You love soy sauce for its intense umami flavor and often use it in your noodles, sushi, rice, sashimi, and other foods. Can cats eat foods with soy, or is it toxic?
Soya or soy sauce (soy) is a liquid condiment from East Asia made using soybeans, roasted grains, brine (salt), and fermenting agents like Aspergillus sojae or Aspergillus oryzae molds or even yeast like Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Common examples include light and dark soy sauce, Shiro, Tamari, and Saishikomi.
Cats shouldn’t eat soy sauce because it is very high in salt or sodium, and if your cat overeats this sauce, it may suffer from salt poisoning.
As Pet Poison Helpline notes, “salt poisoning in dogs and cats results in signs of vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, lethargy, incoordination, excessive thirst or urination. In severe cases, tremors, seizures, coma, and even death are possible.”
However, the chance of your cats suffering from salt poisoning from taking soy is remote. Nonetheless, you need to avoid giving it to your feline pal.
Secondly, since most condiments like mayonnaise, ketchup, salad dressing, barbecue, and soy sauce have added monosodium glutamate (MSG). While there are many controversies concerning MSN, it has been linked to many problems in humans.
For instance, an article published in the EXCLI Journal notes that MSN has been linked with obesity, metabolic disorders, Chinese Restaurant Syndrome, neurotoxic effects, and detrimental effects on humans’ reproductive organs. Perhaps, it could have the same results for your cat. However, they are not cat-specific studies to very this information.
Some soy sauces made in China, Hongkong, Taiwan, and Thailand have been found to have Group 2A carcinogen known as ethyl carbamate. Such may be detrimental to your feline pal.
Also, if your cat has soybean allergies or wheat (some brands have wheat), he or she may suffer from food allergy symptoms if they consume soy.
Finally, if your cat eats a piece of food with soy sauce, it is unlikely to harm him or her since the amount will be small. However, you need to watch for any signs of salt poisoning:
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Lethargy
- Increased urination or thirst
- Reduce appetite
- Seizures
- Poor coordination
- Coma
If you notice any of these symptoms, call your vet or an animal poison control helpline for further help. In the meantime, ensure your cat has a lot of water to drink.