Even though it probably wouldn’t cause too much trouble, cats shouldn’t eat fortune cookies. Fortune cookies aren’t the best treat for your cat because of the grains and sugar. You shouldn’t feed your cat fortune cookies, but if it somehow manages to get its paws on one, you needn’t worry.
You can choose from a wide variety of cat treats, all of which are superior to fortune cookies. Though you might enjoy them (and maybe even be interested in what the cookie says about your cat’s future), you shouldn’t feed a fortune cookie to your cat.
Don’t freak out if your cat finds its way into your bag and devours the fortune cookie you had sitting there. It’s harmless, but next time you should store it somewhere secure.
Can Cats Eat Fortune Cookies?
No, cats shouldn’t eat Fortune Cookies because they contain sugar and artificial flavors that can be dangerous to feline digestive systems. Our feline friends should not eat the homemade chocolate Fortune Cookies that some foodie might bake. Additionally, cats may have difficulty swallowing the tough cookie shell. If your furry friends eat a Fortune Cookie, keep an eye out for any symptoms of illness and consult your vet if necessary.
What are Fortune Cookies?
A fortune cookie is a crispy, sugary cookie wafer. It takes the form of a hollow crescent and has a hollow interior.
In the United States, Asian restaurants frequently serve fortune cookies, which are cookies folded into the shape of a butterfly and containing a small strip of paper with a few words written on it.
Fortune Cookies, despite their posh-sounding name, are actually quite simple to make and take very little time. The ingredients list for a Fortune Cookie can vary from one baker to the next, but most versions include flour, sugar, egg white, butter, salt, and either vanilla or almond extract.
Inside most fortune cookies is a small slip of paper with either a positive affirmation or a prediction written on it. They could have some lottery numbers or a nebulous phrase open to multiple interpretations.
After a meal, these subtly sweet cookies are frequently served as a check is being finalized. It has been suggested that the custom of serving fortune cookies alongside tea in Japan is where the crunchy treat first appeared.
These days, it’s common practice for people to bake their own Fortune Cookies and include heartfelt or humorous messages for loved ones.
What are Fortune Cookies made of?
All-purpose flour, salt, vanilla extract, almond extract, egg whites, sugar, melted butter, and vanilla extract are the basic ingredients in a batch of fortune cookies. The round shapes of the baked Fortune Cookies are the result of the dough being cut into discs before being baked.
While the Cookie is still malleable, a piece of paper is placed inside. They stiffen and harden into their final form as they cool.
Let’s check out what’s in those crunchy cookies and see how they might affect your furry friend’s well-being.
Fortune Cookie Ingredients
- Universal flour.
- Salt.
- Extract of vanilla.
- Essence of almonds.
- Sugar.
- A solitary egg white.
- Béchamel sauce.
Even though they can’t taste much of anything, most cats enjoy fortune cookies. Traditional ingredients for making fortune cookies include sugar, eggs, and vanilla. It’s reasonable to assume that the eggs, and maybe the vanilla, are what draw the cats.
You shouldn’t give in to your cat’s pleadings for a bite of your fortune cookie. Cats should not eat fortune cookies because they can be dangerous.
You probably have at least one cookie that won’t harm your cat if it wants one.
Why does my cat likes to eat Fortune Cookies?
Cats are naturally inquisitive creatures. A Fortune Cookie sitting on the table may pique their interest, leading them to take a bite out of it and learn more about what it is. If they try it and like it, they may keep eating it because they want more.
Even though they have no ability to detect sweetness, most cats enjoy munching on Fortune Cookies. Eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract are the main ingredients in most varieties of Fortune Cookie. It’s possible that they’re drawn to the vanilla or egg smell.
Our feline friends will eat anything, even if it’s not meant for them. That’s why it’s so important for cat owners to know which foods should be kept out of their feline friends’ reach.
Even if it’s wrapped around a tasty fortune cookie, your cat shouldn’t eat paper. Even though it’s not supposed to, try not to stress out if it does. If all else fails, just wait for your cat to finish the paper.
Cats can tolerate very small amounts of paper just fine, but they cannot digest it. Your cat won’t have any trouble with the piece of paper found in fortune cookies because it is not particularly large.
You will most likely discover that same scrap of paper in your cat’s litter box a day or two later. Don’t stress if you can’t find it there. It most likely got flushed out with the rest of your cat’s waste.
Your cat could get diarrhea and stomach upset as a worst case scenario. A fortune cookie won’t do any lasting damage to your cat. Your cat will feel a little rough for a day or two, but then she’ll be fine.
You know that fortune cookies aren’t inherently bad, but you also know that they aren’t good for your cat. After eating one, your cat could have some digestive issues or could enjoy nothing more than the cookie’s tasty flavor. It’s not wise to take any chances, especially since there are plenty of cat-friendly cookies available.
There is no need to take your cat to the vet if it ate a fortune cookie. Keep an eye out for any worrying signs, and if anything does happen, don’t hesitate to contact the vet. After the initial 24-36 hours, your cat should be safe.
Are Fortune Cookies bad for cats?
If cats eat a lot of Fortune Cookies, it can be unhealthy for them. As obligate carnivores, cats need a diet that is high in protein (about 50%) and low in fat (about 30% to 40%). Looking at the list of ingredients, it’s clear that Fortune Cookies don’t contain much that’s good for your cat.
These cookies have a mild sweetness, but some of the ingredients can cause indigestion and diarrhea in the short term and unnecessary weight gain in the long term.
Let’s examine the reasons why some of the ingredients on the above list are harmful to your cuddly pets.
All Purpose Flour is full of carbs that cats don’t need
Many common baked goods, such as pizza, bread, cookies, pastries, pancakes, and pie crusts, are made with all-purpose flour. It has properties that are intermediate between those of whole wheat flour and that of white cake flour.
This flour has a moderate strength and gluten content and has a slightly off-white color.
It’s worth noting that this flour goes through extensive processing, during which the wheat’s bran and germ are removed. Antioxidants, fiber, and B vitamins are just some of the many beneficial substances found in the bran, or outer layer. The wheat germ contains a wealth of nutrients including protein, vitamins, minerals, and heart-healthy fats.
The remaining endosperm is the starchy, protein- and carbohydrate-rich part of the grain.
White flour is the result of several processing steps, including milling, refining, and bleaching.
It makes sense that all-purpose flour is bad for cats; after extensive processing, all the beneficial nutrients are stripped away, leaving only the carbohydrates.
Carbohydrates have a high glycemic index, which means they cause a spike in blood sugar levels shortly after consumption. This will give your furry pal a temporary boost of energy, but he’ll start feeling hungry again before long. Their mood and behavior will suffer, and they may also develop health issues like diarrhea, vomiting, diabetes, and weight gain as a result of their low energy levels.
Cats don’t have enough of the amylase enzyme in their bodies to properly and effectively digest carbohydrates, so their diets should contain no more than 10% carbs at most.
Overloading the digestive system with carbohydrates can lead to gastrointestinal distress. This can cause discomfort by squeezing their digestive tract and pancreas.
Because of this, your feline friend may become lethargic, vomit, and have diarrhea.
Consuming too much Salt can lead to sodium poisoning
When our cats consume more than 41 milligrams of salt per day, it can cause serious health problems. Your cats shouldn’t have any more than one gram of salt for every two pounds they weigh. If you give your cat more than that, it could be harmful.
This is why.
Our feline friends can get salt poisoning or hypernatremia if they eat too much salt. This is because an excessive amount of salt can cause electrolyte imbalance in your cat.
The following symptoms may appear in your pet as a result:
- Vomiting.
- Dehydration.
- Lethargy.
- Tremors.
- Diarrhea.
- Disruption of coordination.
- Gaining weight.
- Coma.
- Seizure.
To give you an idea of how much sodium is in a single Fortune Cookie, there are 2.48mg in just 8 grams. Though this may not seem like a lot to us, our little fur babies can’t handle this much sodium.
So, we should probably put the Fortune Cookies where our cat can’t get to them.
Almond Extract is unsafe for feline consumption
Bitter almonds, water, oil, and alcohol are used to create almond extract. In fact, our furry friends shouldn’t come into contact with bitter almond. A small amount of almond extract can cause serious problems for your cat, even death.
Bitter almonds are poisonous, but commercially available sweet almonds are safe for cats to eat in moderation. This is due to the presence of cyanogenic glycosides in bitter almonds.
Almond extract contains a compound that, when broken down, produces cyanide, a poisonous substance that can poison or kill your fluffy kitties.
Too much Sugar can lead to diabetes and weight gain in cats
One piece of good news: neither of our cats have a sweet tooth. They lack the sensory organs necessary to detect sugar. They also don’t need to include sugar in their diet.
Our kittens don’t have enough of the glucokinase enzyme in their liver, so they have trouble digesting sugar. Sugars are considered “empty calories” because they increase our cat’s blood sugar levels for a short period of time and then cause a drop, necessitating that they eat more to regain their energy.
Unfortunately, this can lead to issues with your teeth and your weight. Our feline friends show the following signs when they’ve consumed too much sugar:
- Diarrhea.
- Vomiting.
- Abdominal distress.
- Gaining weight.
- Obesity.
- Discomfort.
- Diabetes.
- Problems with one’s teeth and gums, including tooth decay, gum disease, and cavities.
- Pancreatitis.
Looking once more at the sugar content of a single Fortune Cookie, we find that it has 3.63 grams. It may not seem like much to us, but for our feline friends, this is a lot of sugar.
For this reason, pet owners should not feed their fluffy friends Fortune Cookies. Our feline friends need a daily sugar intake of less than 3%.
Butter can cause upset stomach in cats
Butter, made from churning cow’s milk, is about 80% fat. The remaining 35% is made up of carbohydrates, 10% of which are sugars, and 5% of which are milk solids.
Saturated fat is harmful to cats and should be avoided. Unsaturated fat is preferable for our canine and feline companions because it is better for their health.
Butter has trace amounts of protein, calcium, and vitamins A, D, and B12, but these nutrients do not provide substantial health benefits. The balanced and nutritious diet you feed your fluffy friend on a regular basis will also provide these crucial nutrients.
Butter can cause vomiting, gastroenteritis, diarrhea, and intestinal lining inflammation in your furry friends.
Vanilla extract contains vanillin which is toxic to cats
Fortune Cookies’ signature flavor and aroma are a result of the union of vanilla extract and sesame oil. Our four-legged friends are safer if we keep vanilla extract out of their reach. That’s due to the fact that vanilla beans are used to create vanilla extract.
Vanillin, a phenolic aldehyde found in vanilla beans, is a well-known organic compound.
Sadly, vanillin is highly toxic to felines. Our feline friends may experience gastrointestinal distress if they consume vanillin.
The alcohol found in vanilla extract, known as ethanol, should never be given to a cat.
Avoid using vanilla extract when baking for your cat, and instead use vanilla flavoring that does not contain alcohol.
Are Fortune Cookies safe for cats?
Consuming fortune cookies on a regular basis is risky but not necessarily harmful. While a small amount may cause stomach upset and indigestion in some cats, others may be fine.
Below, we’ll talk about the specific ingredients in Fortune Cookies that are safe for cats to eat.
Egg White
As obligate carnivores, cats can only get the protein they need from meat. Protein-rich egg whites complement the healthy fat content of the egg yolk. Egg whites are packed with healthy nutrients, including the amino acid taurine, which improves cats’ eyesight, digestion, heart health, and immunity.
Vitamins B12, riboflavin, biotin, and thiamine can be found in eggs as well. All of these things keep your pet’s antioxidant levels stable and supply them with energy.
Do Fortune Cookies provide any nutritional benefits for your cat?
No, your cat will not benefit nutritionally from eating Fortune Cookies. Fortune Cookies may seem like a good source of protein and fat for your cat, but your feline friend can get all the nutrition they need from their regular feline food.
Let’s move on to a more in-depth look at what exactly is in a single Fortune Cookie.
Nutritional value of Fortune Cookies
According to the data below, there are 30.2 calories in a typical Fortune Cookie, which weighs about 8 grams.
It is recommended that an adult cat get between 24 and 35 calories per pound of body weight per day. A 10-pound cat requires a daily caloric intake of 240–350.
A single Fortune Cookie, which our cats love to eat as a snack, contains 30.2 calories, which is almost half of their daily calorie allotment. You shouldn’t stop feeding your cat the food he’s used to eating. Therefore, your feline family members may become overweight if you feed them Fortune Cookies on a regular basis.
In addition, there are a whopping 6.72 grams of carbohydrates in just one Fortune Cookie, whereas a cat’s daily carbohydrate intake should be less than 10%. There are 3.63 grams of sugar in just one cookie, making it inappropriate for a cat’s diet.
The meager amounts of protein (0.336 grams), calcium (0.96), and fat (0.216 grams) will not provide your cats with the nutrients they need to thrive.
There are trace amounts of vitamins and minerals like iron, zinc, thiamin, and vitamin E, but they aren’t enough to meet your pet’s requirements.
The dietary composition of a single Fortune Cookie (8 grams).
| Tag, Section | Amount |
| Number of calories | 30.2 |
| Sugar, g | 3.63 |
| mg Sodium | 2.48 |
| Total Carbohydrate, g | 6.72 |
| Excessive Fat, g | 0.216 |
| G of Protein | 0.336 |
| Fiber, g | 0.128 |
| Magnesium, mg Calcium, mg | 0.96 |
| Iron, mg | 0.115 |
| mcg for magnesium | 0.56 |
| Sodium, mg | 2.8 |
| Calcium, mcg | 3.28 |
| Zinc, mg | 0.014 |
| mg of copper | 0.005 |
| Compound Name: Manganese Units: mg | 0.015 |
| For selenium, g | 0.232 |
| mg of Thiamin | 0.015 |
| mcg of riboflavin | 0.01 |
| mg of Niacin | 0.147 |
| mg of Vitamin B-6 | 0.001 |
| Vitamin B9 (Folate), g | 5.28 |
| B-12 Vitamin, mcg | 0.001 |
| IU of Vitamin A | 0.24 |
| Amount of Vitamin E in Milligrams | 0.002 |
| Magnesium, g Vitamin K, g | 0.088 |
Why shouldn’t you feed Fortune Cookies to your cat?
Because they contain ingredients meant for human consumption, fortune cookies are not appropriate for consumption by felines. All-purpose flour, sugar, salt, extract of almond, and butter, softened. Your fluffy friends should avoid all of these ingredients.
Our kitty and kitty-cat friends may experience the following side effects if they eat food or snacks containing these ingredients:
- Poisoning.
- Lethargy.
- Vomiting.
- Diarrhea.
- Tremors.
- Incoordination.
- Diabetes.
- Obesity.
- Coma.
- Seizure.
In addition, if your cat manages to sneak a Fortune Cookie without you noticing, it could choke on the tiny piece of paper that is stuck inside.
This is why you shouldn’t get flustered when Fluffy meows at the window, demanding a share of your Fortune Cookie.
My cat ate my Fortune Cookie! What will happen? What should I do?
You should hide the remaining cookies from your cat if you find him eating a Fortune Cookie without your permission.
Don’t freak out if you come home to find a Fortune Cookie missing and discover that your cat has devoured the crunchy treat.
Find out how many Fortune Cookies your cats have eaten, and keep an eye on them for the next 12 to 24 hours for any signs of illness. Keep track of how many Fortune Cookies were eaten and how long it took.
We advise prompt veterinary attention if your furry friend exhibits signs of irritation, lethargy, or digestive problems like an upset stomach. Your veterinarian will conduct diagnostic tests, including a physical examination, to determine the source of your cat’s pain.
If the next 24 hours pass without incident, however, your cat is likely to be fine.
Symptoms to Watch For
If you suspect your cat of eating your Fortune Cookie, keep an eye out for these signs. Milder symptoms, such as diarrhea or indigestion, are possible after eating just one or two Fortune cookies.
Consuming even a small amount of this mildly sweet snack can have serious negative effects on your health.
The following are symptoms that should prompt you to take your feline family member to the vet immediately.
Keep in mind that if your cats regularly eat poisonous food, it can cause them to develop a sensitivity to food and a weakened immune system.
The veterinarian will first conduct laboratory tests, such as blood work or urinalysis, in addition to a physical examination.
For the time being, your cat may show any of the following symptoms:
- Vomiting.
- Lethargy.
- Nausea.
- Diarrhea.
- Appetite loss.
- Convulsions.
- Hyperactivity.
- Incoordination.
- Tremors.
- Dehydration.
- Coma.
Treatments if your cat has food poisoning from Fortune Cookies
Your veterinarian will determine the best course of action for your cat if it shows symptoms of food poisoning, such as salt poisoning.
If your cat is experiencing vomiting, diarrhea, or dehydration, your veterinarian may recommend administering intravenous fluids and giving it time for the poison to clear its system.
Your veterinarian will monitor your cat’s electrolyte levels and make treatment recommendations based on their findings. Your veterinarian may also administer intravenous fluids, anti-nausea drugs, and antibiotics to your feline friend.
Due to the length of time needed to reduce the cat’s sodium levels, hospitalization may be required.
The veterinarian can also administer activated charcoal to bind any toxins that may have been absorbed after inducing vomiting to remove the cookie from the stomach.
Once again, please contact your veterinarian immediately if your cat exhibits any symptoms of poisoning or distress.
You should never disregard your veterinarian’s advice or attempt to treat your cat yourself.
What are some feline-friendly and safe non-toxic Fortune Cookies alternatives?
Protein-rich, low-carb, high-fat diets are ideal for cats. To reduce the likelihood of chronic diseases, it is best to keep sugary snacks out of your cats’ reach and to refrain from feeding them human snacks.
Fortunately, there are plenty of healthier alternatives to Fortune Cookies that are safe for cats. They are:
- Cats benefit from the omega-3 and omega-6 fatty acids found in fish like tuna and mackerel, which are important for brain and eye development.
- Your cat would also benefit from fresh meat like chicken, beef, or another fresh meat. The meat needs to be cooked thoroughly. Due to the high sodium content, processed meats like ham should be avoided when feeding your furry friends.
- Bananas. They are also nutritious in small amounts, making them a good treat for feline friends. Bananas are delicious, but their high sugar content means they should be consumed in moderation.
So, can cats eat Fortune Cookies?
If you care about your furry friends’ health and happiness, they need a balanced, nutrient-rich diet and should not be given human snacks.
Don’t give in to your cat’s begging for a Fortune Cookie. Maybe there’s a healthier alternative to that treat lying around.
Before giving your cat any new treats, it’s a good idea to research their nutritional content. The nutritional value of fortune cookies is low, and many of the ingredients are harmful to cats. Therefore, make sure they are out of your cat’s reach.