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Can Cats Eat Salmon?

Whether you’re on a health kick or dining out in an upscale restaurant, salmon makes the perfect option for a tasty dinner! This fish is not only loaded with protein and essential nutrients but it’s also refreshingly delicious with a light yet creamy, full-flavored taste. Found in most international cuisines, you can enjoy it baked, grilled, fried, poached, or even raw. 

Now we all know how much cats love fish. As a cat parent, you may want to share your salmon with your furry friend. The good news is that salmon is safe and healthy for cats! However, take note that salmon should only be fed as a treat and strictly in moderation. Never feed it to your cat as a full meal since it doesn’t offer all the nutrients she needs for a healthy, well-balanced diet. 

Want to find out the benefits and risks of feeding your cat salmon? Read on as we explore why salmon is a healthy treat for your cat in detail and why you should avoid feeding it to her in large quantities. We’ll also look at the different types of salmon that may be unsafe for cats and give you tips on how to feed her this delicious fish safely! 

Benefits of Feeding Your Cat Salmon

If you just can’t resist spoiling your cat by giving her human food, salmon is one of the safest and healthiest options you can feed her as a treat! 

Here are a few of the health benefits of salmon for cats:

Protein

Salmon is an excellent source of protein with around 19g of protein in a 100g serving

Protein is a vital part of a healthy feline diet. In fact, cats need more protein than dogs and other animals do, which is why most wet and dry cat foods have to meet a higher protein standard according to the Association of American Feed Control Officials (AAFCO) nutrient profile. 

Cats derive most of their energy from the protein in their food. Additionally, they need protein to build strong muscles, improve their skin and coat health, and aid in metabolic regulation. Many of their bodily processes rely on protein in order to function properly. 

While salmon shouldn’t be the main protein source in your cat’s diet, it can make a healthy, protein-rich treat or snack for special occasions. 

Omega-3 & 6 Fatty Acids

Oily, cold-water fish like salmon contain high amounts of omega-3 & 6 fatty acids which are as vital to cats’ health as they are to the health of humans. 

Omega-3 & 6 fatty acids offer plenty of benefits for cats, including providing energy, facilitating healthy growth, improving skin and coat health, and reducing inflammation. Studies have also found that they aid in reducing the risk of certain diseases such as cancer and sudden cardiac arrest. 

Cats cannot produce omega-3 & 6 fatty acids on their own and thus need to get them from dietary sources. Along with giving your cat high-quality cat food, feeding her salmon as a snack can help introduce more of these healthy fats into her diet. 

Vitamins & Minerals

Salmon contains impressive amounts of several vitamins and minerals that can benefit cats, including:

  • Vitamin A – supports healthy vision, promotes skin and coat health, and boosts the immune system
  • Vitamin B6 – regulates body functions, maintains sodium and potassium balance, plays a major role in carbohydrate, amino acid, and fatty acid metabolism, and prevents tumor cell growth
  • Vitamin B12 – promotes the health of the digestive system, immune system, and nervous system
  • Vitamin D – aids in the absorption of calcium to promote proper bone growth as well as nerve and muscle control
  • Niacin – plays a key role in energy metabolism, helps maintain the health of the gastrointestinal tract, breaks down carbohydrates and fatty acids, and promotes skin health 
  • Potassium – regulates heart, muscle, and nerve function
  • Selenium – aids in antioxidant production, improves skin health, protects against cancer, and boosts immune response 

Hazards of Feeding Your Cat Salmon

It’s extremely crucial to note that salmon’s nutritional benefits are not enough to sustain cats and keep them healthy. In fact, it can even pose a few risks to their health when given in excessive quantities. So it’s not a good idea to feed your kitty large portions of salmon or make it a part of her daily diet. 

Here are a few of the hazards of feeding your cat salmon: 

Mercury 

While salmon has relatively low mercury levels compared to other types of fish like tuna, eating it in large quantities or over extended periods of time can increase your cat’s risk for developing mercury poisoning. 

Mercury toxicity is quite uncommon in cats, but it can have devastating and irreversible effects on their health when it does occur. Symptoms of mercury poisoning in cats include:

  • Vomiting 
  • Lethargy
  • Tremors
  • Seizures
  • Involuntary movement
  • Unsteady gait
  • Unusual behavior
  • Loss of coordination
  • Paralysis

If you suspect that your cat has mercury poisoning, take her to your veterinarian or call the Pet Poison Helpline right away.

Allergies 

Surprisingly, fish is among the most common causes of food allergies in cats. Whether fish is fed directly or included as an ingredient in cat food, cats with allergies may have adverse reactions to consuming it. 

Symptoms of fish allergies in cats include:

  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Rashes
  • Hair loss
  • Dull and dry fur
  • Itching and redness of the skin
  • Chronic ear and skin infections 

Food allergies in cats are typically determined by conducting an elimination diet trial, which involves giving cats proteins not included in their previous diet. You can ask for your veterinarian’s assistance with this if you’re unsure whether your cat is allergic to fish. 

Incomplete Nutrition

A balanced diet is vital to keeping cats in perfect health, and salmon unfortunately does not have enough carbohydrates and micronutrients to qualify for this. 

Additionally, it lacks taurine, an essential amino acid that cats need in their diet. Taurine is crucial in heart and immune system function as well as blood sugar regulation. 

When a cat isn’t fed high-quality sources of taurine on a regular basis, she may suffer from taurine deficiency. This can lead to a whole host of health issues, including blindness, heart disease, abnormal growth, and even death. 

Another added risk of feeding your cat salmon on a regular basis is that she might steer clear of her regular cat food in favor of the fish. Doing so will make it harder for her to get the nutrients she needs and result in pickiness that may make feeding her more challenging. 

Other Types & Parts of Salmon For Cats

As a versatile food, there are many ways to prepare and serve salmon! However, while we might enjoy these variations, some of them may not be safe for our cats.

Below is a list of the most common types and parts of salmon and whether they’re safe or unsafe for cats: 

Raw Salmon

Raw fish should never be fed to cats under any circumstance. It contains bacteria and pathogens that are dangerous to cats and may cause mild to severe health problems, such as gastrointestinal upset and food poisoning or bacterial infections from exposure to E.coli or salmonella

In addition, raw fish contains an enzyme called thiaminase, which destroys the B vitamin thiamine in cats’ bodies. This means that eating raw fish—especially on a regular basis—can lead to thiamine deficiency. Symptoms of this include:

It’s important to take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible if she’s eaten copious amounts of raw salmon to get ahead of possible adverse effects. 

Canned Salmon

Canned salmon is a pantry staple most of us enjoy including in different recipes, but it’s not as safe for our cats as it is for us. Most canned salmon products contain high amounts of additives, spices, and preservatives that may be toxic to our feline friends. 

Additionally, canned salmon is quite high in sodium. Eating high-sodium foods in large quantities can lead to hypernatremia in cats, which indicates dangerously high levels of sodium in their blood. Symptoms of this condition include:

  • Seizures
  • Disorientation
  • Lethargy
  • Excessive thirst
  • Loss of appetite
  • Coma

Smoked Salmon

Just like canned salmon, smoked salmon is prepared with plenty of salt, meaning it has a high sodium content. Besides putting her at risk for hypernatremia, high-sodium foods can also contribute to the increased risk of heart and kidney disease in cats. 

Small pieces of smoked salmon are unlikely to hurt your cat, but it’s still ideal to give her fresh salmon instead. 

Salmon Bones

Contrary to depictions in popular media, fish bones are actually extremely dangerous for cats. They’re choking hazards that can injure your cat’s mouth or cause damage to her intestinal tract. As such, all types of fish, including salmon, must be properly deboned before they’re served to cats. 

Salmon Skin

Cooked salmon skin is perfectly safe for your cat to eat, and may even be more nutritious with higher concentrations of essential fatty acids than the meat.

Keep in mind, though, that it’s still best to give it to your cat in moderation. Large quantities of it may have excessive amounts of fat that can be detrimental to your cat’s health. 

How To Safely Feed Your Cat Salmon

If your cat is an avid salmon fan, don’t worry: you won’t have to keep her away from salmon altogether. What you can do is follow a few guidelines to give it to her the right way so she can enjoy it fully without suffering any repercussions. 

Here are a few ways to safely feed your cat salmon:

Debone and cook the salmon thoroughly without spices or seasonings

You can debone the salmon before or after cooking according to your preference. Just make sure you remove all the bones, including the smallest ones. 

Any method of cooking salmon is suitable for cats, although baking and poaching are typically healthier since they require less oil. Make sure as well not to include any spices or seasonings to avoid causing adverse reactions in your cat. Plus, cats don’t need the extra flavors to enjoy the dish; the fishy taste will be enough to satisfy your kitty. 

Cook the salmon fully before serving it to your cat. A good indicator that your salmon is cooked is if it flakes easily when pressed down. 

Feed salmon as a treat in moderation

Salmon should never make up the bulk of your cat’s daily or regular diet. You can feed it to your cat once in a while as a treat, but make sure to do so in controlled quantities. Avoid feeding her an entire filet or a full meal. 

In Closing

Salmon is perfectly safe as a delicious and healthy treat for your kitty once in a while. It’s important, though, to limit her consumption of it as it poses certain health risks and also lacks the nutrients to be a complete and balanced meal for her. 

So if you want to give your precious kitty some salmon to indulge in, make sure to give it in small amounts and serve it plain, deboned, and fully cooked. This way, she can eat salmon without any unwanted incidents – so she can enjoy the fishy treat to the fullest! 

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