It’s dinnertime, and you know that your family will be most impressed by your signature dish: spaghetti with jarred tomato sauce. Your cat patiently waits by your feet and licks up the sauce that fell to the floor when you dropped a spoonful of it.
Your first thought may be whether or not the tomato sauce is harmful to your cat. Tomatoes themselves are harmless, but many of the ingredients used to make tomato sauce are harmful to cats.
Can Cats Eat Tomato Sauce?
To answer your question, no, cats shouldn’t eat tomato sauce.
Cats can safely consume a small amount of ripe, red tomatoes. However, the reality is that many common tomato sauce ingredients are harmful. We regret to inform you that it is not advised that you feed your friend any tomato sauce.
Cats should not be fed green tomatoes, tomato plant leaves, stems, or any unripe tomato fruit. Tomatine, which is related to solanine, is the compound responsible for the toxicity. It’s toxic to them if they eat too much of it.
Tomato sauce has other issues besides this, though. Poisoning can occur from the sodium levels, onions, garlic, chives, xylitol, and other ingredients.
Tomato Sauce and the Cat
We’ve covered tomatoes and your cat; now let’s dig into tomato sauce.
Ripe tomatoes, olive oil, and seasonings (basil, oregano), the staples of most red sauces, are safe for your cat. However, common ingredients in both homemade and jarred tomato sauces, such as onions and garlic, can be harmful to pets.
In addition to causing anemia and gastroenteritis (vomiting, nausea, and stomach pain), the oxidants in onions and garlic can cause bleeding of the gastrointestinal tract.
Keep your cat away from tomato sauce in general, as garlic is about five times more toxic than onions and most tomato sauces contain garlic.
Other members of the allium family that you should avoid finding in your sauce are leeks and chives.
Symptoms to look out for if your cat licks tomato sauce off the floor, your finger, or even manages to stick his head in the pot while you turn your back are:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Antibody reaction
- Asthma flare-up
Additionally, anemia symptoms like:
- Pale gums
- Inertia and frailty
- Panting
- Reduced hunger/weight loss
- Stool as black as tar
- Fainting/collapse
Onion and garlic sensitivity symptoms may not appear for several days after consumption. Take your cat to the vet immediately if you notice any of these signs or if you have any reason to believe he may have ingested any of these substances.
The Healthy Tomato
Tomatoes are beneficial because they have a high concentration of the antioxidant lycopene.
Some of these include fostering healthy skin and lowering the danger of cancer and cardiovascular diseases like heart attack and stroke.
Tomato skin contains the greatest amount of lycopene. Lycopene levels are higher in people with redder skin.
Human tomato allergies are extremely uncommon, but the plant itself can be poisonous to our animals.
The Toxic Tomato Plant
Botanically speaking, tomatoes are a type of fruit that comes from the nightshade family. Tomatoes contain solanine, which is toxic to animals in high doses.
Ingesting even a small amount of the tomato plant can cause your cat to become ill with symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea, confusion, weakness, and lethargy.
Therefore, it’s best to keep your cat away from tomato plants, but if you think he might have eaten some, rush him to the vet.
The Tomato and Your Cat
Unless your cat has severe allergies, he can safely eat the red, ripe tomato. Vitamin C, potassium, and dietary fiber are just a few of the many vitamins and minerals found in tomatoes.
Instead of giving your cat supplements, it’s best to feed them high-quality food that already contains the nutrients they need. Unless your cat already has an underlying health problem, you probably shouldn’t give him any supplements. Veterinary advice should always be taken seriously.
We have a solution that will keep you and your cat happy, even though it’s not always safe to feed them table scraps.
What are the signs of toxicity?
The red blood cell-destroying compounds in onions and garlic have been linked to anemia and gastroenteritis.
In addition, the high salt content of tomato sauce can exacerbate existing issues. It’s also important to think about the possibility of tomatine poisoning. In conclusion, here are the signs to look out for if your cat ingested tomato sauce:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Too much thirst
- Urination too often
- Drooling
- Pale gums
- Inertia and frailty
- Panting
- Appetite suppression / weight loss
- Fainting/collapse
What to do if my cat ate tomato sauce?
Your cat probably won’t get sick from licking a spoonful of tomato sauce. There may be some gas and diarrhea.
But if your cat has eaten more than that, you should monitor them closely for the next two or three days to make sure they’re all right. Sometimes the onset of symptoms is delayed by a few days.
If you notice any of these signs, it’s time to take your cat to the vet.
Furthermore, it is recommended that you keep your feline friends away from your tomato plants.
Conclusion
Tomatoes, as a general rule, are safe for your cat to eat, but tomato sauce is not. If you didn’t make it and you didn’t know what was in it, don’t give it to your cat.
Learn as much as you can about the ingredients and foods that can be harmful to your cat, as well as the symptoms that may indicate an allergic reaction. If you have any concerns or questions about your cat’s diet or health, please talk to your veterinarian.