a good choice for cats who love the taste and texture of this crunchy treat. It can be crushed or cracked in half and used with or without butter or margarine.
Canned popcorn kernels usually come in a large gallon can and you can scoop out just the amount you need with a cake scoop.
But they may also come in small plastic containers that will need to be opened with scissors, knife, or even your hands when they are opened.
Advantages of cats eating popcorn
Popcorn might seem like an unusual snack choice for cats, but this tasty snack has some advantages that make it a healthy treat for many cats.
Popcorn is a whole grain and is a good source of fiber. A cat’s digestive system benefits from having more fiber in their diet, especially if your cat is overweight, or if they have a medical issue such as a kidney problem or diabetes.
Both whole grain and fiber are good choices to add to your cat’s regular diet because they will slow down eating and will feel full faster when they eat less calories.
Whole grain is also beneficial to your cat’s health because of its nutrient content or by helping to keep the digestive system working properly.
If you do not know if your cat has a medical condition such as diabetes, talk to your veterinarian about having a test done on them. Then, they can guide you as best you can with the food choices that will be best for your cat’s health.
When choosing a type of popcorn that has whole grains in it, check the label and make sure there is no added sugar or ingredients that could cause illness in your cat.
What can cats eat?
Can cats eat popcorn shrimp?
Popcorn shrimp are one of many seafood treats that are suitable for cats to eat. There are always some cats who do not like any type of seafood, but you should try different types before deciding what your cat likes or does not like.
Some cats will eat shrimp but may not want to go near anything fishy smelling. So, there are other seafood choices besides popcorn shrimp for them to eat if they do not like popcorn shrimp.
Grilled fish is another seafood choice you can offer, but just make sure it is not fish that has had an excessive amount of salt added to it or wrap any type of fish in aluminum foil before cooking.
You can also offer your cat cooked or canned tuna to try. Most cats do not like tuna that has been left out for too long, so it needs to be kept in the refrigerator for just a few days.
Fresh Atlantic salmon is another seafood choice that cats will enjoy, but it should be cooked thoroughly before serving because of parasites in some other types of fish. You will need to cook it until the meat is easy to flake apart with a fork.
Crab meat is another seafood treat you can offer your cat, but you will need to make sure the crab meat specifically does not have any shell pieces in it because they could cause an intestinal obstruction or obstruction in their mouth or throat.
Can cats eat chicken?
Chicken is a good choice for cats who like poultry and it is pretty easy to find in most grocery stores. You can buy chicken leg quarters or thighs and serve them with the skin and bones removed.
You can also buy boneless, skinless chicken breast and serve it with the same two preparation methods.
Whole raw chicken, such as a whole raw chicken drumstick or thigh is another choice that most cats will enjoy eating. You will need to remove the fatty layer of fat from both before they are prepared for your cat’s snack treat.
You can also give your cat shredded chicken from a whole cooked chicken or one that has been cooked in the crock pot or oven. Just make sure it is not too high in sodium and have a serving every now and then.
You need to feed your cat both fresh and processed poultry because their digestive system is different from humans. They need to eat raw meat that has some fat on it for a snack treat sometimes, but you should not feed them any type of poultry too often if they have a low quality of life or may be suffering.
Conclusion
All cats are different and there are so many snacks that will work for your cat, but if you want to get them to eat something other than cat food, give them popcorn kernels.
It is not uncommon for cats to eat other types of snacks during their play session, but just watch what you give them. You don’t want to feed your cat anything that could cause sickness or death.
If you choose to feed your cat something other than canned or popped corn kernels, make sure it is shelf stable or will keep in the refrigerator for up to a few days.
You can also make things like fresh fish treats, canned tuna marinade without toppings, grilled shrimp with the shells removed, etc…