Can Cats Eat Honey? 9 Things To Consider Before Giving Honey To Your Feline
Can cats eat honey? Are you thinking of feeding your cat honey? If you are wondering whether you should give honey to your cat or not, then this article can help you.
Honey is beneficial for the health of human beings. It is used to cure health problems, like a sore throat, cough, sickness, and many more. It is chemically proven as a nutritious dietary element for humans. Can it be for cats too? Can honey be given to your feline friend? Are these questions popping upin your mind? Then, you are in the right place.
I have once tried feeding my cat, Bell, with honey while he was sick. After tasting it, he did not like the taste of it and rejected it altogether. I looked up for reasons on the internet for his reaction. In this blog, I am sharing my personal experience that will help you to choose whether to feed honey or not to your cat.
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What Are The Health Benefits of Eating Honey?
Honey is a thick sweet liquid, which is made naturally by honeybees. It is consumed by many people around the world. It has many health benefits while some are listed below:
The Uses Of Honey In Veterinary Medicine
There are many uses of honey for pets. Some of these are:
Can Cats Eat Honey?
No doubt, cats can eat honey. It also depends on your individual cat whether it will like honey or not. Cats are carnivores and their digestive system is prone to eating meat only. If you are going to feed your cat honey, then it would be better to do so in moderation.
In general, it also depends on your cat’s taste. Your cat does not always eat whatever you offer them. Keep a small amount of honey in front of them, they will build a taste or distaste for the same according to their taste.
Is Honey Good For Cats?
There is no doubt that honey has various health benefits. Honey has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties and is rich in anti-oxidants. It can also ease allergies. In spite of all this, it is not good for cats. You should not give it to your cat for all these above-mentioned reasons. As honey is a kind of sugar and cats cannot process them. You should only seek a vet’s advice if some health issues persist.
Does Honey Affect Cats’ Health?
Normally, honey is very difficult to digest even for human beings. Cats have a small digestive system, which makes it even more difficult for them to digest honey. It affects their health if fed in a large amount. Thus, honey is good for cats only in moderation.
However, honey can cause health-related issues in cats like vomiting, botulinum, diarrhea, higher insulin levels, and weight gain. Therefore, honey is not good for those cats, which are suffering from obesity and diabetes whereas kittens should also be kept away from honey due to their weak immune system. It could be dangerous for them due to its higher sugar content, bacteria, and calories.
Honey can be given to cats in minor sickness, cough, and other respiratory problem. Just keep in mind that honey in excess is not even good for humans and could result in stomach ache as honey is not easy to digest. Therefore, it can be no option for cats.
Note: Some experts altogether suggest not giving honey to cats.
How Much Honey Would Be Perfect For Cats?
Honey is not toxic to cats and can be fed to your feline friend. The amount should be kept in mind before feeding honey to cats. Due to many health benefits, it is likely safe to give honey regularly to cats in a small quantity, such as half a teaspoon per day, if the cat is not feeling well. In other cases, you can give your cat a teaspoon of honey.
The quantity depends entirely on your cats’ taste and size. Smaller cats can have half teaspoon while the larger ones can have a whole teaspoon of honey. You can put some drops of honey on their food or ask them to lick off from the spoon. It might be better to dilute honey with water if your cat is finding it difficult to swallow due to its stickiness.
If it is the first time, then try to feed the cat just a tiny amount about half a teaspoon and look for reactions. It might be possible that your cat can be allergic to honey.
Top 4 Best Cat Foods
Below, you'll find the comparison table of top 4 best cat foods which gives you the best choice for your cats easily and quickly:
Product | Image | Type | Editor's Rating | Check Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | Dry Food | |||
 | Dry Food | |||
 | Wet Food | |||
 | Wet Food |
Can Sick Cats Eat Honey?
Raw honey is helpful to eliminate or slightly ease allergies as honey has anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties.
Honey is useful for human beings and is known to cure many health related problems. The same cannot be said in the case of cats. It is better to avoid honey for cats as it would not provide them with any nutrients. Honey is quite difficult to digest for cats and might result in a stomach ache. Some sources claim that it is fine to give cats honey in sickness such as a sore throat or inflammation in their respiratory system. It might be difficult for you to diagnose these problems in your cat at home. Therefore, it is always recommended to go to vets if any medical emergency arises, such as sickness.
There are not many health benefits of honey for cats. Cats are carnivores and only meat can suffice their need of protein. You cannot feed your cat honey to avoid hunger. By doing so, your cat will not get any nutrients, which are needed for a healthy life.
How About Allergic Cats?
Honey is known for its anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory properties. It gives relief to the sensations caused by allergies. If your cat is suffering from any kind of allergy, then giving a small amount of honey would be beneficial in providing some relief to the cat.
Honey improves the immune system of your cat with antioxidants. It also improves the efficiency of the body by treating some of the allergic symptoms. It should be noted that the quality of honey needs to be high in order to provide any health benefits.
Only raw honey that contains the local plants’ pollens could be beneficial in treating allergies in cats. It works well in allergies like red eyes or lethargy, caused due to seasonal change, which are commonly found in cats in the fall and spring. However, honey alone cannot treat extreme allergies.
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9 Things to Consider While Giving Honey To Your Cats
Some of the things that cat owners must keep in mind when treating their beloved feline to honey are:
Need Veterinarian’s Advice?
Always ask for a veterinarian’s advice in case of illness. It is suggested that before feeding your cat honey, it is always better to ask your veterinarian. He or she might know better whether your cat can eat honey or not.
It might be possible that your cat is allergic to honey. Honey is sweet in taste and might not be good for cats suffering from diabetes. Therefore, it is always better to go to the vet for their advice before taking the decision on your own. If allergy arises, then seek medical emergency immediately.
Conclusion
Can cats eat honey? Yes, you can definitely feed your cat honey in a certain amount. Everything in excess could certainly lead to some problems. You cannot feed honey to cats on a regular basis. Cats are obligate carnivores and meat provides them with much-needed protein.
Honey has various essential elements, which would be beneficial for cats if used for medicinal purposes only. Honey helps to cure allergies, sore throat, and cough related problems. Thus, to give cats honey in a small quantity is just fine.
The important thing to keep in mind is to look for some reactions. If not any, then it is perfectly fine to feed them honey in some cases.
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