Tuna salad (or mayonnaise with tuna) seems to be having HER moment these days. This mouth-watering meal’s been trending on every social media platform for weeks and months, and you’re ready to give that viral recipe a taste. Can cats eat mayonnaise with tuna, though?
You’re asking because you already know she’s going to spend the afternoon giving you dirty looks and meowing for you to give her a bite. And, to be honest, you understand where she’s coming from. She’s seeing these paw-licking recipes everywhere on TikTok and she’s stuck munching on cat food… Yuck?!
She wants to see what the hype’s about, and she wants to see that NOW. Trust me, your four-legged friend doesn’t have the time to wait for you to conduct extensive research on what human foods get a pass when it comes to a cat’s diet.
Can cats eat mayonnaise? Can cats eat tuna? And, before we forget, can cats eat everything else that goes into this mouth-watering meal? You have a bunch of questions (which is completely normal for a responsible pet parent) and we’re here to help.
Our friends over at the ASPCA (American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) don’t have many negative things to say about tuna, but they’re shaking their heads at the thought of feeding mayonnaise to your feline friend.
We’re sure you were hoping to get a simple yes or no answer, but we’re here to give you a clear and concise explanation of what to expect when you’re feeding mayonnaise with tuna to your cat. So, let’s get into it.
Can cats eat mayonnaise?
We can’t forget about the only condiment of the mayonnaise with tuna culinary masterpiece, can we? Can cats eat mayonnaise? Can mayonnaise cause harm to your cat? Argh, can cats eat mayonnaise with tuna (because my cat really wants to!)?
One lick of mayo shouldn’t cause harm to your four-legged friend, but that doesn’t mean that the two of you should run off to the nearest Trader Joe’s to get a bunch of tubs of mayonnaise. To your cat’s (and everyone else’s) demise, cats can’t eat mayonnaise without repercussions.
Mayonnaise typically contains eggs, olive oil (even other types of oil), lemon juice (or vinegar, or other acids), and seasonings. These ingredients don’t scream “Your cat will die in seven days if she eats them!”, but they don’t carry any nutritional value.
Certain types of mayonnaise even contain dairy, which seems like a whole other set of problems. You see, cats carry the title of obligate carnivores. That’s just a fancy way of saying they require a bunch of meat, animal protein, and animal-sourced nutrients in their diet.
They don’t really require fruits, veggies, and grains the same way humans do. They don’t even possess the enzymes necessary for their digestive system to break down and process most foods humans eat on a regular.
Actually, most cats are lactose intolerant. They don’t possess the lactase enzyme that’s responsible for breaking down and processing the lactose from dairy products. Consuming dairy products regardless of their lactose intolerance can cause a bunch of digestive issues and health issues.
And, consuming mayonnaise (or at least consuming more than a couple of licks) can cause stomachache, diarrhea, and vomiting. Not to mention weight gain, obesity, diabetes, and other serious health problems. Cats can eat mayonnaise, but that doesn’t mean that they should.
Can cats eat tuna?
Your four-legged friend LOVES fish, everything that tastes like fish, and everything that smells like fish. But, with so many fish in the sea, you might find yourself wondering “Can cats eat tuna with no repercussions?” or even “Can tuna cause harm to my cat?”
Tuna, the fish, could probably take your precious purrincess down with one swipe of her tail. And tuna, the dish, could probably do the same thing with the amount of mercury it’s believed to possess. Cats can eat tuna, but that doesn’t mean they should (we‘re starting to see a pattern here!).
Tuna does contain a bunch of vitamins such as vitamin B12, vitamin A, and vitamin D. As for the minerals, tuna contains calcium, phosphorus, potassium, zinc, B-vitamins, selenium, and choline. Don’t even get me started on those omega-3 fatty acids!
And yes, even canned tuna contains these nutrients. Canned tuna also contains some other ingredients you might want to keep an eye out for, but that’s beside the point. Tuna does offer a bunch of nutritional and health benefits TO HUMANS, but this saltwater fish doesn’t have the same effect on cats.
Actually, consuming tuna on a regular can cause harm to your feline friend. On the one hand, tuna allergies are pretty common among felines. Some of the most prominent symptoms of an allergic reaction are redness, skin irritation, crust bumps, vomiting, diarrhea, and constipation.
On the other, cats can experience mercury poisoning. Some of the most common mercury poisoning symptoms are odd behavior, weakness, loss of coordination, loss of appetite, tremors, odd body and eye movements, loss of vision, and even death.
Can cats eat mayonnaise with tuna, then?
Everything’s pointing to “No!”, but you haven‘t considered everything. Sure, mayonnaise and tuna aren‘t necessarily your vet‘s favorite pick for your cat‘s diet. But, mayonnaise with tuna might have some redeeming qualities we haven‘t mentioned beforehand, right!?
So, before you start throwing out every can of tuna and every tub of mayonnaise you can find in your pantry, you might want to give your vet a visit. Cats can eat mayonnaise with tuna without experiencing allergy or toxicity symptoms, you just have to figure out what’s best for your cat’s health.
Throw a glance at your TikTok and check the recipe for the trending mayonnaise with tuna salad. Mayonnaise (obviously), tuna (who’s surprised?), celery, shallots, pickles, pickle juice, and salt. Yes, these ingredients sound delicious, but are they a delicious treat for your cat?
1. Mayonnaise
Yes, we’ve already talked your ears off with mayonnaise! But, mayonnaise happens to be THE main ingredient of the meal you’re trying to feed to your mischievous monster. And, mayonnaise happens to be THE ingredient that you’re most worried about.
Cats can eat mayonnaise (as mentioned beforehand), but they shouldn’t because mayonnaise makes their stomachs hurt. Cooked eggs are safe for cats, but we can’t say the same about raw egg yolks that can be found in pretty much every mayonnaise recipe out there.
Raw eggs (egg whites or egg yolks) typically carry a bunch of bacteria and parasites (such as salmonella). These pesky passengers can cause serious damage to your cat’s health. Trust me, you don‘t want to feed your cat mayonnaise unless you find something more cat-appropriate (meowonnaise, maybe?!).
2. Tuna
And yes, we’ve already figured out that tuna doesn’t make for a great pick-me-up for your four-legged friend. Sure, there are worse things she can munch on. But, we can’t overlook the (very common) tuna allergies or the (also very common) mercury poisoning.
Trust me, there‘s plenty of other fish in the sea (pun kind of intended). Your cat’s better off scoffing down a bunch of sardines, tilapia, or even mackerel as long as she avoids the ones that can rush her to the emergency animal center.
You might want to throw a glance at your TikTok and check whether you can make mayonnaise with tuna without the… Tuna. Worth the shot?!
3. Celery
We did some digging (you can thank us later), and celery seems to be one of the most common mayonnaise with tuna ingredients. Apparently, you can’t make this paw-licking meal without the help of your trusty, crunchy stalks.
And, cats can eat celery! Sure, that doesn’t sound like good news after you’ve discovered that cats can’t really eat mayonnaise or tuna. But, celery does make the meal look better with the lineup of vitamins and minerals that include vitamin A, vitamin K, vitamin C, potassium, and folate.
Celery’s also great for maintaining your cat’s blood pressure and blood sugar levels. And who doesn‘t love munching on crunchy foods and reaping the nutritional and health benefits?!
4. Shallots
“What do you mean cats can’t eat mayonnaise with tuna? THANKS SH-ALLOT!” Your furry friend might be able to down a bit of mayonnaise with tuna, but only if you’re 100% sure it doesn’t contain any shallots.
Unfortunately, cats can’t eat shallots under any circumstances. Our friends over at the ASPCA agree that shallots (alongside onions, garlic, and scallions) cause damage to your cat’s red blood cells and lead to anemia (and other serious diseases).
Shallots might give that much-needed kick to your mayonnaise and tuna salad, but you’re better off swapping them for something else. Your furry friend might surprise you and snatch that bite right out of your mouth, so you better be prepared.
5. Pickles and pickle juice
We hear you, we understand your (and everyone else‘s) obsession with pickles, and we’re aware that you have a TikTok account where you share pickle recipes and pickle recipes only. But, TRUST ME, your furry friend won’t give you a like or a follow when she stumbles upon your account.
You read that right, cats can’t eat pickles (or have pickle juice) under any circumstances. Don’t get me wrong, cucumbers don’t deserve a bad reputation because they’re completely safe. But, the moment they get pickled they lose everything that makes them safe.
Pickles (and pickle juice) contain a bunch of salt and seasonings. One pickle (or two at best) shouldn’t cause harm to your furry friend unless one of those seasonings happens to be garlic (which is pretty common). Garlic doesn’t belong anywhere near your cat, especially not within her digestive system.
6. Salt
Cats LOVE salt because they can’t taste most things humans can, and they can certainly taste salt. Don’t get me wrong, they need a little bit of salt in their system. But, consuming too much salt can cause dehydration, excessive thirst, and urination, and even lead to sodium toxicity.
Salt seems to be the least of your concerns when it comes to feeding mayonnaise with tuna to your four-legged friend, though. Don’t forget, don’t make significant changes to her diet without consulting the vet beforehand.
What’s the conclusion? Can cats eat mayonnaise with tuna?
Here’s the short answer: NO! Sure, mayonnaise isn’t necessarily toxic to cats. Tuna isn’t necessarily toxic to cats, either. But, mayonnaise with tuna (as a salad, a combined meal, or whichever way you like to prepare it) shouldn’t become a part of your cat’s diet.
And, given that you have a stubborn situation on your hands, you can always keep a suspiciously similar treat under your sleeve. Make a homemade salad with some lettuce, cabbage, sardines, and a dressing of your cat’s choice. Voila, you have yourselves a delicious dinner!
