Sardines contain fish. Cats love fish. There are many kinds of sardines out there and there seem to be benefits in feeding our pets these canned goods. How ok it is to give canned sardines to our beloved cats, depends on the type of canned sardines.
Let’s evaluate the pros and cons of canned sardines for our feline friends.
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Can cats eat canned sardines in oil?
You can serve canned sardines to your cat and they like the delicious fish. Canned sardines in all types of oil are a good source of omega-3. The good thing about them are the sardines, so you might as well get canned sardines in water.
There is a lot of important taurine in sardines too. Read even more about cat food with taurine. Cats also love tuna fish.
🐱 What nutrients can canned sardines have?
Canned sardines not only taste good for your cat but it also provides health benefits with the Omega-3 fatty acids it contains which gives your cat a boost to the immune system and strengthens the heart as well. These Omega-3s provide a lot of benefits as it also helps prevent allergies, improve brain function, and can inhibit the formation of cancer. On top of that since obesity is one of the conditions most commonly related to cats the fatty acid also helps in activating a type of protein that can help in burning fat. Watch out, Garfield!
Sardines also provide rich bone-building and strengthening with Vitamin D. High quality protein is also provided by the sardines which are full of essential amino acids that the cats cannot produce on their own. EPA and DHA which are also found in sardines can also improve your cat’s mood and work as a really good anti-depressant.
🐱 What kinds of canned sardines are good for your cat?
There are different kinds of canned sardines that are available to feed your cats. Canned sardines in oil, sauce, sardines with salt, and sardines in water. Studies show that cats love sardines in water and that it’s the healthiest choice since to much oil has can have unhealthy effects.
It is also important to avoid providing the ones that have additional salt because sardines already have high salt content thus sardines should just be given occasionally.
High amounts of sardine intake can cause diarrhea, vomiting and other gastrointestinal problems for your cat. Because of that, sardines should not be provided daily and when given only small amounts should be mixed with their regular cat food. Continue to provide other meat for your cat to maintain a healthy and balanced diet and don’t provide sardines as the main source of food. You could give it as a treat every now and then.
🐱 Video: Can My Cat Eat Sardines?
Common questions about canned sardines for cats
Cats can eat canned sardines, but it’s important that you feed it in moderation. Too much oil can be unhealthy for cats. Olive oil though does have benefits. It will make the cats fur shiny and soft. The oil alone mixed with cat food can provide the same oil benefits.
Sardines in water are the best kind of canned sardines to feed our feline friends. The flavor is pure and the skin, bones, and flesh of the sardines are very nutritious. It serves a dual purpose because once the cat is finished eating the sardines it can drink the remaining water as well.
Just like hitting two birds with one stone.
Canned tuna can be good in moderation. Canned tuna can be provided occasionally since it is really rich in protein as well as the flavor of the tuna tastes good. However, tuna is higher in mercury than other fish. So there is a greater risk of mercury poisoning.
Canned white tuna in particular has mercury levels three times higher than other regular canned tuna. Try to go for “chunk light” tuna in water if you wish to treat your cat from time to time.
🐱 Canned sardines are indeed OK for cats
While canned sardines shouldn’t be the main source of food. It is great for cats as part of their diet. It is nutritious and beneficial in the right amount. The Omega-3 fatty acids and the Omega-6 help as an all-around boost to the cat’s vision, heart, immune and reproductive system.
Giving us pet owners a sense of relief and happiness that our cats are living a great and happy life with a balanced diet that includes the sardines along with other meat and the staple cat food.
Although it’s odd that cats love fish so much even though they don’t hunt in water and don’t eat fish in the wild let us just support the fact that it is still unclear why they have a liking for the taste of fish because we love them as pets.With the additional benefit of enhancing the quality of their coat and fur making them look gorgeous and beautiful, your friends and companions might end up loving them as well.
