Hot dogs have become a staple in many homes because they’re easy to prepare and surprisingly filling. You can also eat hot dogs as meals or snacks or pair them with different side dishes, such as smoky coleslaw, classic potato salad, or grilled vegetables.
And because hot dogs are delicious, you might plan on feeding some to your cats. However, as a pet owner, you need to be cautious when adding human foods to your cats’ diets — foods that are harmless to you can be harmful to them.
Unfortunately, cats and hot dogs don’t sit well together. Hot dogs are actually harmful to your feline friends because of the following ingredients:
Processed Meat
The meat used in hot dogs is highly processed, which means it uses a lot of salt and is very high in fat. Yes, cats are meat-eaters, but it’s best to feed them natural and unprocessed meat. Feeding processed meats to your cats can cause an upset stomach because they’ll have a hard time digesting it. As a result, the undigested food can trigger bloating, constipation, abdominal pain, and other digestive issues.
Your cats’ digestive systems are naturally built to process lean organic meat, such as beef, chicken, fish, and pork, not store-bought hot dogs.
High-Fat Content
The high-fat content of hot dogs is another reason why you should never give some to your cats. Your cats’ bodies can’t process fats. Instead, their bodies will store fats, which can eventually cause several chronic diseases, such as heart blockage and high blood pressure.
The high-fat content of hot dogs can also trigger excessive weight gain and obesity in cats. Having weight issues can put your cats at greater risk of many diseases, such as arthritis, pancreatitis, gastrointestinal diseases, and skin problems.
Extreme Sodium Content
A high-sodium diet can cause many health problems for humans and is more disastrous to cats. Cats are carnivores, and they can’t digest salt as it’s not a part of their natural diet.
Humans’ bodies can manage a high amount of salt in their diets for a short period, but it’s not the same for cats. Even for a short period, consuming too much salt can cause many health complications and, in extreme cases, sudden death in felines.
The most common short-term effects of a high sodium diet on cats are dehydration, tremors, depression, and seizures. Long-term, too much sodium can trigger high blood pressure and abnormal heart rate in cats.
Preservatives And Chemicals
Hot dogs contain sodium nitrates and nitrites to prevent degradation and extend their lifespan. And while humans’ bodies can tolerate these preservatives, your cats can’t. In fact, studies show that nitrites can poison pets.
Problems With Toppings
Since hot dogs are bland, you’ll likely want to top them with condiments to improve their taste. Depending on your preferences, you might want to use mustard, mayo, onions, or jalapeño.
Most of the toppings you use for your hot dogs are toxic to cats. Garlic and onion, for instance, are toxic to cats because they can break down your cats’ red blood cells and cause anemia.
Other toppings, namely ketchup and other spices, are high in sodium and can trigger poisoning in felines. Sodium poisoning is very common in cats and causes several symptoms, such as decreased appetite, excessive thirst or urination, and incoordination.
Mustard is also dangerous for your cats because it can cause chronic inflammation in their gastrointestinal tracts. When this happens, your cats will experience fever and dehydration.
What Are Feline-Friendly Alternatives To Hot Dogs?
Regardless of how much you love your cats, you should never attempt to spoil them with hot dogs. Hot dogs contain ingredients that can adversely affect the health of your cats.
For your cats to stay happy and healthy for years, substitute hot dogs with the foods listed below:
Fresh Or Canned Fish
One of the healthiest and safest snacks you can give to your cats is fresh or canned fish. This is packed with omega-3 fatty acids that can improve the skin and coat of your cats. Fresh or canned fish is also low in calories, ideal for overweight cats.
Cooked Or Scrambled Eggs
Cooked or scrambled eggs are also excellent alternatives to hot dogs for your cats. Eggs are a great source of taurine that plays a significant role in maintaining your cats’ vision, digestion, and heart muscle function. Taurine also helps boost your cats’ immune systems.
Oatmeal
Aside from being a healthy and filling breakfast for humans, do you know that you can also share oatmeal with your cats? Oatmeal is actually a healthy treat for cats because it’s packed with protein and healthy fats. The quality of these nutrients is high in oatmeal, which means that your feline friends can easily digest and use them.
Can Cats Eat Turkey Hot Dogs?
No, you should never give turkey hot dogs to your cats. Although turkey hot dogs contain less salt than traditional hot dogs, it still contains unhealthy ingredients for your cats. Stay on the safe side and never feed your cats any type of hot dog.
Can Cats Eat Hot Dog Buns?
Yes, you can feed hot dog buns to your cats. Just make sure that they’re whole wheat buns as white ones contain too much sugar and carbohydrates for cats. Also, make sure not to top the buns with any condiments, like garlic and onion powder, as these are harmful to felines.
What Should You Do If Your Cats Eat Hot Dogs?
Eating a small amount of hot dogs is unlikely to cause major health issues in your cats. In general, their bodies will flush out the hot dogs by urinating frequently.
However, if your cats ate a lot of hot dogs, keep an eye for symptoms of sodium poisoning as this can be fatal. Once you notice your cats show symptoms, immediately take them to the vet. Urgent treatment is required to protect your cats from the dangers of sodium poisoning.
Talk To A Vet First
Because of the ingredients present in hot dogs, it’s best not to give your cats any. Your attempts to spoil them with human foods (like hot dogs) can only do more harm than good.
If you have questions about hot dogs — how they can affect your cats and what are better alternatives — reach out to a vet immediately. Never attempt to change your cats’ diets without their approval to ensure that your pets stay active and healthy for years!