Birthdays are always a great excuse to eat some cake. Whether you are celebrating the occasion with friends or family, you may be wondering if your feline friend may get in on the action, and be offered a piece of cake too.
Can cats eat cake, and, perhaps more importantly, should they? Is the sugar content too much for them, or will they be fine with a bite or two?
Can Cats Eat Cake?
Cats can eat very small quantities of cake, as long as it contains no chocolate. Cake is however not at all good for them, as the high sugar and fat content can lead to various health issues, inducing obesity. Give your cat no more than one bite of cake on very rare occasions.
We humans have this tendency to want to share all kinds of food with our pets, even though they don’t actually need to be eating it. Cats, the obligate carnivores they are, need a diet high in protein. Cake really has no place on their plate.
While there is nothing immediately poisonous for cats in cake (unless it’s chocolate cake or one that has a lot of vanilla extract), there is nothing nutritious in it either. Cats don’t even taste sweet, so they won’t enjoy a slice like we do.
A bite of cake on a special occasion won’t do much harm. If you absolutely want to involve your cat in the festivities, you can give them no more than a spoonful. Don’t give your cat cake every day, as it will lead to weight gain, which can result in heart trouble, joint pain and an early death.
You can always give your cat a special treat on their birthday, one that is more cat-appropriate and healthy.
Can Cats Eat Chocolate Cake?
Cats should never eat chocolate cake, as the theobromine and caffeine in chocolate are toxic to them. They will most likely be okay if they consume a very small amount, but larger quantities can even be fatal.
Cats don’t experience the enjoyment we do when eating chocolate. While we get a rush of happy hormones, cats can get an upset stomach. Too much chocolate can lead to rapid breathing, an increased heartbeat, blood pressure drops, seizures or even death.
Don’t give your cat any chocolate cake. While they may be okay with smaller amounts, you don’t want to risk making them sick. Plus, the high fat and sugar content alone should make you think twice: you want your cat to stay healthy and lean, and be your cuddle buddy and alarm clock for a long time to come.
Can Cats Eat Carrot Cake?
Cats can eat carrot cake, as there is nothing toxic about it. However, it has zero health benefits, and it’s not nearly as tasty to cats as it is to us, so you can completely forgo offering it to your feline.
While carrots contain vitamin A, which is good for a cat’s eyesight, carrot cake does not contain nearly enough carrot for a cat to experience these benefits. Carrot is often added to commercial cat food though, so your pet won’t be missing out on this vitamin.
Since carrot cake is also full of sugar and high in calories, you can skip it altogether.
Can Cats Eat Vanilla Cake?
Vanilla extract is high in alcohol, which is toxic to cats, so you shouldn’t give your cat vanilla cake. While a small bite probably won’t hurt them, better be safe than sorry.
Like any other cake, vanilla cake is also high in calories and contains plenty of sugar, which isn’t what your cat should be eating.
Can Cats Eat Cheesecake?
Cats are lactose-intolerant, so they won’t respond well to cheesecake. Don’t give them any, as it may cause vomiting or diarrhea.
Unless you use lactose-free cheese to make the cake, refrain from sharing it with your feline. Cats can drink lactose-free milk, so you can consider using that in your cheesecake recipe, if you absolutely want to share it with your cat.
A bite or two of lactose-high cheesecake probably won’t do any harm at all, but you don’t need to be risking it. Plus, since cats can’t taste sugar, they won’t actually enjoy it nearly as much as you think.
Can Cats Eat Birthday Cake?
If the birthday cake is not made with chocolate or vanilla, you can give a bite or two to your cat. However, do it only on very rare occasions, as too much sugar and too many calories can lead to long-term health problems.
Cats don’t understand the concept of birthdays or birthday cakes, so they are definitely not missing out on anything if they don’t eat any. If you really want to give them a birthday treat, you can make some cat cake. There’s a suggestion at the end of this article.
Is Cake Bad For Cats?
Cake can be bad for cats when they eat it every day in large quantities. While the occasional bite won’t do much harm, you are still advised not to give your cat cake, as it has no nutritional value, and is full of sugar and high in calories.
Cake isn’t actually all that good for humans either. However, since we can turn sugar into energy, we can argue that there is some benefit to eating cake (the feel-good factor included). Cats experience no benefits from eating cake.
Let’s go over the ingredients in cake that make it a bad choice for your pet:
- Flour: cats don’t need to eat grains. And while there are grains in some commercial cat foods, they are there to lower the cost of production, not to make the food any healthier. Cats don’t digest grains all that well, so are best avoided.
- Sugar: cats don’t taste sugar, so they won’t even understand what they are eating. They can get an upset stomach from it, and over time, can gain weight and develop other health issues.
- Milk: cats are lactose-intolerant, so they will not take kindly to the vomiting and diarrhea that can accompany eating any dairy product, including butter. Most cakes have plenty of both, so should be kept off your cat’s plate.
- Chocolate: chocolate is high in theobromine and caffeine, both of which are toxic to cats. Even the smallest amounts of chocolate can be very harmful if your cat is particularly susceptible to them, so you definitely don’t want to be giving your cat chocolate cake.
- Vanilla extract: there is a lot of alcohol in vanilla extract, which is highly toxic to cats. While a small amount will probably be fine, alcohol toxicity can be very dangerous, so avoid giving your cat cake with vanilla extract.
- Xylitol: this artificial sweetener is highly toxic to dogs. While the same effect has not yet been discovered in cats, you should never give your cat any processed foods that contain xylitol, as it may end up causing liver damage and sudden blood sugar drops.
What Happens If a Cat Eats Cake?
If a cat eats a very small amount of cake, they will most likely be just fine. Larger quantities of cake can cause an upset stomach or even toxicity, if the cake contains chocolate or vanilla extract. Eating cake on a regular basis will lead to obesity and accompanied health issues.
Don’t panic if your cake has eaten a bit of cake. In all likelihood, they will be okay, and probably won’t even have an upset stomach. However, don’t start giving your cat regular nibbles of your cake just because small amounts are not toxic to them.
Can Cake Kill Cats?
Large amounts of chocolate cake can kill cats. Cakes with large amounts of vanilla extract can also be highly toxic, even fatal. Most other cakes are not likely to kill your cat.
Eating a lot of sugar and consuming more calories than they need will eventually make a cat overweight and obese. This will cause heart and lung issues, joint pain, compromise their mobility and can lead to an early death as well.
Can Cats Eat Cake Icing?
Cats can have cake icing, as long as it is not made with chocolate or vanilla, but only in very small amounts and very infrequently. The icing is full of sugar your cat really does not need.
Cats can eat whipped cream, in very small amounts, as they are lactose-intolerant and a large amount of dairy won’t be good for them and will make them feel ill. If your cat licks some icing while you are not looking, don’t worry. Just make sure you don’t let them do it often.
What Kind Of Cake Can Cats Eat?
Cats shouldn’t eat any kind of cake, as it really is not good for them. If you insist on giving them some, make sure it contains no chocolate or a lot of vanilla extract.
You can make your cat their own cat cake, if you want to make them feel extra special. Not that they will understand the sentiment. They will however enjoy a tasty snack, whatever the occasion.
Cat Cake Suggestions
If you want to make your cat a birthday cake, focus on ingredients that are good for them and that are high in protein.
You can combine tuna, cheddar and an egg white and bake it in a muffin tin.
You can also mix tuna, salmon and sweet potato.
Giving your cat something they don’t usually eat, like sardines or raw chicken, can be treat enough. Make sure you don’t provide any candles though, as cats can’t blow them out, and they are likely to burn their whiskers.
Wrapping It Up
The long and short of it is simple: don’t give your cat cake. They won’t taste it, they don’t need it, and you are only adding superfluous calories to their diet.
Aim to give your cat protein-rich snacks, as they will not only enjoy them more, but they will also be good for their health and wellbeing.