Can Cats Eat Tuna Every Day
Cats can surely eat tuna every day. Many cat owners choose to feed their cats a diet consisting of canned tuna fish. It is an excellent source of protein for cats. However, there are also some risks associated with eating tuna but these risks are generally outweighed by the benefits.
The vast body of online research suggests that tuna devoid of any nutrients may have detrimental effects on the health of your cats. First, it is worth pointing out that eating too much tuna — both fresh and canned — can be extremely detrimental to your cat. This is because both fresh tuna and canned tuna are not nutritionally balanced or complete for cats, and deficiencies can develop over time. Giving a cat only tuna is not giving him or her the proper balance of nutrients they need to stay healthy.
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Tuna by itself does not provide all of the vitamins and minerals that your cat needs, and this could cause major health problems in the long run. While tuna-flavored cat foods are perfectly healthy for your cat if they are meeting your cats current nutrient needs, tuna alone does not provide enough nutrients to maintain your cats long-term health. It is not healthy to substitute tuna alone as a primary cat meal and solely rely on it to fulfill your cats nutritional needs. While feeding small amounts of tuna as a treat or a supplement to his complete and balanced cat food is okay, eating too much tuna may cause harm.
| Can Cats Eat Tuna Everyday | Disadvantages |
| Cats can surely eat tuna every day | Too much tuna can cause mercury poisoning |
| It is an excellent source of protein for cats | Cats can be addicted to tuna |
In turn, eating too much tuna may result in your cat gaining a substantial amount of weight, particularly if fed as an additional supplement to their regular cat food. Having tuna as a staple of their diet could cause body weight problems if your cat is not eating it regularly. Tuna is uniquely appealing to cats, and if fed it regularly, they may avoid eating their normal cat food in favor of the canned tuna. Feeding this may be challenging, as tuna is a common ingredient in many cat foods, and cats are generally pretty picky about what food they eat.
Since tuna is not a good food for them to be eating in large amounts, it could be a real issue if you unknowingly gave them a few pieces of this delicious treat. Yes, cats can get addicted to tuna if you give them too much and you are saddling them with this treat. There are a few warnings about feeding tuna, however, so make sure to find out just how much tuna is safe for feeding your cat before diving in to this delicious treat. If your vet says that you are free to give your cat tuna, start by giving them very little amount at first to see how they respond.
Some cats might not eat tuna safely, so always consult with your vet before feeding your cat any new food, especially if your cat has any medical conditions or is on a special diet. Whether you are offering tuna as a main course or simply a topping, your cat could develop a dependence on this delicious food. The ASPCA says that feeding canned tuna to your cats is safe for an occasional treat, and seeing as most cats like tuna, that is a good one to give to them. Cats fed tuna seems counterintuitive, since it is unnutritionally balanced, and it should not be a very substantial part of your cats diet.
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On the one hand (or foot), tuna may be health risks when fed too much too often, and on the other, cats technically are allowed to eat it because it is not toxic. Some cats, when offered tuna on a regular basis, might like the taste of tuna so much they will later start turning up their noses at regular foods. The smell and taste of tuna may be so appealing to some cats, they may become dependent on it, refusing to eat any other foods. Although it is not included in a list of toxic foods for cats, tuna, which is intended for humans, may be harmful for cats.
Avoid feeding cats tuna that is seasoned with butter or tuna in a brine solution, because these tuna products intended for humans have too much salt and oil, and therefore have no health benefits, causing harm. Also, tuna is high in mercury, which may cause your cat mercury poisoning, although it is rare. Feeding canned tuna daily to cats puts them at an increased risk for developing mercury poisoning. Also, the added calories in canned tuna lead to obesity and puts your cat at risk of diabetes.
Giving your cat the occasional splash of tuna juice is likely to not be a problem, but if you are feeding tuna on a more regular basis, you will want to think about whether you may be putting your cat at risk. If you are seeing any digestive issues with your cat, then the occasional chunk of tuna could be the culprit. Over time, a diet high in tuna does not deliver a proper nutritional balance, and your cat could experience health problems related to nutritional deficiencies. Do not exclusively feed wet tuna-flavored foods to your cat, because the mercury levels may accumulate over time.
You can use tuna water in normal cat food to help make a cats appetite disappear if he is a picky eater, but you should gradually wean him from it. If you are not going to have any luck getting your feline to switch tastes from tuna to meat, try enticing them to eat some fish-based commercial cat food, which is balanced in nutrients. If you are giving small pieces of tuna as treats to your cat, try replacing those treats with a tuna-flavored treat, piece of cooked chicken, or other flavored treat. Similar to other fish, such as salmon, it is recommended that tuna is cooked before feeding to your kitty-cat, in order to provide safe consumption.
While tuna is not on a list of toxic foods for cats, it definitely cannot be recommended if you want to provide a balanced diet to your feline friends. Cats on special diets, like those who have food allergies, or are following a low-iodine diet to treat hyperthyroidism, also should not eat tuna, because it would disrupt the balance in a cat diet that is special. The absence of vitamins and nutrients that cats need makes many of the nutritiously sound foods that are available to humans available on the regular tuna diet, as well. You probably should not feed your cat tuna daily, as cats can be poisoned by mercury if they overeat, as we do.
How much tuna can I give my cat?
It’s preferable to incorporate tuna into your cat’s daily food rather than giving it as a treat regularly. A single serving of tuna requires significantly more than a whole can, and a spoonful of tuna a couple of times a week seems to be sufficient. It shouldn’t constitute a significant component of their diet.
What happens if cats eat too much tuna?
Your cat may experience a vitamin E deficiency if they consume too much tuna. The condition known as steatitic also referred to as “yellow fat disease,” causes inflammation of the fatty tissue. Cats, who frequently consume red tuna, are particularly vulnerable to this agonizing condition.
Will tuna give my cat diarrhea?
A little serving of tuna as an occasional treat shouldn’t hurt your cat if they are in good health and tolerate it properly. When eating tuna for the first time, some cats who aren’t used to it could get a mild stomach ache like vomiting and diarrhea.