It’s only common to ask a question like this, can cats eat cooked salmon? Felines love fish; that’s a known fact. But that doesn’t mean you should feed salmon to your little pet all the time.
The chances are your cat too wants to devour salmon, irrespective of whether it’s raw or cooked. The truth of the matter is that you simply cannot separate cats from fish. No matter how hard you try! So in that case, let’s make an effort to understand the topic with a detailed approach.
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Can Cats Eat Cooked Salmon?
The question is very simple, can cats eat cooked salmon? But the answer to this depends on the way you cook the fish. Cooking salmon at an incredibly high temperature or deep frying it drastically minimizes the nutritional value. But when cooked at a low, regulated temperature, the nutrients get retained and moisture locked in.
So choose to roast, poach, grill, or boil the fish instead of frying it to feed your feline. The methods I’ve mentioned retain both the nutrients in the fish and juiciness in the flesh.
But refrain from using any strong additives or seasonings. Such as leeks, onions, chives, and garlic. These are toxic ingredients that are not safe for cats to consume in any form.
As for condiments like vinegar, pepper, and salt; go easy with those. Cats are not supposed to have them in a high amount since they cause health problems.
So why not just skip all the flavorings and seasonings that may or may not harm your little kitty. Just feed the protein and omega 3-rich fish.
What about Raw Salmon?
It’s a popular opinion that felines love raw fish as well. The digestive system of a cat is naturally structured to process not only raw fish but all raw meat. So does that mean it’s safe for cats to consume raw salmon?
Freshly caught fish is completely safe for cats. The freshness keeps the levels of omega, protein, and moisture higher in comparison to cooked salmon.
But domestic cats don’t have access to such freshwater fish, at least the majority of them don’t. However, you can buy one from your local supermarket.
Just keep in mind one thing though. That store-bought fish is not as healthy and fresh as fish you’ve just caught yourself. The former might just be 3 weeks old, who knows! So don’t be fooled by looking at that “fresh” label.
Harmful pathogens and bacteria start forming when you don’t consume fish for many days. But the great news here is that you can eliminate the bacteria by exposing it to a very high temperature. This is why feeding cooked store-bought salmon is a much better idea than feeding raw store-bought salmon.
How Much Is Too Much?
Moderation is the answer. So how much quantity is okay to feed cats?
Tiny portions just once every week seems like a healthy decision. Anything above this and your cat might get addicted. Don’t give in even if your precious feline is trying every adorable trick in the book. Ignore your cat’s demands for their own good.
But when feeding, make sure cooked salmon is what you give. Cooked in the form of boiled, roasted, poached, or grilled. Raw salmon, cured salmon, or salmon processed using artificial additives should be avoided at all costs.
Just when the fish is cooked can you expect all the fatty acids and protein in it to benefit your little kitty.
Also important to note here is that just a fish diet is not the best idea for a cat. So include other foods too that you know your pet is going to benefit from.
Canned Salmon or Smoked Salmon: What Is Better?
Let’s first talk about smoked salmon. This fish is prepared simply by curing it in a brine solution before smoking. This curing process takes around 8 hours. So much time is enough to destroy all the moisture present in the fish. Curing involves infusing salt in the flesh for preserving it.
So two things are wrong here; high salt content and lack of natural moisture. The former causes hypernatremia in cats. So think again before feeding your feline delicious smoked salmon.
Moving on to the canned version, is it a healthier choice? No, in fact, it’s even worse.
The thing about canned products is that their ingredients inside are heavily processed using artificial preservatives and additives. These are nothing but harmful when it comes to the health of your kitty.
Much like smoked salmon, even canned salmon contains too much salt for the sake of preservation.
All the more reason to feed your cat roasted, grilled, poached, or boiled fish, right?
Final Say
It’s hard to say no to fish-loving felines, isn’t it? But you don’t have to say no if you boil, grill, poach, or roast salmon. Then the omega 3 fatty acid and protein-packed flesh of the fish is safe for your cat. Just keep the weekly quantity low and in moderation.
Some precautions you might want to keep in mind.
- Keep an eye out for fish allergy. Even at the slightest warning, stop feeding immediately.
- If there are no such reactions, still don’t feed more than just occasionally.
- An only-fish diet is not the healthiest idea for a cat. And so isn’t regular consumption of salmon or any other fish.
- After cooking, make sure you eliminate the bone.
Please keep these pointers in mind when feeding your fish-loving pet. It’s not an alternative to regular food. So think of it as a treat instead.
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Sources:
1. https://miauland.com/can-cats-eat-cooked-salmon/
2. https://www.felineliving.net/can-cats-eat-salmon/
