Can Cats Eat Popcorn? Is Popcorn Safe For Cats?

Freshly made air-popped and plain popcorn in moderation are safe for cats. Mostly, popcorns are fed to cats as an occasional treat. Don’t add popcorns to your cats daily diet.

Popcorns don’t have any nutritional value for cats and even they may cause health issues to your cats.

Popcorns are rich in salt, so it is dangerous for your feline friends. Do you know that a packet of butter-flavored popcorn has 600 milligrams of salt?

Medium-sized cats can consume only 21 milligrams of salt per day. Over consuming, salts may cause sodium poisoning.

Symptoms of consuming too much salt:

• Lethargy
• Diarrhea
• Vomiting
• High body temperature

Popcorns with any added cheese cause digestions problems to your cats. As cats are prone to lactose intolerant, feeding cheddar cheese popcorn can cause diarrhea and stomach upset.

Plain popcorn is not toxic to cats. Only the additives make it dangerous and create stomach related health problems in felines. Caramel contains the sugar substitute xylitol which is toxic for cats.

Also, high-fat and sugar content may induce weight gain and provoke diabetes in cats.

In addition, diacetyl is contained in popcorns, which gives an addictive smell and taste when it is popped in the microwave. It even has hydrogenated oil and buttery flavor cause health problems like hepatic lipidosis.

These are the ways to prevent your feline friends from eating dangerous popcorns.

• Avoid eating popcorns in front of cats.
• If popcorn is on the table then cover it.
• Try to avoid feeding, even a few pieces of popcorns to your furry friend.

Popcorns contain a small level of nutritional benefits like iron, protein, energy, vitamin B, and fibers. You can find ground yellow corn in dry cat foods, even as filler and binder. Corn is starch-based grain, which cats cannot process carbohydrates.

Normally, vets do not recommend popcorns for cats because it doesn’t have enough nutrition.