Can I Give My Cat Fried Chicken?

It’s hard to deny that fried chicken is tasty but is it something that you should be sharing with your cat. If you’ve got the kind of cat that takes an interest in what you’re having for dinner the smell of hot and fresh friend chicken is likely to get them to come over and take a closer look.

But like most human foods you have to take a step back and consider whether it’s something that you cat should be having, even if they seem to be eating it without any problems. Fried chicken isn’t exactly the healthiest menu option for us humans, and the same goes for cats.

In most instances they’re just fine with their cat food, and as long as you’re getting them a quality brand you don’t have to supplement their diet with anything else. You may like to give your cats tastes of the foods that you are having as a sort of treat, which is fine in most instances, and there’s nothing inherently wrong with a big of fried chicken, but just keep it to a minimum.

Can I Give My Cat Fried Chicken? Answer: Not Recommended

The big problem with giving your cat a piece of fried chicken is the bones that are left after they’re done with the meat. They can easily crack and produce a choking hazard, as well as an oral hazard since they can puncture and cut your cats mouth while they try to eat it. If you do end up giving them some be sure that it’s just the meat bits, and not the fried outer skin that is typically breaded and contains spices. This might be something you could give them to hold them over if you’ve run out of their cat food, but be sure that you head to the store right after.

High In Fat
While friend chicken might have some protein in it, it’s also high in fat due to its fried nature. The oils that it was fried in are not going to be natural for a cat, and they don’t need to eat a diet high in fat, especially if they’re older and don’t move around as much as they used to. It’s not something that you’d ever want to get in the habit of giving your cat, even as a treat. There are specially formulated cat treats that are perfect for just such an occasion, and they’re a better idea than giving your cat any sort of people food.

It’s Not Raw
If you’re going to feed your cat chicken, it would be better to give it to them raw, as this is what they would be used to eating out in the wild. Salmonella concerns are not applicable to cats, since they’re able to break it down with their digestive enzymes. Raw chicken also comes with raw chicken bones, which are more easily eaten by a cat and don’t present the same sort of jagged cracked edge that a fried chicken bone will.

Disrupts Digestion
If your cat typically gets fed cat food every day at the same times their digestive system will be functioning at optimal levels, and you should just stick to what they know. When you start introducing new foods into the mix, especially foods such as fried chicken that have a lot going on with the breading, the oil, and the cooked meat, it can really jam up their system and lead to an upset stomach and diarrhea.

If you’ve got an indoor/outdoor cat you’ve probably noticed that they’ll try to attack and kill just about anything they find that gives them a run for their money outside. This includes birds, lizards, and more. They may have even dragged in some of their findings as a sort of gift for you, as unwanted as they might be. The hunting instinct is still alive and well in our domesticated cats, and you should keep that in mind when thinking about what is OK to give them. Tune in to their animal nature with the occasional bit of raw meat like what they’d get on their own and they’ll be in kitty heaven.

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