Pepperoni is a spicy and salty sausage that made with beef, bean stew, peppers, and paprika. Are you eating pepperoni in front of your feline friend and thinking that can cats have pepperoni? The answer would be yes; cats can have pepperoni in moderation.
Although cats can eat pepperoni, it is neither restricted nor recommended for cats because it contains higher preservatives salt and spices. So, providing excess pepperoni can cause a health risk for a cat.
If you want to know the relation and impact of pepperoni on your feline buddy, then keep reading this guide.
Is Pepperoni Poisonous to the Cat?
No, pepperoni is not poisonous to the cat. But pepperoni indeed contains excess spices, salt, flavor, and color. So, your cat can be affected by the spicy impact that is not suitable for cat digestion. Remember, eating too much pepperoni can make your cat sick. If you provide pepperoni in a small amount to the feline buddy, then make sure your cat won’t get sick.
Is Pepperoni Stick Safe for Cats?
Yes, a cat can have all kinds of food-related to pepperoni because the main ingredient of pepperoni is meat. It is good to know that pepperoni stick is made by maturing and air-drying. Peppermint sticks can cause constant damage to your cat. So, it doesn’t matter if you give pepperoni sticks and slices. The main thing is to provide less in amount.
What Pepperoni Ingredients are Harmful to Cat Health?
As pepperoni is delicious food for humans, it is made with many spices, salt, and flavor. Even though humans can tolerate these ingredients for their digestion system, the cat can’t take in much.
Pepperoni is generally used as the topping of pizza, and the amount may vary depending on the brand. Cats are prohibited from being given large quantities of pepperoni because of these ingredients. Here are some common ingredients that pepperoni has and harmful for the cat.
Sodium:
Pepperoni contains too much salt, and the main ingredient of salt is sodium. Excess salt makes it tasty to the human tongue, but it would be harmful to a cat. Even additional salt may exceed the daily need for salt for a cat.
Taking excess salt is quite harmful to the cat even though sometimes it can cause poison. A piece of pizza contains around 683 to 700 mg of sodium. And one slice of pepperoni contains about 35.2 mg of sodium. Good to know that a cat can take a maximum of 21 mg of sodium in a day. So, your cat can get sick if he takes more than this.
The possible symptoms of cat sickness from excess salt:
- Loss of appetite
- Laziness and tiredness
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Extensive thirsty
- Extensive peeing
- Incoordination
If you know that your cat takes a lot of pepperonis and any of the above symptoms have been seen, contact a vet soon. Because these signs may turn into serious sickness even, it can cause the death of a cat.
Preservatives:
The preservative is a good way to preserve meat. Do note that Nitrates are most effective in preventing the development of microbes and bacteria in meat. Preservatives help to preserve and maintain the part for a long time. But the saddest fact is that nitrates are harmful to cats. Loss of appetite, laziness and weight loss are some common signs of impacts of nitrates.
Flavor and Spices:
Different types of spices are used to increase the flavor of pepperoni. In most cases, powdered pepper, dark pepper, and garlic are used to add flavor to pepperoni, and not any of these are safe for cats. Especially, garlic can cause gastrointestinal problems, stomach inflammation, and damage to the red blood cell. So, avoid pepperoni for your cat. Also, keep in mind that cats can’t get the same taste from food as a human can get. Cat has only 500 taste buds, whereas a human has about 5000 taste buds.
Here are the symptoms that can occur from pepperoni because of spices:
- Saliva dribble from the mouth
- Pain in the mid-region
- Acid reflux or Regurgitating
- Looseness of the bowels
- Abdominal pain
- Pale gums
- Expanded pulse
If you notice any signs from this list in your cat within a few days of taking pepperoni, then go to a vet and consult with him.
Can Cats Eat Turkey Pepperoni?
Yes, cats can eat Turkey pepperoni because it is better than beef pepperoni in some specific aspects. However, Turkey pepperoni has some downside too. The good thing is that Turley pepperoni contains less fat than beef. So, it is good, but you can’t provide more than moderation. Remember that all types of pepperonis contain a lot of spices.
And the downside is that cats can easily digest beef pepperoni, but Turkey pepperoni is difficult to digest. That is why providing less turkey pepperoni to a cat is recommended.
So, turkey pepperoni is good if you think about fat. On the other hand, beef and chicken pepperoni are good for easy digestion. Besides, turkey pepperoni contains more allergies than beef pepperoni.
Dangers of Feeding Cats pepperoni
- Pregnant cats should not take pepperoni because it is harmful to unborn kittens.
- Pepperoni can cause septicemia and endotoxemia that is threatened for life.
- It can cause pneumonia and meningitis, and miscarriage for the pregnant cat.
- Bacterial infection of the little kittens because they are younger
- Obesity and weight increasing problem may occur from the pepperoni
- Pepperoni can cause stomach issues and hypertension
How to Share pepperoni with Your Cat?
Since pepperoni is not a dedicated food for cats, it is important to consult with a vet before providing it to your cat. Here are some tips to share pepperoni with your cat.
- First of all, let your cat eat a small amount of pepperoni and notice if they liked it or not.
- If your cat likes to eat salami, occasionally provide it in moderation.
- Observe your cat after they eat pepperoni to notice their condition with pepperoni impacts
What is the alternative food instead of pepperoni?
What kinds of food or meat you provide to your cat depends on the cat’s taste buds? You can provide beef, chicken, or another pepperoni. But beef pepperoni contains excess salt, so that you can try alternatives for your cat.
Here are some good alternatives you can provide your cat instead of pepperoni
- Turkey
- Sardines
- Tuna
- Salmon
- Raw Chicken
- Pork
- Shrimp
FAQs:
- How much salt is safe for cats?
Excess salt intake can be a cause of health issues in your cat. Taking 21 mg salt in a day is safe for cats. Make a diet chart for your cat to get the right amount of salt.
- Can cats eat pepperoni?
Peppermint is spicy and salty food. Although cats can eat it because its main ingredient is meat, it is better to eat small amounts. Not only a small amount, provide pepperoni to a feline friend should in the occasion.
- Would pepperoni be able to kill a cat?
It is a very rare case that pepperoni can kill a cat. However, taking excess pepperoni can cause several risks for a cat. For example, your feline buddy cat gets sick from abdominal pain, laziness, loss of appetite, and many more.
- Can cats eat cooked pepperoni?
Yes, cats can eat cooked pepperoni. Cooked pepperoni refers the toppings of beef, peeper and spices on the pizza. So, whenever the question comes that can cats eat pepperoni pizza? The answer is yes too.
Final Words:
From this guide, I believe you have known that cats can have pepperoni in small amounts. Pepperoni is not dedicated to cat food, and it is very spicy and salty. That is why it is not recommended for cats, although there has a large amount of meat in pepperoni. If your cat loves to eat pepperoni, you can only provide a small amount of pepperoni. Otherwise, it is smart to avoid providing pepperoni to a cat.
