We can all agree that croissants are a delicious baked good. But while we might enjoy them while channeling our inner Parisian over Sunday brunch, our cats could care less.
Croissants are safe for our cat to eat, but they aren’t good for her in any way, shape, or form.
If your cat happens to eat something off the floor or your plate, don’t worry; he or she will be fine, other than possibly experiencing an upset stomach. However, let’s discuss why this behavior is not acceptable. Feel like joining us?
Cats Shouldn’t Eat Croissants
Cats can only get the nutrients they need from animal organs and flesh, so a croissant would be completely useless to them.
It stands to reason that wild cats would never eat a croissant. Despite its safety, they have no use for this food item.
Cats can only survive by eating other animals because they are obligate carnivores. Your cat can eat a lot of other things besides these baked treats that are much better for them. You can even make croissants that are safe for cats if you browse Pinterest for ideas.
Added salt, or sodium, is also abundant in croissants. Extra salt is not necessary and can be harmful for felines to consume.
Empty calories
Empty calories are what you’ll find in a croissant. Consuming foods high in empty calories is pointless.
Croissants are not particularly nourishing for humans or any other species. If your cat eats a croissant, it will get a fatty, salty, carbohydrate, and artificial flavor filled mouthful.
In conclusion, croissants don’t provide any nutritional value to anyone’s diet, including your cat’s. Let’s be honest: as much as we all love those buttery, flaky rolls, they’re not exactly the healthiest choice in a balanced diet.
Croissant Nutrition Facts
How much is 1 croissant worth?
- Energy: 231
- Amount of Fat: 12 g
- Average daily cholesterol intake: 38 mg
- Salt Content: 266mg
- A 67mg potassium count
- Carbohydrates as a Whole, 26 g
- 4.7 g of protein
- Iron: 6%
- A 2% Magnesium content
- 2% Calcium
- Cobalt (B12): 1%
Contents of Croissants
You can make a light and airy roll using just flour, sugar, salt, butter, and yeast. You wouldn’t think of a healthy dish just by hearing these ingredients combined. Indeed, you would be correct in this instance.
Your cat should not eat croissants because they contain far too much sugar, fat, and salt. While they would be a welcome addition to your morning meal, you shouldn’t feed them to your cat.
Do Cats Like Croissants?
Croissants aren’t likely to pique a cat’s interest because they don’t have the sort of aroma or taste that would make them hungry.
They might not want to eat the croissant on its own, but if it ended up in the meat marinade or gravy, they might not be able to resist.
However, there is always the oddball cat who wants to sample the unusual non-cat food option.
In that case, a little bit here and there probably won’t do any harm. Like many human foods, however, giving your cat too much of it too often can have negative effects on its health.
Dangers of Raw Dough
However, if your cat eats raw dough, it’s a whole ‘nother ballgame. When digested raw, the dough produces harmful gas that causes abdominal distention. Your cat could die from a stomach rupture from eating too much dough.
By fermenting the sugars and starches in the dough, the uncooked yeast creates ethanol and carbon dioxide.
When this happens in the stomach, gas is produced that causes the abdomen to expand. When this happens, symptoms like dizziness may appear quickly.
Seek emergency veterinary care if you suspect your cat has eaten any amount of croissant dough. The effects of delaying action on this matter could be devastating.
Why Cats Shouldn’t Eat Croissants
To begin, a serving of croissants is quite high in carbohydrates. As obligate carnivores, cats need a high-protein diet with relatively few carbohydrates.
In addition, they derive a great deal of their energy from fat, so a diet high in carbohydrates will cause them to gain weight unnecessarily.
Croissants are tempting to cats for more reasons than just their high milk content. Croissants are typically made with butter and milk.
Most cats are lactose intolerant and have a hard time digesting dairy, despite the fact that many of them enjoy drinking milk and eating dairy products.
Croissants are too high in fat for cats because of the large amount of butter used in their preparation. Butter’s high calorie content means it can quickly lead to weight gain for your feline friend.
Indoor cats and cats that have been altered in any way should avoid eating croissants. Due to lower activity levels and metabolisms, indoor cats are more likely to gain weight than outdoor cats and feral cats.
Therefore, it’s best to restrict their intake of high-calorie, low-nutrient foods high in fat and sugar.
Additional Food Items to Consider
Knowing whether or not the rest of the plate contains potentially poisonous ingredients is crucial if your cat is snacking on some leftover croissant. Toxic ingredients like garlic, onion, and chives are common companions to croissants. Dairy is just one example of a simple irritant.
Even though it’s unlikely your cat will eat enough of anything to cause serious problems, it’s best to be cautious.
Alternative Cat Treats
Thankfully, there are many healthy cat treats available that resemble parts of a croissant. Here are some safer and healthier options with a similar feel or flavor.
Bonito Flakes
Bonito flakes are a great treat for cats that like flaky pastries. Light and airy like croissant crumbs, bonito flakes are not only a delicious fish snack but also a fantastic resource for omega-3 fatty acids. A lot of taurine is sometimes found in them as well.
Soft Cat Treat
Chewy treats may appeal to cats who enjoy the flaky center of a croissant. In comparison to biscuits and other hard snacks, these are better for older cats’ teeth and digestion, making them a popular choice as treats.
A Cat’s Basic Dietary Needs
Croissants provide no nutritional value to a cat’s diet because cats do not require a high carbohydrate intake. Instead, cats need a diet higher in protein and fat to support lean muscle mass and normal metabolic processes. A balanced cat food list is provided below.
Protein
Protein is the backbone of any balanced diet. Protein levels in a cat’s diet should be between 30 and 40 percent. Plant-based proteins can be too high in carbohydrates and lack the necessary nutrients, so they must come from animal sources instead.
Taurine, for instance, is an essential amino acid for cats and can be found in both chicken and tuna in relatively high concentrations. Taurine deficiency in cats can cause serious health issues like cataracts and heart disease.
Fats
Fat is used for energy, but cats also need it because it helps carry nutrients across cell membranes and because it contains essential fatty acids like omega-3 and omega-6.
The inflammation-fighting, immune-boosting, skin-nourishing effects of these fatty acids are just the beginning.
Cats gain so much from fat that feeding them a low-fat diet can actually be harmful to their health. For some people, trying to meet their daily fat intake by eating low-fat food can lead to overeating.
Consult your vet on a regular basis to figure out what kind of food is best for your pet.
This will keep your cat from gaining excess weight while also guaranteeing they get all the nutrients they need.
Essential Vitamins and Minerals
Cats have a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, in addition to the protein and fats necessary for daily life.
These essentials, which are included in all high-quality cat food, are outlined by the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO).
Final Thoughts
Despite their delectable flavor, cats shouldn’t be rewarded with croissants because of their excessive calorie, carbohydrate, and dairy content. Your cat can indulge in a wide variety of other tasty and healthy snacks.
So the next time your cat looks at you expectantly while you’re eating a croissant, divert its gaze. If you want to give your cat a tasty and safe treat, you can scatter some bonito flakes on the floor.