Honestly, sweet potatoes aren't exactly the first thing that comes to mind when we think of cat food. Yes, we know cats and dogs are infinitely curious when it comes to stuffing their bellies, but sweet potatoes? Apparently, they can develop a taste for them, though it's more of an exception since felines are staunch carnivores. That doesn't mean they don't mix it up every once in a while.
Sweet potatoes, despite their name, are quite different than their more widely used namesakes, even though they both come from South and Central America. People have used them for thousands of years and their health benefits are quite well-known. Like regular potatoes, they are chiefly consumed as root vegetables. Packed with carbs and fiber, they make your diet richer and more varied.
But is that the case with our furry little friends, who usually pass on veggies in exchange for some medium-rare steak? We'll try to find the answers below.
Sweet Potatoes or Yams?
In order to avoid confusion, we first need to differentiate between these two vegetables. People often confuse sweet potatoes with yams, even though they are entirely separate plants. Why is that? Well, they do look quite similar, and labeling is easier that way. But there's more to the story.
Back in the 1930s, an agricultural center in Louisiana established a new variety that resembled sweet potatoes but had orange flesh and was sweeter and larger. To distinguish the two veggies, they dubbed the new variety "yam", which is less sweet and drier, and has more in common with a regular potato. Linguistic differences aside, both have their place in a variety of recipes, so feel free to experiment in the kitchen!
Health Benefits for Cats
We already mentioned how the sweet potato is packed with fiber and carbohydrates. Besides these, this vegetable has the minerals manganese and potassium, as well as vitamins B6 and C. If you're familiar with oxidative stress, the imbalance between antioxidants and free radicals that leads to cell damage, sweet potatoes are here to help. They contain an important antioxidant called beta-carotene that improves brain, eye, and skin health.
Now, unlike people, animals aren't able to extract all these nutrients from fruits and vegetables, at least not to the same degree. This is why experts insist on feeding them standard cat food, vet-approved, that has all the necessary nutrients already and is meat-based. Of course, the occasional fruit or veggie here and there won't do any harm, but it's at the bottom of the feline menu.
Some cats just can't wait until the next meal because they digest quickly. Luckily, there is a carb in sweet potatoes called starch that gives that feeling of a full stomach. Have you noticed how you're feeling fuller and more satisfied after eating bread, rice, or pasta? You can "blame" starch for that. Plus, cats have an excellent ability to break down carbs and turn them into energy. High-quality cat food always includes starch, the most important carbohydrate for cats, derived from potatoes, rice, wheat, or corn.
Raw or Cooked?
Cat owners must remember never to give their furballs raw food. It can be very upsetting for their tummies and bring about various digestive problems. The same goes for sweet potatoes, which should be served baked, steamed, or mashed, with minimal seasoning. Cats have delicate digestion that doesn't tolerate a lot of additives.
Careful Serving
This brings us to our next point: how to feed sweet potatoes to felines, or more precisely, what to avoid. Dishes that include sweet potatoes are typically seasoned, which isn't the best option for a cat's belly. For this reason, it helps to know which seasonings can create problems so you can keep them aside.
The obvious one is salt, especially when talking about canned food. We already know how kidneys can suffer from too much sodium, and felines are no exception. In fact, they're even more sensitive because of their small and delicate organs. In addition, excessive salt intake makes them too thirsty, requiring more hydration than usual.
Sometimes sweet potatoes are combined with marshmallows. Delicious as it may be, it's best avoided if we're talking about your furball's diet. This is because marshmallows are high in sugar, which can be very harmful to cats in terms of weight gain or obesity. This can lead to liver and joint problems, as well as feline diabetes.
Butter is another one that falls into the basket of unwanted ingredients. It is loaded with fat, oils, and lactose, which can seriously harm your kitty if you're not careful, although it's not toxic for them. Ideally, they shouldn't have any butter: there are other ways of making their meals more delicious.
If butter isn't toxic, garlic or onion sure are. They are everpresent in our kitchen, finding their place in almost every meal, but for cats, they should be avoided at all costs. The same goes for walnuts, another popular addition to sweet potatoes. They can cause severe digestion problems like vomiting or diarrhea, the last thing we want for our fluffy, four-legged buddies.
Avoiding Hazards
You know the old saying "Curiosity killed the cat", right? They picked the cat for a reason. They can be relentless in their pursuit of unknown food, which can be very dangerous. This is why we never keep raw food such as sweet potatoes out in the open. They're very hard and can easily lead to choking.
As we said, if your feline does like them, you should always cook sweet potatoes before serving, either by mashing, boiling, or baking, and they always need to be cut into tiny pieces.
That's all, folks – time to wrap up the sweet potato and cat debate. No great science involved here, just a bunch of practical information for keeping your furball happy at all times.
