Like any food, if given infrequently, then yes, cats can eat potatoes. However you must ensure that the potatoes are fully cooked and nice and white. Raw potatoes are dangerous for cats because they are toxic. Sometimes you can see green patches on the potatoes when you peel the skin of it. Potatoes turn green due to an increase in the concentrate of a toxin called glycoalkaloidss that is naturally present in all types of potatoes but especially in plants that are part of the nightshade family.
Other plants
that belong to the nightshade species are tomatoes, peppers, and eggplants. Many people sometimes avoid eating these
vegetables as they can aggravate inflammation.
There is a very high concentrate of this toxin, solanine which is a glycoalkaloidss
toxin in the potato peels and that is why you should never feed your cat potato
peels. When there is an increase in the
level of this toxin in the potatoes it turns the potatoes green. The reason potatoes turn green in the first place is because the potatoes were exposed to light, were damaged or inadequately stored when picked.
Why Are Potatoes Bad For Cats
Like most human food, potatoes can cause your cat to put on
weight and eventually become obese. Potatoes contain Vitamin B6, Vitamin C,
fiber, magnesium, and potassium and giving your cat too much of them can cause health
issue in the long run. Moderation is the key when it comes to giving your cat any
type of human food
Type of Potatoes You Can Feed Your Cat
- Mashed
- Boiled
- Steamed
- Baked
- Roasted
- Potato Chips (Infrequently)
Cats love
most types of food especially those that contain butter, salt or oil. When we are serving potatoes many times we
might but a knob of butter and a sprinkle of salt on top of it. This is something
cats love.
Potato chips also contain a lot of sodium and grease and again this is something that
cats will try to snack on especially if you have been giving chips to them since
they were a kitten. Try to stick to potato chips that contain only natural ingredients and only
ones that contain very little salt.
How Much Potatoes Should You Give Your Cat
Only ever
feed your cat tiny portions of potatoes every few weeks. Don’t make it a weekly occurrence as your cat will begin to expect it every time they see you eat it.
My Cat is Sick
If you think your cat has eaten something toxic then you need to get it to the veterinarian immediately. If you cat has diarrhoea, become lethargy, is coughing, gagging or vomiting and it looks to have a fever then it might be ill. Convulsions and seizure are also clinical signs of poisoning.
Conclusion
So the next time you feed your kitten or cat potatoes, remember to thoroughly cook them, serve it a small portion and don't serve them with any salt or butter. Also remember, moderation is the key to any type of food.
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