Quick Navigation
When it comes to our furry friends (cats & dogs), we want to ensure that they have the best food for their nutritional needs.
But at times, pets such as cats may be curious and desire to feed on treats you’re giving them.
Some treats are safe and healthy for them, while others are not.
So, before you feed any treat to your feline, you should find out if it’s safe for them or not.
One of the preferred treats in American homes is Oreos.
These cookies are a favorite of many people and come in various flavors.
For example, you can get fruity pebbles, double stuffed, pumpkin spice, or brownie butter.
Since they are common in homes, cats may also have a taste of them once in a while.
But it’s not a good idea at all.
Can Cats Eat Oreos?
You shouldn’t give your cat Oreos unless it feeds on it accidentally.
It is because Oreos can cause health issues for your cat, which you wouldn’t want.
Oreos are unhealthy as they contain ingredients that lack health benefits for your cat.
So, even though your feline friend can eat it in small quantities as a treat, it does more harm than good.
Why Are Oreos Bad for Your Cat?
Oreos may not cause serious side effects to your cat, but you should not feed them.
As stated earlier, Oreos don’t provide long- or short-term benefits but do more harm than good.
To put this into perspective, Oreos comprises thiamine mononitrate, sugar, unbleached enriched flour, niacin, riboflavin, salt, high fructose corn syrup, palm oil, soy lecithin, cocoa, leavening, artificial flavor, and chocolate.
From these ingredients, cocoa and chocolate are the most lethal to your cat as they contain theobromine and caffeine, which may cause vomiting, diarrhea, increased heart rate, and restlessness in your furry friend.
Cats’ digestive systems vary from ours in that they have a gag reflex that enables them to vomit up potentially dangerous foods.
That’s when you see your cat vomiting.
With such ingredients, it is now easy to understand why you shouldn’t feed Oreos to your cat.
The toxic ingredients, which are chocolate and cocoa, are in tiny amounts.
It means that you will have to feed your cat large amounts of Oreos for them to suffocate from theobromine toxicity.
Therefore, you shouldn’t panic if your cat takes Oreos accidentally.
However, it would be best if you did not give or encourage them to eat it.
Veterinarians are against giving Oreos to your cats.
Besides lacking any health benefits to your cat, Oreos are also not beneficial to humans and dogs.
Unlike other treats, they cannot be fortified with vital nutrients.
Some of the negative impacts of Oreos on cats are as follows:
- Cats do not have space for empty calories. So, if your cat eats these calories for some time, it will start to develop life-threatening nutritional deficiencies. Cats require reasonable amounts of Vitamin A, D, and proteins, which are not present in many treats and other junk foods. As a result, if you give cats Oreos, they will exceed their daily calorie intake, which may cause them to gain weight.
- An overweight cat or obese cat is very likely to suffer from diabetes, bone & joint problems, insulin resistance, heart disease, kidney issues, arthritis, and different types of cancer. Besides, obese felines can become depressed and inactive. A study shows overweight cats die two to three years earlier than their skinny mate.
- Another reason why Oreos are terrible for your cat is that they contain a lot of sugar. The high sugar and low fiber content in these treats can lead to an abrupt rise in blood sugar. The rise may accompany a sharp drop, leading to laziness, hunger, and dizziness. With such side effects, giving Oreos to your cat is like killing them slowly.
- Besides, sugar can harm the cat’s teeth, too. And the last thing you want is your feline friend having oral infections. Some oral diseases your feline may develop are gingivitis and cavities. Also, some cats may experience pain and bad breath. The oral infection may lead to organ failure or even death in some severe cases.
With such dangers, it is better to take precautions than to be sorry.
That’s why you should not feed Oreos to cats.
What About the Golden Oreos?
Some people wonder if cats can eat Golden Oreos because they are vegan and don’t have chocolate.
But, in reality, that is not the case because there is a small amount of dairy in every Oreo.
And we know dairy is not good for your cat.
No matter how good they taste, your cat shouldn’t eat a lot of Oreos.
Summary
Oreos contain very few toxic substances that may not harm your cat when consumed in small quantities.
However, your cat should not eat it at all.
This is because even though it is not very toxic, it is not healthy as well.
So, there is no reason to feed Oreos to your cat.
But if you do so, you will only be endangering your cat’s life as it will likely suffer from obesity, oral infections, and insulin resistance.
If you want to give them a treat, consider getting them treats recommended by vets.
Purrfect n’ Pawesome is the brainchild of Amanda, who has been into researching and writing about pets to help other pet parents in nurturing their adorable pets. Currently, she runs Purrfect n’ Pawesome along with her team of experienced and dedicated pet experts. Along with being an awesome writer and entrepreneur, Amanda is a cat mom to two innocently spoiled cats, Balanca and Scruffy.
She has been writing about pet care and nurturing and wants to share her readers’ experiences, learnings, and knowledge.
Over the years, she had the opportunity to work with various pet owners having multiple breeds, and that exposure gave her experience and the lessons of a lifetime.
Her family, her entire universe revolves around her two cats, who give her endless support and inspiration to move ahead with her objectives in life. Amanda is a live example of a balanced approach to all parenthood questions we all face in life.
