Since cats are carnivorous animals, you’d think ham would be okay to give them, but is it safe?
Most people know that ham is not exactly the most healthy meat choice when it comes to human consumption. It’s a pretty fatty meat, unless you go with the fat-free variety.
Cats would have no trouble making quick work of a piece of ham, because they have sharp teeth made for biting into animals out in the wild. Just because they’ve been domesticated does not mean they’ve lost their animal instincts or tools.
Can I Give My Cat Ham? Answer: In Moderation
Since ham is a meat cats usually have no problem with it, as long as they don’t dive into an entire spiral sliced hunk of it. If you do decide to feed your cat ham you should be sure that they have plenty of fresh, cool water available, because they’re going to get thirsty.
Ham is a cured meat and salt is used a lot in this process. You probably know from first hand experience that if you eat a piece of ham by itself that you will inevitably get thirsty soon afterward. Your cat is no different, and although they will likely gobble up any bits of ham you present to them, they will have some massive thirst shortly thereafter.
Health Benefits to Cats
There aren’t many health reasons on why you’d choose to give ham to your cat, so you don’t have to make a regular thing out of it. You shouldn’t also use it as a treat every time you want to reward them or show your love. If you give them a few tiny bits from the Christmas ham, that’s just about all they’ll need for the experience.
Dehydration and Cats
If your cat gets some ham or other salty meat and didn’t have enough water to keep it hydrated, you may notice that they are suffering from a bout of dehydration. The best thing to do in this instance is to simply refresh their water dish and let them carry on. There’s no need to force fluids or give them anything like Pedialyte or Gatorade, as their bodies will be able to recover as soon as they are given a water source.
Suitable Alternatives
If you are looking for something better than ham to give to your cat as a special treat, you should consider picking up a pack of cat treats specifically designed for this very reason. They are fortified with things cats actually need, like taurine, and lack the things in ham that cats don’t need, specifically fat and salt.
It’s good to want to give your cat things that they love, but you don’t want to do it so often that they think it’s the norm. Cats are notorious for being finicky eaters, and you don’t want them to develop a taste for overly processed human foods when all they really need is a high-quality cat food.
Cat owners tend to over-complicate matters by introducing various food into their cat’s routine. But they do not need the wide variety of foods that we do, and even though they might perk up when you cook their favorite dish, they do not have the ability to appreciate it as anything but an additional source of food. They will not be savoring the flavor and wondering when they’ll have it again.
Cats are Basic
It looks almost too simple when you see a cats two dishes on the floor. One for water and another for food and they are good to go. If you translate that into human terms, we think of people in prison that only get bread and water, and how skinny they usually were.
This is why it’s important to make the disconnect between cats and humans. Even though you want to treat them like part of the family, they are an entirely different species that has evolved over millions of years just like us and they have developed their own digestive needs and food requirements. any disruption to this and you are not doing them any favors.
Keep it simple and your cat will thank you for it. Food, water, and lots of love is all they really want or need.
Okay, no more feeding cats ham anymore. My moms cat threw it up.
My cats love ham, but I don’t give it to them often because of the salt issue mentioned above.
My cat likes ham, tuna fish, and also turkey. He won’t always eat the good canned cat food I buy. So, I experimented…
He now doesn’t care for the expensive treats. He is driving me crazy! Therefore, I bought deli meat. He loves it, but I don’t give it always. I alternate. What’s a cat lover supposed to do?
Ham is not a fatty meat. It is very lean, especially the sliced ham you buy in supermarkets.
On Christmas day one of my cats jumped up on my lap while I was eating a ham sandwich. I have never seen her act so insistent about getting a bite of my food. She wrapped her right paw around my left wrist and would not let go. I gave her a small bite and she became even more insistent. Thankfully, I don’t have ham in my home often, otherwise I would need to make two sandwiches, one for me and one for her.
My cat loves to eat ham, but I don’t give her that much, nor very often. I have to tear it into tiny little pieces because, otherwise, she can’t chew it properly.