You may have heard that a little bit of butter can help your cat with hairballs.
But it this something you should give them, or does it have its drawbacks?
For cats, hairballs are just a natural part of life, and if they were left unattended they would have to cough them up on their own.
You don’t really need to intervene, even if they seem like they are trying to win an Oscar with their performance of hacking it up. It may seem dramatic, but they are used to it.
There’s really not much you can or need to do for them, just try not to freak out, use a soothing voice, and be there to pet them if they want to be petted afterward.
If you are thinking of giving them butter just as a treat, that’s an entirely different matter…
Can I Give My Cat Butter? Answer: It’s Safe Enough
There aren’t any known negative side effects to giving a cat butter.
Of course you don’t want to give them too much, and you don’t want to get into the habit of giving it to them frequently, as they might start to prefer the taste to their cat food, but you shouldn’t be concerned if your cat gets into an open butter dish and has some fun.
Even though there’s not much to be concerned about if your cat takes in some butter, it’s still not something you should go out of your way to give them.
Some owners think that their cats really enjoy butter, and therefore make it a daily or weekly treat. This is not necessary, and just because a cat seems to like something, it doesn’t mean you’re obliged to provide it to them.
Concerns with Butter
Some people get concerned because butter is high in fat, and it’s not normal for a cat to eat such a high fat food.
That’s why it’s not recommended to give them a lot, or too often.
A cat gets all of their nourishment from a high quality cat food, so that’s all you really need to give them.
A better treat than butter would be some catnip, or other specially formulated treat made just for cats. That would give them even more vitamins and minerals that they need, since butter doesn’t actually do anything good for them.
Being the Gatekeeper
You control a lot of what goes into your cat’s system. Ensure they’re at their peak of health and well-being by making sure they get a healthy diet.
This only consists of a few things, namely fresh, clean water and a top quality cat food. The other thing you’ll want to remember is that your cat loves consistency.
Be sure to feed them the same portion size at the same time each day. They’ll love that they can count on their daily food intake at the same time, and they’ll let you know if you’ve missed a session.
If you get into a really good routine, they might start reminding you minutes after the usual time.
Cats and Simplicity
The wonderful thing about owning a cat is that they are pretty simple to take care of.
It’s amazing to have a creature in your house that pretty much takes care of itself, and doesn’t need to be looked after too much.
Embrace this simplicity!
Try not to over-complicate their existence with things like butter and other people food. Butter is a man made item, and would never occur in the wild, so your cat doesn’t need it.
It’s as simple as that!
And that’s really the litmus test here. If they need it, give it to them, if they don’t need it, avoid giving it to them.
If you’re ever in doubt what to give your cat, just think of their wild ancestors and what they eat in the wild. There are enough current examples of big cats in the wild, and they thrive on a protein diet.
Cat food is high in protein and meat sources so that replicates what a cat would normally eat. All of your bases are covered, so just invest in a top-rated cat food and you’re all set.
Don’t give your cat the salted butter..too much sodium. The best choice is unsalted butter.
My cat has a tumor in her mouth and I am just trying to get enough food in her. She likes butter so I am spreading a little on her food to entice her to eat. Will buy unsalted thanks to your post. At this point it is just doing whatever I can to get her to eat and happy as long as possible. Thanks for the tip.
I gave my cat butter in her paws three times or more a day for almost ten years. She loved it but sadly, and breathtakingly, within 2 hours of going to bed she had a stroke. She also went blind and was dead from the waist down. They said that I gave her far too much butter which really could have caused her heart disease. My new cat has never seen butter and never will.
I’m sorry about your cat. Did she survive the stroke?
My cat developed a taste for butter several months ago. I only give her a very tiny amount, the tip of my finger and sometimes twice a day. A very small amount suits her. I have no idea why she started this habit! Am I doing her harm?
I tried the whole ‘best quality cat food’ thing but now he’ll only eat what I eat. Thankfully I like fish and meat. No more cat food. People, give it up and feed your feline from your plate!
Better yet feed them a raw diet without spices/ingredients. Put aside your cat’s portion before cooking your own. All three of my cats are on a raw diet, all healthy and no vet bills!
My cat has triaditis. He has to take 2 pills at one time, one-half of another pill, half a capsule of powder, and another capsule filled with little balls split over 3 meals a day. That’s a lot of medicine. First I use likeliks but as soon as he tastes the medicine I can’t give it to him for the next lot. Then I used chicken paste but I was afraid of the salt. Then I used tuna in brine but worried about the Mercury. I’ve tried every kind of soup/gravy cat food. And cat treats and pill pockets.
I don’t want to spread it out over every meal because I’m afraid he won’t eat at all if all his food tastes funny. I find butter works the best but I worry about that, too. He will not take a pill or a syringe because he doesn’t like to be held as it causes him so much stress and having to do that 6 times a day is too much drama for both of us. I need 2-3 foods/treats I can give him everyday to get all his meds into him. This is for the rest of his life. Unsalted butter works best but every day? 6 times a day? Doesn’t sound too good to me either. What can I do?