Sushi seems like a perfectly logical thing to give your cat, at first glance anyway. This is especially true if you’re talking about something like sashimi, which is just pieces of raw fish. However, there are a few drawbacks that make this something that you wouldn’t want to give them.
The first is that most sushi out there contains a lot of other ingredients besides fish. The rice is the first thing that causes a problem, and most sushi is wrapped up in it. If you’re eating a sushi roll there are most likely several different foods all wrapped together to create the experience.
For example, California roll will have things in it that your cat should not have, namely the avocado and salty seaweed.
The only real benefit to giving your cat sushi would be if you picked it apart and took out the pieces of raw fish, and gave that to them. But even then it would be a good idea to know what kind of fish it is, and you’d also have to consider how long the sushi has been sitting out. All in all it’s just not a good idea, and it’s better if you stick to eating the sushi and leave your cat with their cat food.
Can I Give My Cat Sushi? Answer: Not Recommended
Aside from the reasons mentioned above, sushi is also not the cheapest thing in the world, and is best savored by those that can enjoy it, namely us humans. Although you are probably considering giving your cat any leftover sushi, it’s still not a good idea. Take the money that you would have spent buying them sushi, and put it towards a good quality cat food. That would be a much better idea, and will pay dividends in a healthier cat.
Other Problems with Sushi
There’s also a lot of things in sushi that your cat shouldn’t have. The sushi makers can sometimes put dabs of wasabi within the roll, and your cat definitely won’t appreciate that. If you dunk your sushi in soy sauce, they will be getting too much sodium. Although giving your cat rice is OK occasionally, it is not a staple for them, even though it can sometimes be used to help with digestive issues. You don’t want to get into the habit of feeding them rice, or feed them too much at once.
If you want to give them a bit of sashimi, this is a much better choice, as it will be raw, and it will be meat, and it is more like what they would eat in the wild. However, it is still fish, and contrary to popular belief fish is not something that cats need, or that is altogether natural to their diet.
Better Alternatives
There are much better alternative to getting your cat sushi, including cat treats that you can buy that are specifically designed for cats and cat health. These are great to have handy when your cat showing an interest in what you are eating. Rather than developing a bad habit of feeding them people food, you can reach for their box of treats when you see them basically begging for a piece of what you are eating.
The Importance of Cat Food
The great thing about buying good cat food is that you don’t have to worry about anything else when to do. It is more than just a marketing gimmick, there really are better cat foods than others. You don’t have to go crazy and serve your cat Fancy Feast like using the commercials, treating them as if they are a VIP, but you can get a brand of food that has better quality ingredients and is more readily approved by veterinarians.
The food that your cat eats plays a big part in how active your cat is, how playful are, and how gracefully they age. By consistently giving your cat a high quality food you are setting them up for a long and happy life. But there is also a benefit to you, because you don’t have to worry about supplementing their diet with people food or other add ons.