What better treat for meat-lovers than spam! If you have one furry friend that’s more than eager to grease her whiskers with this delicacy, what’s stopping her? Can cats eat spam, or is there something you should be concerned about?
We all know just how much felines love the taste of meat because it’s so natural to them. They’re carnivores, so it’s only logical they will devour this food given the opportunity. However, you have this can of spam sitting in your fridge and you wonder if you can share some with your pet.
Sharing is caring, but to what extent? You have to be aware that certain foods aren’t fit for a feline’s diet. Sometimes, they can do more harm than good even if we have the best intentions when sharing them with our furry friends.
So, what’s the deal with spam? Should you be worried if your cat managed to get her paws in it? Let’s see whether cats can eat spam and what the health benefits are, if any.
Can cats eat spam?
Spam is one of those foods that I can’t easily give you a short answer to. It’s a bit more complicated than a simple yes or no, but I’m more than glad to explain it to you.
It’s unlikely your furbaby will fall ill over a bite or two of this meaty treat, but are there any risks? They’re delicate creatures, so it’s necessary to take precautionary measures when feeding them human foods.
But you’re thinking to yourself, “It’s just meat, what could go wrong?” Well, you’d be surprised with a number of things that can go downhill from such an innocent gesture that’s sharing food with your cat.
Are there any health benefits?
Well, certainly there are! It’s meat after all, right? Given the fact that felines are carnivores, spam will benefit them greatly, right?
I wouldn’t be getting ahead of myself with this one, but it’s true that there are some pros to cats eating spam. However, I must warn you that there aren’t many, so you’ll have to weigh out the advantages and disadvantages of this meaty meal.
Traces of protein
If you’re not sure what keeps your feline fit and healthy, it’s the protein found in meat! This nutrient is crucial for your cat’s growth and proper functioning.
It aids in her development and her nervous system, and her overall immune health depends on it. Although spam doesn’t have a lot of protein, it can benefit your pet with traces thereof.
A few health supplements
Now, we know that this type of canned meat doesn’t even match the nutritional value of fresh meats such as duck. However, even with it being processed, it does offer a range of vitamins and minerals.
Don’t get ahead of yourself and think how great that is and how you can add it to your cat’s diet right away. Although spam contains certain health benefits like vitamin C, zinc, calcium, folate, magnesium, and copper, they come in small doses.
This is because the process that meat goes through undermines its value and therefore, the resulting product is of lower quality. It means losing particular vitamins and minerals and/or shrinking their abundance.
Still, these nutrients are essential for your pet’s growth and play an important part in maintaining her health. These all aid in bone development, as well as muscle and nerve functions.
What is spam made of?
Meat has widespread use nowadays and there are a lot of possibilities when it comes to its consumption. However, we tend to just love when it comes in the canned shape because it’s just so darn practical.
Due to the fast tempo of life these days, we need something quick and tasty. It’s become more of grabbing a bite along the way than sitting down and having a proper meal.
However, our felines have all the time in the world. They’re certainly in no hurry. Still, they won’t mind a few bites of spam, but what is it actually made of? Can cats eat the type of meat found in spam?
1. Oink!
You guessed it – it’s pork! So, can cats eat spam because of it? What’s there not to like!? This meat offers us a range of options to choose from and spam is just one of them.
We love it because it’s high in fat and protein, but we also know not to overdo it. It’s also quite fatty so you have to be cautious with its intake.
Although it contains protein, don’t forget that it’s still processed food which means it significantly loses its value. Less protein implies lower meat quality for your cat. And trust me, you don’t want to know what a carnivore without meat looks like.
So, cats can eat spam because of pork, but it’s not the healthiest option. Apart from the minor nutritional value, this meat is high in fats. Can cats eat spam even with downsides?
Just like all food, this canned pork has both pros and cons. We’ve mentioned the small amount of protein and health supplements contained in it, but what about the bad side?
I don’t want to bring bad news, but I’m afraid I have to. Spam probably has more bad than good to it, but it’s up to you to choose what’s best for your cat.
2. High-fat content
I assume you already know what makes pork dangerous. You have to limit your breakfast to a few bacon strips a day and you know it!
That’s because of its high-fat content. However, this is what makes your cat so attracted to spam. She just loves its taste with all the fatty parts, and who can blame her?
Even though fat provides your feline with an important energy source, the type found in spam is unlikely to benefit her in any way. It’s due to the fact that the fat in this canned pork is highly saturated.
What does this mean? This meal is packed with unhealthy fats that won’t be of good use to your pet. Highly saturated fats can be a reason for concern because they’re linked with raised cholesterol levels in the blood.
This in turn can lead to a series of health conditions, including various heart diseases, as well as strokes. Not to mention how much weight your pet can gain from regularly feasting on pork.
I know you’re now probably wondering can cats eat spam because of this dangerous level of fat? Well, if you intend on treating her to this meat only as an occasional snack, she should be fine.
However, you should never give in to her wishes and overfeed her spam or high-fat foods like beef jerky. Felines put on weight easily, which can be a trigger for various health problems in the future.
3. Salt as an enemy
Besides high amounts of fat, spam is loaded with salt. It can actually be quite detrimental to your cat’s health and can even cause poisoning.
Salt toxicity can occur if your pet has had a large intake of sodium or has been consuming it regularly. Some of the symptoms include vomiting, diarrhea, excessive thirst and urination.
Unfortunately, this canned pork is packed with salt, so it wouldn’t be a wise idea to feed her this meal on a daily basis. You don’t want your cat suffering seizures, tremors, or even a coma!
Yes, this can all happen if your feline gets poisoned by sodium. So make sure you rinse the salty contents of the can before offering it to your pet. This way, cats can eat spam in a much safer way.
Alongside salt, preservatives are also not on your cat’s side. She won’t be affected by them immediately, but they’re still unhealthy.
In the long run, your pet could start getting negative side effects from eating highly processed foods. It’s unlikely she will fall sick after a couple of bites of spam. Still, keep an eye out for her when feeding her different sausages and canned foods that are high in sodium. Or better yet, avoid it altogether.
Summing up
You were worried about not knowing if cats can eat spam, but rest assured because now you have all the information needed to make the right choice.
Remember that it’s not about fulfilling your cat’s every wish, but rather trying to make a compromise. Sure, you can try where possible to appeal to her senses, but the focus should always be on offering her high-quality foods that hold a lot of nutritional value for her.
This way, you’ll be feeding her that which is beneficial to her health and a great addition to incorporate. However, I’m not sure if spam belongs to this category of healthy foods.
Although it’s meat and contains protein and other nutrients, it also has a negative aspect. It’s high in fat and sodium, which sure isn’t an ideal situation for your pet.
Fats are harmful in the long run whereas sodium can be trouble from the moment it’s consumed. Therefore, make sure to offer her this canned pork only on rare occasions instead of turning it into a proper meal.
