Although they’re relatively harmless as a treat for most cats, they’re potentially dangerous to rabbits.
Though some cats an upset tummy the consequences might be fatal. When faced with an anxious or hungry cat, don’t leave these tasty pretzels unattended.
So, can cats eat pretzels? Cats have an incredibly refined sense of taste and smell that often lets them differentiate between things that are similar in taste but come from very different sources.
For example, peanut butter and olive oil have little in common except that the cat can’t tell them apart.
However, cats are more particular about what they eat than people seem to realize.
Not only can cats be finicky about their food, but they can have different sensitivities to different things as well.
So there are plenty of reasons why cats can’t eat pretzels, but there are also some reasons why they might be able to eat them if they get their paws on them.
Can Cats Eat Pretzels?
Yes, and cats can even get a bit wild about giving their all to try to eat a few.
Pretzels are generally a healthy snack for rabbits to eat and that includes your kitty cat as well.
The basic components of pretzels are all safe for rabbits and humans alike and consist of wheat flour, water, salt, leavening agents (such as yeast), and pretzels.
Your cat may consume all of or only a portion of this snack and any mistakes won’t harm them.
What Is A Pretzel?
A pretzel is a dough-based snack that was created by Italian monks in the 13th century.
The original pretzel form is symmetrical, with the ends twisted like the ends of a braid or a rope.
Pretzels come in a salty flavor or a sweet style and the salty version is especially popular among people who like to snack on salty foods.
Salt is the most common pretzel seasoning, and it works in an interesting way with the yeast that’s used in the dough to make it rise.
When yeast is combined with salt, it produces carbon dioxide gas that enhances the pretzel’s texture. It also creates chewable bubbles that increase crumbliness and prevent the dough from being too dense or hard.
Are Pretzels Bad for Cats and Kittens?
Pretzels are often lower in calories and carbohydrates than other types of snacks such as potato chips, cookies or cake.
While pretzels may not provide the same nutritional balance as the food your cat would get at cat shows or from a veterinarian, they are certainly healthy enough that they won’t harm your cat or kitten even if they’re consumed in large amounts.
Pretzels are OK in modest amounts with your pet’s food, but larger amounts may cause stomach upset and diarrhea.
They’re not poisonous and they won’t cause permanent damage to your pet’s digestive system, but it’s best to limit how much pretzels you give them.
Why Are Pretzels Harmful To Cats?
Cheese
Cheese is included in a salty flavor for pretzels and some people happily eat cheese with their pretzels, but others may not enjoy eating cheese with salty pretzels.
One unexpected health risk from eating pretzels and cheese together is something called eosinophilic enteritis.
Cheese is another a dairy product that is high in fat and can be toxic for your feline pet.
Cheese includes lactose, which causes diarrhea when consumed in excess by cats or kittens.
Spices
Onion and garlic are two common spices or flavorings that are used in pretzels to make them taste good.
Even in little concentrations, both onion powder and garlic powder can be toxic to cats if fed in modest amounts. They are included in their snacks such as pretzels.
The consumption of garlic can make a cat or kitten very sick since it contains sulfur compounds, which can affect a cat’s red blood cells and damage their red blood cells in high concentrations.
Symptoms of these deadly medical dangers can be anemia, vomiting, weakness and damage to the blood cells in your cat’s stomach lining.
Sweeteners
Chocolate and sugar are one of the worst additives or ingredients that are included in many snack foods for humans, but they can also be poisonous to cats if ingested in large quantities.
These two sweeteners are often found in conventional or classic pretzels that you buy in the supermarket.
Pretzels with a sugar or chocolate coating are also very harmful to your cat. Because they are still ingested by a cat’s mouth and can cause many health problems.
Other risks include feline diabetes, obesity or weight gain and irritation to your cat’s digestive system.
Salt
Salt flavour is the most expensive and unnecessary ingredient for pretzels and one that is not needed or used by humans.
Your cats may get two types of sodium in their food when they eat pretzels, and this can cause fatal health problems for a cat or kitten.
Aside from that, your cats may also develop fluid retention and high blood pressure which may lead to heart problems, liver and kidney problems.
Adding more salt seasoning to salted pretzels can pose a more serious risk to your cat. Because it can cause them to dehydrate quickly which is very dangerous for their health and their internal organs.
Also Read: Can Cats Eat Garlic Powder?
How Many Pretzels Can I Give My Cats?
Many animal pals like cats love to snack on typical human foods including pretzels and other salty snacks, and many pet owners give their pets these delicious but unhealthy foods on a regular basis.
Your cat like these snacks that don’t mean you should give them to them all. However, these foods can be very harmful to your cat’s health.
Overeating pretzels might only pose a temporary problem to your cat, but its long term effects are far worse than what you can imagine and can pose dangerous health risks to your cat or kitten if consumed in excess quantities.
Furthermore, your cat may not only develop serious kidney problems if given too many salty foods.
But they may suffer from serious heart conditions too which may lead to fatal heart problems if it is not treated early before it.
Once or twice a month, small amount of pretzels is okay to give your cat. But, if they regularly eat pretzels regularly, then you might have to look for alternative snacks to provide to your cat or kitten.
Conclusion
The conclusion to this article is about how cats can eat pretzels if they’re given a few precautions to avoid them choking on or becoming ill.
For example, if a cat can’t finish a pretzel they should never be allowed to go back for another as they will never learn to leave the snack alone when it gets in their mouths and might choke on it later.
Instead the treats should be taken away as soon as possible to make room for something else or to be fed to another pet that’s less fussy.
So can cats eat pretzels? Probably not as much as we want them to but they definitely enjoy them when they get a chance!
