Can Cats Eat Eggs?
Can I give my cat scrambled eggs? Eggs are a great source of protein for humans as well as cats. Veterinarian Dr. Laci Schaible has eggs on her list of cat ‘superfoods’.
Dr. Laci is also the co-founder of VetLIVE.com and a freelance veterinary author.
A little dish of scrambled eggs will be good for your cat, and a good addition to a healthy diet offering something a little bit different.
Other cat ‘superfoods’ include:
- Fish
- Lean meat (cooked chicken, beef or pork)
- Yogurt
- Cranberries
- Dandelions (the leaves and roots may give relief for feline allergies and can help with healthy digestion)
Cats find the protein in eggs easy to digest and are full of amino acids that help to maintain lean muscle. The eggs need to be cooked through.
Risks of Feeding Cats Eggs
Raw eggs should not be fed to cats or humans. Raw eggs carry the risk of salmonella or e.coli bacteria, which can cause vomiting, lethargy, and diarrhea. In some cases, it can even be fatal.
E.coli or any contamination from raw food can be easily transmitted to humans from handling the food and the food bowls, good hygiene is essential, especially if your pet is on a raw diet.
Raw eggs also contain avidin, which is a protein that causes problems with the absorption of biotin, a vitamin (B7) needed to help maintain your cat’s shiny coat and healthy skin. When the egg is cooked this is negated and provides biotin to your cat.
If you are feeding your cat eggs for the first time, it is a good idea to check with your vet beforehand to make sure that your pet is able to have eggs in their diet.
Once you have the go-ahead from your vet and have given your cat eggs, keep an eye on them for a day or so to make sure that they don’t have an allergy to eggs.
Food allergies are low with pets, but eggs are a common allergy amongst dogs and cats – say Cummings Veterinary Medical Center, Tufts University.
Food allergies can be the cause of skin infections, itchy skin or ears, and stomach problems.
Benefits of Feeding Cats Eggs
As previously said, eggs are a great source of protein, amino acids, and biotin. The protein and amino acids help maintain lean muscle, and the biotin helps the skin stay healthy and gives the fur shine.
A healthy cat will be a happy cat, and with good muscle tone and a healthy coat. Cats are natural climbers and like to wander, eggs are a good addition to a healthy diet to allow them to grow and develop.
Eggs should only be used as a treat, maybe once a week, and definitely cooked! The other meals should be from high quality, nutritionally balanced food.
Can I Give My Cat Scrambled Eggs?
You can give your cat any type of cooked eggs. They can be scrambled, boiled or poached eggs, as long as they are cooked. As stated above, you need to keep a close eye on your cat after the first time that they have eggs, to make sure they don’t have an egg allergy.
A little dish of scrambled eggs will be good for your cat, and a good addition to a healthy diet offering something a little bit different.
Poached eggs are also a good treat every now and again. They will enjoy the slightly runny yolk and will enjoy cleaning themselves afterward.
Is it Ok to Make Scrambled Eggs with Milk for my Cat?
Kittens enjoy milk and some cats do too. However, over time cats can become lactose intolerant, so it really will depend on your cat. A little bit of milk wouldn’t make too much difference, but it would probably be better to make the scrambled eggs using a little bit of water instead.
Scrambled Eggs Recipe for Cats
Here’s a simple scrambled eggs recipe I made for my cat. You only need 2 ingredients.
- 1 medium-size egg
- 1 Tbsp of water
It should only take a couple of minutes to cook the scrambled eggs
- Crack the egg into a saucepan add the water.
- Whisk the egg and the water together with a fork or a handheld whisk.
- Over a low heat constantly whisk the eggs to make sure they don’t clump together.
Serve the scrambled eggs into your cat’s favorite bowl.
How Many Eggs Should I Give My Cat?
Another thing you must take into consideration is the number of eggs that you give your cat. An egg once a week/every 10 days is fine, however, you don’t want to be giving your cat an egg every day. You may not think that one day sounds much, and it’s not for a human. But remember, humans, are a lot bigger than a cat!
Let’s say that you’re cat weighs 10 pounds and you give it an egg a day. The human equivalent of that would equate to 15 eggs a day for an average-sized adult human! So keep eggs as a treat to a nutritionally healthy diet. You don’t want to make your cat overweight, as this will carry a lot of other negative health issues.
Putting a little bit of healthy variety into your cat’s diet will definitely benefit the cat. No-one likes to eat the same thing day in and day out.
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