is oatmeal good for dogs and cats

Can Dogs Eat Oatmeal?

A healthy breakfast choice that offers an abundance of nutritional value to humans, oatmeal is a staple found in many peoples homes. But, can dogs eat oatmeal? The answer is yes, but there are some things you should keep in mind before feeding your pup this snack.

Is Oatmeal Good for Dogs?

Oatmeal is high in fiber and contains a plethora of nutrients, minerals, and antioxidants. Served in moderation, oatmeal can benefit a dog in a variety of ways, says Dr. Carly Fox of New York Citys Animal Medical Center. It is a great alternative carbohydrate for dogs that may be sensitive to wheat or grains. Oatmeal contains vitamin B, which helps maintain a healthy coat, and linoleic acid, which is a type of omega-6 fatty acid that helps to maintain the strength of dogs skin.

Its also a great source of soluble fiber, which can regulate blood glucose levels and help dogs that have irregular bowl movements. But Dr. Fox cautions that feeding your dog foods containing a lot of fiber can lead to GI upset, whose symptoms include diarrhea and vomiting.

How to Serve Oatmeal Safely to Dogs

When preparing oatmeal for your canine companion, make it with water, as opposed to milk. Dogs are very sensitive to dairy, and their bodies dont break down lactose as easily as humans do, says Dr. Fox.

If you plan to share your oatmeal, make sure its cooked and not sprinkled raw over food; serving it raw will only make it harder for your pup to digest. It should also be plain; while humans might enjoy additives, such as salt, butter, chocolate, raisins, or grapes, these ingredients can be extremely harmful to a dogs health. Never feed your dog flavored oatmeal, as it often contains more sugar and may even have artificial sweeteners, such as xylitol, which is toxic to dogs. Once the oatmeal is cooked, serve it at room temperaturegiving your dog food thats too hot can cause burns inside their mouth.

Dr. Fox also advises owners to stay away from instant oatmeal. While its faster and easier to prepare, its highly processed, and the health benefits your dog gets from eating oats will decrease. It loses its nutritional value, explains Dr. Fox. The least processed version provides the most health benefits.

Dietary Advice

Whats important to remember is that too much of any human food can be upsetting to a dogs stomach. Just because youre eating oatmeal daily for breakfast doesnt mean your dog should, too. Generally, you can feed your dog one tablespoon of cooked oatmeal for every 20 pounds of their weight.

Dont give your dog too much oatmeal at once because it contains a lot of carbohydrates and is relatively high in calories. Consuming a large amount can also lead to diarrhea, vomiting, and/or bloat, which can be life threatening. Half-a-cup of cooked oatmeal (at most), one to two times a week is more than enough for most large dogs. Your dog should be eating a well-balanced commercial diet, Dr. Fox says.

When introducing human food into your dogs diet, start off gradually and gauge how well he handles it. If he has any adverse reactions, consult your veterinarian immediately.

Here at the AKC, we field many queries from anxious dog owners about what is and isnt safe for their canine companions to eat. Questions range from the obvious (Can dogs eat steak bones?) to the trendy (Can dogs eat quinoa?) Check out more Can dogs eat articles on AKC.org to see what foods could be harmful to your dog, includingcherries,avocados, andonions.

Can Cats Eat Oatmeal? 5 Reasons Why It Is A Healthy and Guilt-Free Snack

There are frequently asked questions that have been made by many cat owners. These questions surround the topic of cats being fed with oatmeal.

Isnt oatmeal an indulgence for humans only? To our surprise, the truth might be a little bit more unconventional.

Were here to tackle some of the frequently asked questions cat owners have voiced out all across the internet hemisphere:

Can cats eat oatmeal? What if I add in some milk? How much oatmeal can I give to cats? Can oatmeal provide all these health benefits for my cats' diet the way it has for humans? How frequently should my cat eat oatmeal?

Concerns are high on feeding cats the food thats been made specifically for humans. As a feline parent, it becomes your responsibility to learn the pros and cons of giving cats human food.

While you can do your own research, weve gathered all the information on the fundamental answers to including oatmeal to your cats' diet.

Can cats eat oatmeal?

Its a big yes! Cats can eat oatmeal in small quantities. It's one of the few human foods cats can consume in safe serving sizes. So, as a cat owner, you can add this to their diet by measuring a certain portion size to give to your fur baby. This means that oatmeal isnt given as a full meal.

Just like any other pet, cats have a distinct nutritional requirement from food. So, anything thats edible for humans may get cats prone to stomach sensitivities. Cats as a distinct species have a different digestive mechanism as compared to the human race.

Read Also: Can Cats Eat Human Food?

What portions sizes of oatmeal can cats eat?

Cats can eat oatmeal, yet they will only absorb a lot of carbohydrates with very little protein.

It, therefore, does provide a certain nutritional component. Yet this can only be used as a secondary meal alternative for the cat since its ideally set as a cat treat instead of a full meal.

Add in of protein and just of the carbohydrate-filled oatmeal. This is just as much oatmeal you need for your fur baby daily diet.

Can cats eat oatmeal with milk?

Surprise, surprise! Cats are lactose intolerant. So their intolerance to dairy makes it uncomfortable for them to consume oatmeal porridge with milk.

They shouldnt consume the oatmeal porridge that has been prepared with milk.

This news can get you wondering how you can prep oatmeal for cats now? This time, let this be a confirmation that you need not prepare your oatmeal porridge with milk to do away with their intolerance for anything dairy.

Instead, water can be a wonderful substitute for milk! To make oatmeal porridge, simply add in some water to make the oatmeal grains soft but not too watery.

Amp up the flavor by combining this with your choice of wet cat food that you normally serve in case if the water has diluted the oatmeal.

This texture makes it easier for your cats to chew, swallow, and then digest this special meal.

In this way, youre able to introduce the nutrients in the oatmeal slowly and surely to your cats so they become comfortable with their consumption.

Need not fret if you need to whip up some favorable meals for your fur baby! There are a plethora of homemade wet cat food recipes that can be found online. They are a practical way to reduce the cost of cat food.

To perk up their taste buds more, you can add a wee bit of salt. Cats have a low tolerance for salt levels. However, go easy on the amount of salt to avoid poisoning your cat.

Read Also: Can Cats Have Almond Milk? Is It Safe?

Nutritional benefits oatmeal for cats

So what can cats get from oatmeal? Cats can eat oatmeal for all these nutritional benefits:

1. A good source of iron

First off, oatmeal is a really good source of iron. Its an entirely good choice to boost the function of enzymes. Iron is required to make more blood for the body. Thanks to oatmeal, your cat no longer may suffer from anemia.

2. It has essential nutrients such as calcium and vitamin B6

Oatmeal contains other nutrients such as calcium and vitamin B6.

Your cat may need more calcium as it is required for the formation of bones. The formation of bones for your pets overall bone development is especially true for cats as kittens.

Meanwhile, this vitamin is required by the body to break down all protein into amino acids. Amino acids support your cat's overall functionality.

These nutrients do the work to help ensure their nerves and muscles are well-coordinated and are functioning properly.

3. Oatmeal has manganese for digestion and cholesterol levels

This hearty meal contains another nutrient called manganese. Itll help stabilize or control their levels of cholesterol.

4. High in fiber and low in levels of gluten

The great thing about oatmeal is its level of gluten component. Yes, oatmeal is low in gluten.

More so, this has just as much fiber to assist in clearing digestive issues in your cat. Both of which will help calm the digestive tract to regulate normal bowel movement.

Along with calming their digestive tract, oatmeal recipes properly prepared as foods for cats also help to stabilize their hormones.

5. An anti-inflammatory treat

A bonus about eating oatmeal is benefiting from its high diuretic properties. It has been considered to be anti-inflammatory, making it the best homemade cat food.

The side effects of oatmeal

Anything thats generally good comes with a few side effects when it gets consumed excessively.

Some types of oatmeal are not purely safe. Say for example any oatmeal brand that may contain chocolate or raisins. Unfortunately, anything with cocoa (chocolate) or raisins are generally unsafe for cats.

These two ingredients are very poisonous to our fur babies and may have been the cause of food poisoning.

Can cats eat oatmeal cookies?

Even when oatmeal cookies are undoubtedly the best thing weve learned to make out of oats, weve yet to know if this treat is any good to cats.

Oatmeal cookies have been made as nutritious as cooked oatmeal porridge. The difference is its crunchy texture and sweet taste. If ever youve whipped up or bought some oatmeal cookies, then you might be tempted to give just a tiny, little piece to your cat, yet can your cat eat those oatmeal cookies?

Unfortunately, the answer to this question is a hard no. Oatmeal cookies often contain raisins and chocolate, which have been deemed toxic to cats.

So please, let me say it again: Do not allow your cat to eat oatmeal cookies.

Can cats eat oatmeal as their daily diet?

Of course, although the nutritional value of a portion of oats needs to be administered given your cats overall dietary needs. For example, most cats do best when eating foods that are high in protein and while low on carbs.

Even though oats contain a relatively high amount of protein for a cereal grain, it is still quite high in carbohydrates. This means that the cat owner should limit this to a small portion of a felines diet.

How many calories does my cat need per day?

The daily calorie consumption for cats is up to 300 calories. A single oatmeal dessert contains about 100 calories. This is the recommended daily calorie intake for cats. Just go between 200 to 300 calories and youll be safe!

One single oatmeal cookie will likely contain up to 100 calories. This is almost half of the calorie count your cat needs.

If you would give your cats some oatmeal cookies, then your fur babies will likely exceed the normal daily calorie intake. No big deal if ever this has only happened once.

However, if your cat is used to being regularly given sugary treats, then weight gain is a developing problem for them that can lead to other diseases and many health problems such as obesity and diabetes.

Feeding your cat will mean a lot of consideration and limitation on the number of calories consumed.

The take-away

So, can cats eat oatmeal? As mentioned before Yes, they can!

I mean, here you are not having to enjoy your morning oatmeal porridge alone!

Give your kittens and cats a small portion of soaked oats for all the benefits it has.

Oatmeal is a huge source of vitamin B, protein, iron, calcium, manganese, fiber, and more! Yet, its got more carbohydrates than your cat needs.

With that being said, it should only be given to your feline friend as an occasional treat.

Just make sure that the cooked oatmeal you'll serve is prepared in a certain way, and portion sizes of the oatmeal are also taken into consideration.

Remember that giving too much will result in the development of health complications for the cat. Follow these steps, and your cat will be very healthy.

Hope this helped, and oh, may your furry loved one be able to get a bit of this good treat while you both eat breakfast together!

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you make oatmeal for cats?

Oat tea is another way to safely incorporate oats into your cat's diet. To make oat tea, steep about one tablespoon of organic oats for 15 to 20 minutes in a cup of hot water. Mix a small amount of the tea into your cat's canned food or apply enough to her kibble to thoroughly moisten it.

Is oatmeal safe for cats?

Good newsyou no longer have to enjoy your morning oatmeal alone! Plain oats are completely fine for kitties to eat; in fact, as a source of vitamin B, oatmeal can be found in some cat foods. That being said, like the other foods on this list, it should only be given to your kitty as an occasional treat.

What human foods can cats eat?

Cooked beef, chicken, turkey, and small amounts of lean deli meats are a great way to give them that. Raw or spoiled meat could make your cat sick. If you wouldn't eat it, don't give it to your pet.

What fruits are toxic to cats?

Steer clear of: Cherries are toxic to cats and dogs, and grapes and raisins can cause kidney damage. Citrus fruits like lemons, limes, and grapefruit as well as persimmons can cause an upset stomach.