No! Cats are not supposed to eat French fries or any other kind of fast food. They are not poisoning your cat immediately, but as time passes and your cat is constantly eating unhealthy snacks it will be more of a kind of slow poisoning. Fast food can upset your cat’s stomach.
There are many unpredictable questions that cat owners would like to have an answer to. Can cats eat French fries is one of the most frequently asked questions asked by the cat owners.
As we always do, let’s elaborate on the subject.
You might have seen your cat sneaking a left French fry on your plate or maybe noticed that street cats are eating the leftovers from a hamburger and afterward wonder if is it a healthy food for a cat. The cat owners know how involved their cats are while investigating the kitchen.
Well, most of the food we cook for us is not at all appropriate for them. They have their well-balanced diet and additional treats so it will be the best if they stick to it.
When it comes to a single French fry it is not dangerous and it can not cause any damage but consuming fast food by cats depends on many factors.
Are French fries poisonous for the cat?
Whether the French fries are cooked or not makes a great difference. If your cat has tried the bulk of French fries that you have prepared to cook it can be very dangerous. Raw potatoes contain raw alkaloids which are dangerous for animals and cats, too.
Those alkaloids are found in all parts of the potato plant. In the tubers, in the stem, and the leaves of the plant. Green potatoes have bigger quantities of alkaloids. The alkaloids are a weapon for the plant from fungi and pests.
On the other hand, cooked French fries are not dangerous for your cat. The nutritional benefit is zero, but at least they do not cause any damage.
There are a few interesting facts about French fries that may be of help to you. So, far it is not defined where French fries originate from. Belgium or Spain? Due to their name, France also comes into consideration.
French fries were brought to the USA by Thomas Jefferson after he worked in France. The last curiosity is that there is a Museum of French Fries in Bruges, Belgium.
What do French fries contain?
The frozen and ready-to-cook French fries may contain almost 19 ingredients. The ones that we make at home are much better because what we use at home is very simple. Potatoes, oil by your choice, and some salt.
The main ingredient of French fries is potatoes and they contain carbohydrates and fiber. There is also potassium, manganese, and Vitamins C and B6 are also ingredients that you can find inside a potato. Fiber is the most useful for your cat because it is a carnivore. Cats don’t need carbohydrates. Their digestive system is made so it can work on a meat diet.
In case you have an overweight cat, eating calorie-rich and carb-heavy French fries won’t be a good idea. It is not recommended as an occasional treat.
Why can’t cats eat uncooked French fries?
Raw potatoes, as we mentioned above, contain alkaloids, especially solanine which is harmful to your cat. The Pet Poison Helpline and APSCA list raw potatoes as food dangerous for cats. If you happen to grow your potatoes and see that your cat is eating the parts of the plant or a green potato, take the cat to be checked out by a vet.
If your cat has tried store-bought potatoes, it is not as dangerous as with the raw ones. Those potatoes are pre-cooked before being packaged.
Can cats eat cooked French fries?
Cooked potatoes are no longer toxic after being cooked and frying is a method of cooking that reduces the solanine content of the potatoes which probably happens because of the high temperature of the oil.
But as we all sprinkle salt, some seasoning, or a sauce over the French fries they are still a bit of trouble for your cat.
With the high sodium level that comes from salt and high fat content, French fries are not good for your cat and you should find another treat for your cat.
Are French Fries used in commercial cat food?
The French fries are not used in commercial cat food. Cats are carnivores by nature, so their diet should be animal protein.
That is the reason most cat food producers make food rich in meat protein.
There are fruits and vegetables added to the cat food to provide vitamins, minerals, and fiber needed for cats.
Producers use potatoes sometimes when they need to add carbohydrates or other nutrients. Those potatoes are boiled, not fried because that is the only way they will keep a fat level suitable for a cat’s diet.
Health damage due to consuming French fries
French fries are high-fat and can cause pancreatitis in cats. This is a condition of the inflamed pancreas which leads to reduced appetite, belly pain, and vomiting. This condition is very painful for cats.
If this does not happen the fat from the French fries can still upset the digestive system of your cat.
In case this also doesn’t happen and your cat is eating French fries without any health issues it will still not be well since gaining weight is to be expected. We all treat podgy cats as cuties, but overweight leads to diabetes or heart disease.
