Is it okay to give sweet potatoes to cats? The safe amount and the correct way of giving
Cats want sweet potatoes, but many owners are worried about
giving them. Is it okay to give sweet potatoes, which are human food, to
cats? I will introduce whether it is okay to give sweet potatoes to cats,
along with the advantages and disadvantages, and how to give them.
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| Can Cats Have Sweet Potatoes |
Can Cats Have Sweet Potatoes
Is it okay to let cats eat sweet potatoes?
Can I give my cat sweet potatoes? The answer is YES.
In general, if you divide the food that humans eat into what you
can give cats and what you can't give, sweet potatoes are classified as foods
that you can give.
You don't have to force your cat to eat sweet
potatoes
However, when I asked the veterinarian, "Can cats have sweet potatoes?"
Cats can generally get all the nutrients they need from cat
food. Of course, there are times when you need to replenish the necessary
nutrients to deal with a constitution or disease, but even in that case, it is
safe and reliable to use products specifically for cats.
Can I give sweet potatoes to relieve constipation
in cats?
If your cat loves sweet potatoes and gives them a small
number of treats occasionally, there is no problem. Let’s do it!
What other foods contain sweet potatoes for cats?
Many cats like to eat sweet potatoes because of their sweet and
fragrant taste. Because it is highly palatable, it is often used as a
homemade food for cats.
However, be careful not to give sweet potatoes
that are in sweet buns or cooked sweet potatoes such as sweet potatoes
and daigakuimo.
Effects of feeding sweet potatoes to cats
Sweet potatoes contain many nutrients that cats need.
It seems that some cat food contains sweet
potatoes. Dietary fiber, which is especially abundant in sweet potatoes,
can be said to be a necessary nutrient that leads to constipation
relief for cats with constipation.
Nutrients in sweet potato
- Dietary fiber
- vitamin
- mineral
- potassium
First of all, important nutrients for cats are proteins, fats,
minerals, and vitamins. What kind of nutrients does sweet potato contain?
Dietary fiber in sweet potatoes helps relieve
constipation
- Intestinal function
- Helps relieve constipation
After all, sweet potato is famous as a food that contains a lot
of dietary fiber. Since dietary fiber is not digested, it does not become
nutrition in the body, but it is said to have an intestinal regulation effect.
It can also improve the intestinal environment and relieve
constipation. For that reason, many pet owners give sweet potatoes to
relieve constipation.
Boost your immune system with sweet potato vitamins
- keep skin healthy
- activate the immune system
- maintain blood pressure
- suppress cancer
Sweet potatoes contain abundant vitamins such as vitamin A,
vitamin E, vitamin B1, vitamin B2, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
Vitamin A, in particular, is considered an essential
nutrient that cats need to obtain from their diet.
These are said to have effects such as maintaining skin health,
activating immunity, maintaining blood pressure, and suppressing cancer.
Control of body fluid concentration with sweet
potato minerals
- skeletal structure
- nerve transmission
- Control of body fluid
concentration
Sweet potato is a food that contains plenty of minerals
necessary for cats.
Minerals refer to calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, etc., and
their main functions range from skeletal structure, nerve transmission, and
control of body fluid concentration.
Be careful not to overdose the minerals contained in sweet
potatoes in cats
However, since minerals have a very complicated relationship,
they try to supplement other minerals or reduce them, so it is also a
troublesome existence that should not be too much or too little.
For example, excessive intake of phosphorus and insufficient
calcium can lead to health problems such as decreased bone density. Therefore,
it is important to have a well-balanced intake of minerals.
Sweet Potato Potassium Controls Salt Concentration
in the Body
·
prevent high blood pressure
·
diuretic
Potassium prevents high blood pressure, integrates salt in the
body with water, and has effects such as making it easier to excrete as urine.
Beware of excessive intake of potassium contained in sweet
potatoes
However, like minerals, it is necessary to take them in
a well-balanced manner, and excess or deficiency may cause
hyperkalemia or hypokalemia.
As mentioned above, sweet potatoes contain many of the
ingredients that cats need.
Looking at this, it seems that giving sweet potatoes to cats has
only advantages, but are there any disadvantages?
Precautions
when giving sweet potatoes to cats
There are four main disadvantages to giving sweet potatoes to
cats:
Obesity due to eating too much sweet potato
Sweet potatoes are carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are also a
source of energy for cats, but they are considered less important. Too
many carbohydrates lead to obesity in cats.
Sweet potato allergy
Although sweet potato is a food with relatively few allergies,
it does not mean that you will not experience allergic symptoms. When
giving sweet potatoes for the first time, give them in small amounts
while observing the situation.
Sweet potato indigestion
By giving food that they are not accustomed to eating, they
may vomit or have diarrhea because they cannot digest
sweet potato skins well.
Be careful when giving sweet potatoes to cats with weak stomachs
or cats who are sensitive to changes in their diet.
Excessive intake of nutrients contained in sweet
potatoes
Regarding the merits of sweet potatoes, I mentioned that
excessive intake of the minerals and potassium contained in sweet potatoes can
be detrimental to health.
Sweet potatoes are full of nutrients, but be careful not to
overdose.
How to give sweet potatoes to cats
- Boil the sweet potato and give it to the cat
- Steam sweet potatoes and give them to cats
Basically, it's okay to give your cat raw sweet potatoes or
sweet potato skins. However, indigestion can also cause vomiting and
diarrhea.
The nutrients in sweet potatoes do not break down even when
heated, so it is best to boil or steam them to make them soft and easy
to digest.
How
much sweet potato to give to cats?
As for the amount, try to give a small amount, about a spoonful,
and even if it is a small amount, avoid giving it every day, and at most once
a week.
Sweet potato skin
The skin of the sweet potato contains anti-cancer properties,
so it's a good idea to chop the sweet potato into small pieces that have been
cooked until the skin is soft and add it to your usual dry food as a topping.
Summary
I introduced whether it is okay to give sweet potatoes to cats.
My cat loves sweet potatoes. is it okay if I feed her? It
seems that there are many owners who are worried about it, so I would
appreciate it if you could refer to it.
I found out that sweet potatoes are a food that is beneficial
for cats, but it seems that it is just right to incorporate them as a snack
once in a while!
Let's take in sweet potatoes for a change while being careful
not to give too much.