Can Cats Eat Corn? What About Popcorn?

Corn is one of the most popular cereal grains in the world. It’s a good source for many valuable nutrients and it also tastes really good. If you happen to like corn or corn based foods, then you might be tempted to feed your cat some corn as well. However, can cats eat corn?

Can Cats Eat Corn?

In short the answer is yes, corn is safe for cats to eat, but only in moderation.

You also need to consider the fact that corn allergy is one of the most common food allergies in cats. So before feeding your cat some corn, popcorn, cornflakes or anything else containing corn, make sure that your cat is not allergic to this cereal grain.

Corn Allergy in Cats

Studies have shown that corn is one of the most common food ingredients to cause allergies in cats. That’s why you need to be extremely cautious when feeding your cat corn or something that contains corn.

What I’d recommend to do is to only give your cat a very small amount of corn and then wait to see if your cat shows any signs of a food allergy. The most common allergic reaction to corn would be constant scratching of the skin. Other common signs include sneezing, coughing, wheezing, vomiting and diarrhea.

If you notice any of the above signs on your cat after you fed her a little bit of corn, then it’s very likely that your cat is allergic to corn and you should not include corn or food products containing corn in her diet.

However, if your cat doesn’t show any signs of a food allergy after she had a little bit of corn, then it’s okay for her to eat a little bit corn every now and then.

Cats Can Only Eat Corn in Moderation

If your cat is not allergic to corn, then you might think that she can eat as much corn as she likes, but that’s not true. Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that they need animal sources of food to get all of the nutrients they need.

If you’d mostly feed your cat corn or other grains and vegetables, then she would soon suffer from malnutrition, which can cause serious health problems for your pet.

That is why it is not recommended to let your cat fill up on corn or other grains and vegetables. These types of food can be fed as occasional treats, but not as a main dish.

Can Cats Eat Popcorn?

Undoubtedly, one of the best things we have learned to make out of corn is popcorn. Popcorn makes a delicious snack food that is perfect to enjoy while watching a movie. However, when you are watching a movie and enjoying your bag of popcorn, your cat might show interest in what you are eating and start begging you to share it with her.

So, can cats eat popcorn? The answer is complicated. While one or two pieces of plain popcorn is okay for cats, a lot of the flavoring ingredients we like to use on our popcorn makes popcorn dangerous for cats.

Chocolate flavored popcorn is off the menu for cats because chocolate is poisonous to cats. It’s also best to avoid giving your cat salty popcorn because cat’s cannot tolerate salty food.

Corn in Cat Food

If you take a look at the list of ingredients on the back of a cat food pack you bought for your feline friend, then you might be surprised to find out that it too contains corn. That’s not a good thing.

A lot of cat food companies use corn in cat food because corn is a lot cheaper than animal muscle meat. So, by using corn instead of animal muscle meat, the companies are able to sell the end product cheaper than competitors who do not use cheap fillers like corn.

However, cat food containing a lot of corn is far from good for your feline friend. Cats have a short digestive tract that is designed to digest high-energy meals like meat.

Cats are also not able to produce a lot of the essential amino acids and vitamins in their own bodies so they need to get them from food. However, corn and other grains would not provide your cat with all of the essential amino acids, and that’s why your cat ‘s food should always include plenty of animal protein.

Conclusion on Can Cats Eat Corn

While it is okay for cats to eat a little bit of corn every now and then, it would be for the best to avoid making corn a regular part of your cat’s diet. That means that it’s also for the best not to feed your cat commercial cat food containing a lot corn.

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