If you are thinking of giving your cat gingerbread or snaps and you are wondering whether they are safe or not, the answer is no. They are unsafe. Here is why.
Gingerbread is a baked kind of baked bread, which is usually flavored using cloves, ginger, shortening (or butter), and nutmeg while sugar, xylitol, or molasses help sweeten it. In some cases, it may also have eggs, vanilla extract, among other ingredients.
This bread’s appearance and texture can vary, i.e., it can be soft and moist or a little dry and harder, something that is closer to a ginger snap. Furthermore, in some places such as England, it may mean a cake type, cookie, or biscuit that has this spice
Finally, ginger snaps, biscuits or nuts have nutmeg, molasses, clove, among other ingredients, but tend to be harder.
Is it safe for my cats?
No. Cats should not eat gingerbread or dough used in making them even if they are not allergic to wheat. Similarly, ginger snaps are unsafe for cats.
While felines may eat a little bread and ginger is not only safe but also beneficial, some ingredients in gingerbread make it unsafe for your feline friend.
First, it has nutmeg; a popular spice made using Myristica fragrans seeds. Nutmeg unsafe to pets, and as PetMD notes, when consumed in large amounts, it can cause from “mildly upset stomach to hallucinations, disorientation, increased heart rate, high blood pressure, dry mouth, abdominal pain, and seizures.”
You don’t want to risk the health of your pet by giving them something that has nutmeg even if it is not a lot.
Secondly, as popular as it may be, cinnamon is potentially unsafe for kitties, especially cinnamon essential oil. If ingested in large quantities, it may cause vomiting, diarrhea, and oral blisters. Besides ingesting cinnamon, inhaling it may irritate their lungs.
Thirdly, cloves are not safe to kitties, which, as Pet Poison Helpline notes, “contain a compound called eugenol, which can cause liver toxicity in cats.
Finally, some manufacturers use xylitol, a sugar-free sweetener, commonly used in candy, peanut butter, and in baked foods (occasionally) or for icing cakes. If ingested, it can cause low blood sugar and liver toxicity to your pet.
My cat ate gingerbread
If your kitty happens to have eaten a small amount, it is unlikely to harm him since toxicities from the above ingredients only appear when taken in large amounts. However, if the quantity was a lot, talk to your vet for further guidance.
Conclusion
Since a majority of the ingredients in gingerbread are harmful or toxic to your cats, there is no point in letting them have even a small amount, including any leftover or table scraps.
Additionally, ensure you keep this bread safely and in places where your feline pal doesn’t have access to since he may find and eat it.