Can Cats Eat Rice?
In order for your cat to have a happy and very healthy life, it is essential that it follow a balanced diet. Therefore, it is essential to know what foods can be on your plate of food and which are not. In this regard, a question we could ask ourselves is whether cats can eat rice. Let’s see the answer.
What is a balanced diet for cats?
When adopting an animal, it is very important that you know the basis of its diet, as this is the most relevant for its diet.
In the case of your cat, you must be clear that this is a carnivorous animal, so meat must be the main ingredient in its diet.
Cats take proteins as a priority energy source, needing much more of these than dogs, for example.
Meat gives cats not only protein, but also three of the most essential nutrients for these animals:
Arachidonic acid, crucial for the health of their skin and coat.
Taurine, very important for your heart and eyesight, among other aspects.
Vitamin A, for eyesight and hair too.
If meat is the main food for felines, then can cats eat rice?
Can Cats Eat Rice?
In the cat’s diet, as we have said, meat cannot be missing. However, other ingredients can be contemplated on your plate in small proportions, such as fruits, vegetables and a very small amount of cereals, because if it were more than appropriate, it would be difficult for you to metabolize them.
So can cats eat rice, yes or no? By proxy, a small amount could be given, but the truth is that it is not adequate.
Cats do not need to eat rice, since the glucose it contains can be obtained through proteins, without having to resort to carbohydrates. Even so, they can consume them as an alternative source of energy, but a very moderate amount.
If a cat were fed with rice, it would suffer from very high nutritional deficiencies, seriously damaging its health.
In addition, some cats do not like rice at all, so many digestive disorders could occur.
Finally, it should be noted that, even if you offer your cat rice, the most common thing is that he rejects it, since it is not usually an attractive meal for him, unless you mix it with meat or fish.
Could rice have any benefits for cats?
As you know, rice is a very common food in soft diets, recommended when there is a digestive disorder, such as diarrhea or vomiting.
It is also usually recommended for dogs and cats in these cases, due to its astringent effect, but always following the recommendation of a veterinarian.
Normally, in these situations, in addition to cooked white rice, you can also give cooked white fish, turkey or chicken without fat or skin, or cooked ham without salt.
When preparing the rice, it must be cooked, without salt and without adding any type of sauce. The ideal is to serve it when it is still a little hot (not hot that burns) because this will enhance your sense of smell and make it more attractive to eat.
When not to give the cat rice
We have already seen that cats can eat rice on certain occasions, in small quantities and under the recommendation of a professional.
However, this is not a recommended food for obese cats, as it is high in carbohydrates.
In addition, if you offer rice to your cat due to digestive problems and see that these worsen, or without having them, they appear when eating rice, the ideal is that you do not offer this food again.
In summary, although rice is not a toxic food for cats, it is not a necessary food in their diet.