More often than you can count, your mom’s warned you about how unhealthy potato chips are for you. Now, you remember her wise words as you watch the crumbs of Pringles around your cat. Can cats eat Pringles, though?
She looks up at you like she’s done nothing wrong while she licks the residue from her whiskers.
She seems content with herself because she got a new treat and the salty, flavorful, crisp Pringles were a perfect addition to her long list of foods she’s tried. Now what?
Your cat’s staring at you like she’s having the time of her life, but your stomach is making cartwheels just to remind you how dangerous all of this is.
Will she be okay? Will she fall into a coma? Or is this just your mind trying to convince you that panic is the only right answer?
Can cats eat Pringles?
Nope. Refrain from arguing with this one, because you may wake up the next day without your furry friend by your side if you give her Pringles.
Okay, let’s stop the dramatics.
When she jumps onto your lap and ends up munching on a few crumbs, there’s no need for you to panic. There are so many worse situations to find yourself in, that this isn’t something to worry yourself sick over.
But that’s as far as you can take things. A few crumbs should be fine, or even one chip would be okay. She’ll love the new flavors because they’re really different from the foods she usually eats.
More than that could be hazardous to your cat, though. Can you really tell me that you’re okay with feline eating chips that aren’t even healthy for human beings?
The sodium content is one of the things you should worry about, but considering the calories, fats, additives, and spices – these could be fatal for her. You need to understand that the body of a cat is vastly different from your own and her digestive system isn’t able to handle things the same way yours does.
There’s nothing nutritional for her there, so you shouldn’t even wonder if cats can or should eat Pringles. She’s an obligate carnivore, your little hunter, but she’s also very susceptible to human foods. She’ll get sick before you know it.
There’s no cat lover in this world who’d want to put them in this much danger. So, let’s play this smart.
What ingredients are in Pringles?
When you’re thinking about all the reasons cats can or can’t eat Pringles, we have to look at the ingredients. Pringles contain a very long list of products, even though it may seem like it’s just potato chips and salt.
The box of Pringles states the following ingredients: dried potatoes, vegetable oil (corn, sunflower, cottonseed, high oleic soybean oil), cornstarch, degerminated yellow corn flour, rice flour, 2% of salt, whey, sour cream, monosodium glutamate, onion powder, coconut oil, natural flour, nonfat milk, citric acid, and others.
I don’t even believe that I need to continue this list any further for you to understand that there’s no reason for you to give this to your cat. These ingredients aren’t even found in nature, and your cat won’t go after them unless she has some type of vitamin or mineral deficiency.
I don’t even give a sample of Pringles to my cats. Pringles are toxic in large quantities and I love my cats too much to give them something like this.
They have their own food that’s been made with them in mind. I can always sneak in a few treats, or they eat something when I turn my back on them, but mostly they’re on a very controlled diet (otherwise, they’d eat everything under the sun!)
If you want to keep your cat safe, then I advise against giving her Pringles or any other chips, as all of these ingredients can cause huge health problems.
Even if the digestive tract of your cat can handle this sort of food, she’ll still become obese if you don’t control her portions. These unnecessary fats and calories can’t be absorbed by her body to convert into energy, it’ll only create more fat.
1. How can salt harm your cat?
Almost everything is seasoned with salt. Especially potato chips, because that’s exactly what gives them that addictive taste!
Can cats eat Pringles that contain so much salt? Well, no.
It’s poisonous for cats in sufficient quantities, and just like that, it could lead to sodium poisoning. Even the FDA labels salt as an edible danger.
A high intake of salt can lead to digestive problems and inflammation. However, you won’t be able to catch onto those until later on.
Some of the first symptoms of sodium poisoning are vomiting, diarrhea, lethargy, decreased appetite, and excessive thirst. If you think that this sounds scary, then you should know that in extreme cases it can also lead to seizures, tremors, coma, and even death.
The flavor of Pringles doesn’t even matter at this point. You know that it’s mostly salt and you should never underestimate the dangers that come with feeding it to your cat.
2. Pringles contain dairy
In the list of ingredients, you see milk/dairy products in Pringles. It’s weird to consider it, but it’s true.
Most cats are lactose intolerant – a lesser-known fact. We instinctively give a small kitten cow’s milk, because that’s what we always assumed was right. Turns out, it could actually cause major digestive issues.
The first signs your cat is lactose intolerant are diarrhea, vomiting, and gases. It shouldn’t be life-threatening, but it causes a lot of discomfort to your cat.
Can cats eat sour cream and onion Pringles?
You may be repelled by sour cream and onion Pringles, but so many people in this world prefer this flavor over others. Our taste buds differ, it’s as easy as that.
It doesn’t make any difference when it comes to how toxic it is for cats. Besides the salt that we already talked about, the acidity of the onion can cause an adverse reaction in your cat’s tummy.
You probably know by now that onions and garlic are lethal for felines. Even the smallest amount could take your best friend away from you, even if you enjoy it above anything else.
It’s not any less dangerous in the form of spices that are added to Pringles. The sour flavor comes from citric acid that cats hate above anything else.
The form or preparation of the onion doesn’t even matter, because it’s hazardous to your beloved cat.
If you do enjoy this specific flavor of Pringles, then you shouldn’t bring it anywhere near your cat because she can’t eat it without suffering afterward. So don’t give her any, no matter how well she pleads with her eyes!
Keep your furbaby safe. She trusts you above anyone else and she needs you to keep her in check in order to keep her alive.
Even if the crispiness of Pringles seems interesting to her, she could also choke on it easily. The chips may get stuck in her throat before you’re able to react accordingly.
So remember that no vet would ever recommend this as a part of her diet. Keep it simple with meats and canned foods that are meant for her.
Read more: Can Cats Eat Takis? Are There Any Risks?
