Pretzels, a baked snack with a sprinkle of salt, are a fan favorite among humans. You’re hooked, but is your cat allowed to partake?
Including pretzels in your cat’s diet is fine, but only in moderation. We did our research to bring you up-to-date information on the topic of cats eating pretzels.
Can Cats Eat Pretzels?
If given in moderation, pretzels are safe for cats to eat. However, some people may experience negative effects if they eat too many of these snacks.
Are Pretzels Safe for Cats?
While we wouldn’t recommend pretzels as a treat for your cat, we also don’t think they’d be harmful.
Since most pretzels are made with only four basic ingredients (water, flour, yeast, and salt), they are safe for your cat to eat in moderation.
Your cat may be obsessed with them, but too much of a good thing can be harmful.
The high sodium content of pretzels is the primary cause for concern when feeding them to animals. Cats can tolerate small amounts of salt because it stimulates them to increase their water intake, which in turn helps them maintain optimal hydration for longer.
Even though pretzels may get your pet to consume more water, they provide no real nutritional benefit. In addition, the wheat flour in pretzels may cause an allergic reaction in your cat because most felines are sensitive to grains.
If you want to treat them occasionally with a pretzel, choose an unseasoned variety to avoid giving them potentially harmful ingredients like onion and garlic.
Are Pretzels Okay for Cats?
The vast majority of pretzels are safe for felines to eat. Wheat flour, water, yeast, shortening, and salt are the main ingredients in pretzels. All of these ingredients are safe for your cat to eat in moderation as long as they are cooked properly.
But before you give your cat those tempting treats, make sure you check the label to see what’s in them.
Garlic and onion powder, even in their powdered forms, can upset a cat’s stomach, so pretzels seasoned with these ingredients should be avoided.
Your cat may not be interested in chocolate-covered pretzels or pretzels with the ingredient Xylitol because cats cannot taste sweet flavors. Cats can die if they eat these, too.
Nutritional Value of Pretzels
The calories and fat content of pretzels are lower than those of fried snacks. While they are low in calories, they are also low in protein and fiber.
Your cats may enjoy the taste of pretzels, but they aren’t particularly good for them. The calories and other nutrients for just 1 ounce of hard pretzels are detailed below.
- Energy: 109
- 0.8 gram fat
- Protein content: 2.9 g
- 22.8 g of carbohydrates
- One gram of fiber
- 1240 milligrams of sodium
What Are the Negatives of Feeding Pretzels to Cats?
Some major drawbacks to giving your cats pretzels are as follows:
1. Salt
The salt content of pretzels is notoriously high. Cats benefit from salt in small doses, but too much can cause dehydration. Cats with high sodium intakes may experience increased thirst and urination.
Sodium ion poisoning, which this could cause, is characterized by nausea, vomiting, weakness, diarrhea, tremors, convulsions, and loss of appetite.
2. Sweeteners
Some pretzel brands use chocolate and sugar as sweeteners, which is unhealthy for most pets. Cats should never be given sweets like chocolate or sugar-coated pretzels.
The risk of obesity and weight gain is increased if these treats are given to them. Too much sweetener can also lead to diabetes, oral diseases, and heart problems.
Many of the pretzels we buy in stores boast that they contain no added sugar. Advertising like this isn’t always reliable. Cat owners should avoid Xylitol because it is found in many processed foods and can be fatal to felines.
3. Spices and Seasoning
Plain pretzels aren’t something everyone always has on hand. We like to spice things up with seasoned pretzels every once in a while.
The problem is that if a cat gets into the bag, it will ingest a lot of onion and garlic-flavored seasonings.
Cats could die from poisoning or gastrointestinal problems if they ate these things.
Can Cats Choke on Hard and Soft Pretzels?
Pretzels, whether hard or soft, pose a choking risk if your cat is not closely monitored while eating them.
Choking is more likely to occur with hard pretzels than with soft ones. You should only treat them with very small pieces of soft pretzel if you must.
But Shouldn’t Cats Eat a Grain-Free Diet?
There are, however, two schools of thought on the topic of giving your cat grain. Grain is not considered a “natural” food for cats in the wild, so some people think they shouldn’t feed it to their pets.
However, PetMD warns against assuming that wild cats consume a diet perfectly suited to their nutritional requirements.
They say it’s fine to give your cat grain because it provides essential nutrients and energy.
If your veterinarian has recommended a grain-free diet for your cat, then by all means, keep him or her away from pretzels.
If your cat is having mysterious stomach problems, your vet may tell you this. Some felines are sensitive to grains, but otherwise healthy cats are not.
Are Pretzels Safe for Kittens?
It might seem like a cat’s age would have no bearing on its dietary preferences, but this is not the case. Young cats’ stomachs are more delicate, and their physical systems aren’t mature enough to digest something like a pretzel.
Kittens need specific nutrients to help with their growth and development, and pretzels have none.
Snacks Cats Can Eat
Cats can also enjoy these human munchies in addition to pretzels. WebMD recommends that only 5-10% of your cat’s diet be made up of “human food.”
Make sure your cat can eat the food you give them without gagging or choking (this includes pretzels).
Kittens and elderly cats may require softer food than adult cats because of their weakened teeth.
Meat
You can occasionally feed your cat some of the same meat that you eat, as long as it has been properly prepared. If you wouldn’t eat it yourself, it’s probably not a good idea to give it to your cat either.
Cheese and Yogurt
Cheese and yogurt are fine treats for your cat to enjoy on occasion even though they are lactose intolerant.
These foods have proteins that are easier for cats to digest than milk. Avoid giving your cat any dairy products if you notice any stomach upset.
Cooked Grains
A cat can snack healthily on cooked grains like rice, couscous, or oatmeal.
Prepared Fish
Cats have long been fed fish. Cats can benefit just as much as humans do from consuming omega-3 fatty acids. Your cat will benefit greatly from a diet that includes cooked fish.
Eggs
You and your cat can both benefit from the protein in cooked eggs. Be sure to cook them thoroughly, though.
Veggies
Some felines may turn their noses up at vegetables, while others may devour them. As long as they stay away from the onion and garlic families, your cat can eat any vegetable it wants.
Snacks Cats Can’t Eat
Here’s a quick rundown of things you shouldn’t feed your cat:
- Foods containing onions and/or garlic
- Chocolate
- Raisins and grapes.
- Alcohol
- Plain flour
- Nuts, macadamia
- Xylitol is a sugar substitute.
The Best Homemade Food for Cats
Although some people claim that feeding their cats a raw meat diet improves their feline’s health, doing so at home can be a daunting and time-consuming task.
Understanding the precise amounts of protein, fat, and carbohydrates that your cat requires or does not require can be difficult.
Prepared cat food from a reputable brand is ideal because the experts have already taken all the guesswork out of feeding your cat.
If you want to feed your cat homemade food, you should consult with your vet first. If your cat is interested, and you want to see how it will affect her, you can give her a small amount of your food.
Final Thoughts
It’s not always easy to say “no” to our cats. When they give you that look, you know they’re hurting inside.
The time has come to be a responsible cat parent and make some tough choices on their behalf. Cats can occasionally benefit from a treat of plain pretzels.
If you want them to keep living a long, healthy life without any medical problems, the keys are moderation and paying attention to the ingredients list.