Cats love eating but that doesn’t mean they can eat anything! You have to be careful about what is going into the cat’s body during the day and whether or not it’s safe. One of the more important topics that tend to pop up involves oil. You may ask, can cats have vegetable oil?
Cats can eat vegetable oil but it can lead to side effects including digestive issues if given in large amounts. This is why it is not recommended to feed vegetable oil to a cat regularly.
It is better to look at other ways for supplementing your cat’s dietary intake. Otherwise, keep the oil away from your cat because they will try to get into it out of curiosity!
Key factors include:
- Amount of Vegetable Oil
- Type of Oil
- Frequency of Feedings
Most cat owners aren’t going to give a bottle of vegetable oil to their cat but even a small amount can lead to diarrhea.
This is why it is better to focus on answering the question “Can cats have vegetable oil?” by looking at alternatives. This includes other fatty foods that will allow the cat to eat healthy fats without compromising their short-term health.
Yes, vegetable oil won’t kill a cat but they don’t deserve to deal with those unwanted symptoms either!
This article will look at a few reasons why vegetable oil isn’t good for cats and shouldn’t be used. This includes answering the question “Can cats have vegetable oil?”
Table of Contents
Best Cat Food for Cats (EDITOR’S CHOICE)
- Contains (1) 22 lb. bag of IAMS PROACTIVE HEALTH Adult Indoor Weight and Hairball Care Dry Cat Food with Chicken and Turkey
- Chicken is the 1st ingredient in this nutrient-rich cat food, formulated to help support strong muscles and provide your cat...
- Helps burn fat and maintain healthy metabolism with L-carnitine
Last update on 2023-09-05 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
Reasons Cats Can’t Eat Vegetable Oil
1. Leads to Diarrhea
A concern that will be noted right away has to do with diarrhea.
Yes, the cat’s system can digest vegetable oil but that doesn’t mean the cat will be safe. Instead, the oil is going to go through the system and cause it to panic.
This includes causing diarrhea to the point it becomes difficult to handle. The goal is to understand what works best for your cat and isn’t going to lead to these types of unwanted symptoms.
Even if vegetable oil can be consumed in small amounts, it is not the first food you should be giving to your cat. The diarrhea they are going to deal with can be concerning and it is not something to take lightly.
2. Causes Nausea
One of the side effects has to do with nausea.
This will not be seen in all cats but is possible in smaller cats. This includes kittens that are not as capable of digesting a large amount of vegetable oil without symptoms.
If you are wondering “Can cats have vegetable oil?” it is best to look at this reason as a serious concern. Seeing your cat feeling nauseous is not a good sight and it is also going to make it harder for them to eat anything else during the day.
It is smarter to focus on keeping things as simple as possible by avoiding vegetable oil for cats. It is just not going to be a solution that will work out the way you want it to!
By using vegetable oil for cats at home, you are going to be opening them up to a symptom such as this one. It won’t be worth it.
3. General Fatigue
It is the fatigue that tends to become a serious concern with cats that eat vegetable oil.
When you ask “Can cats have vegetable oil?” you will want to account for everything and this includes their energy levels. A lot of cats are going to take the time to digest the vegetable oil and this can cause them to fall into a state of lethargy.
With larger cats, it might not be as noticeable.
However, smaller cats are going to have a reaction and it is something you are going to notice right away.
Focus on this factor if your cat accidentally eats a bit of vegetable oil.
If you notice this, it is important to make sure the vegetable oil is taken away from them and they are allowed to rest.
Final Thoughts
“Can cats have vegetable oil?”
Vegetable oil can be digested by cats but it is not something that’s safe for them in the short term. It can lead to different side effects including diarrhea, nausea, and/or fatigue.
Each cat is different but this is one of the reasons it is not good to give a cat vegetable oil at home.
Here is more on cats – cats that jump from high places, cats that hunt snakes, kittens that nurse for a long time, and finding a top-tier cat carrier.