What if, one day, you forgot to buy cat food, and the only thing you have at home is pepperoni? Can your pet eat pepperoni? Are there any benefits of giving your pet this delicacy?
As the most popular topping on pizzas, pepperoni is flavorful, and its bright red color looks delicious.
However, pepperoni is full of fat, which can cause health problems in cats. The smell of the greasy, processed meat may also be overwhelming to a cat’s sensitive sense of smell.
Vets advise never to feed pepperoni to cats because it is very unhealthy for them. It is spicier than they can handle and contains preservatives that they may find toxic. But don’t ever feed pepperoni to your cat – it is too spicy and has preservatives that could be toxic to them.
Is it ever okay to feed your pet pepperoni? Sure, cats are carnivores. They do not like pepperoni (which is made of pork). Giving it to them as an occasional snack is fine, but their daily diet should not consist of this food item.
Facts about Pepperoni
Did you know that the United States is the largest pepperoni sausage producer in the world? Pepperoni has become the most ordered pizza topping in the U. S. with more than 50% of all sales.
Pepperoni is a cured salami made from either pork or beef and traditionally made for pizza. In Italy, pepperoni means something entirely different: bell peppers. The Italian word for the salami type is “salsicce” (also spelled “salsiccie”).
Brands of pepperoni vary in their use of ingredients. Some brands use more meat while others use less meat. Also, different brands will vary in their use of flavorings and spices.
Pepperoni is too salty
There’s no doubt about it; pepperoni is what gives pizza its distinct flavor. But for cats, it can be far more dangerous than delicious. Cats are particularly prone to the dangers of high-sodium pepperoni.
Salt can cause health problems for cats. Did you know that one pizza slice contains 100 mg of sodium, which is way too much? An Adult cat needs a maximum of 21 milligrams of sodium per day.
If you give your cat pepperoni, she may develop salting poisoning. Symptoms include vomiting, lethargy, diarrhea, and lack of appetite.
If your cat consumes too much salt, the symptoms might be disastrous. Salt poisoning makes them appear as if they are intoxicated, causes them to suffer seizures and tremors, and forces them to urinate more than usual. Severe cases can quickly worsen and eventually lead to death if they’re left untreated.
If you suspect that your cat has salt-induced diarrhea from eating pepperoni-based pet snacks, don’t worry. A bland diet of boiled chicken may soothe her upset tummy.
Pepperoni is too spicy
Pepperoni is just as spicy for cats as people because it can contain red and/or black pepper and garlic. Cats have trouble digesting hot spices (like pepperoni), leading to burning of the stomach.
Pepper, for example, can cause severe damage to their red blood cells, resulting in stomach pain and other problems when eaten. Garlic can be dangerous for cats and leads to intestinal irritation.
When you notice your cat is weak or has a loss of appetite, it means your cat has been exposed to too much garlic, and you need to have your cat examined by a veterinarian as soon as possible.
Did you know that cats have a poor sense of taste! It isn’t their fault. They have only 500 taste buds on their tongues, while humans have almost 9000. This is why your kitty might get a kick out of that spicy dish you cooked but won’t fully appreciate the flavor.
But if you’ve seen your cat gobble down some pepperoni pizza and seem to enjoy it, what should you do now?
To keep your cat safe, don’t give in to her demands. She may look at you with those big eyes and make cute little cat noises, but she has to miss eating pepperoni.
Please keep it away from her at all times. Bad for the stomach, bad for the heart!
If your cat is looking for pepperoni that you used to give her, she’s probably hungry. Try feeding her more often.
Salmonella poisoning
Since you used pepperoni that wasn’t properly cooked, your cat can become sick of Salmonella poisoning. The bacterium causing salmonella can lead to sickness in cats and bacterial skin infections, and urinary tract infections in humans.
Salmonella symptoms include stomach pain, high fever, vomiting, and diarrhea. Some cats later experience life-threatening septicemia (blood poisoning) and endotoxemia (cell poisoning), which leads to shock and even death.
Preservatives are dangerous
Cured meats such as pepperoni and salami contain nitrates. These preservatives can be harmful to both cats and dogs. Symptoms of nitrate poisoning in cats include again lethargy, weight loss, and lack of appetite.
Pregnant cats and kittens
Pregnant cats have different nutritional needs as they are developing fetuses, so they need to eat a balanced diet. Pregnant cats are advised not to eat uncooked, fine-textured meats.
In extreme cases, lethal infection and toxicity levels can spread; this can result in pneumonia and meningitis. This can cause organ failure and causes miscarriage for pregnant cats.
Kittens haven’t fully matured their immune system. Responsible cat parents should avoid putting their kittens into danger by offering just a tiny piece of salami. Even healthy kittens can get sick from salami that hasn’t been thoroughly cleaned and has an illness-carrying bacterium or parasite lurking in it.
Beneficial Aspects of Eating Pepperoni
We know that protein is often deficient in the body, so a good way to help your kitty is to give him some pepperoni. It will help your cat get more amino acids without having to eat too many pounds of it.
Salami meat provides cats with some essential nutrients and is easy to digest.
The most healthy way to provide your cat with pepperoni is a small amount of pepperoni at a time. This helps prevent overuse and adverse effects on your cat’s health. So it’s best to try to find a high-quality organic pepperoni that’s not processed.
Conclusion
When it comes to feeding cats and pizza toppings, it is better to be safe than sorry. It may be safer for your pet to snack on a spider than to eat pepperoni.
Sure, pepperoni has a delicious taste that your cat may love, but its presence of salt and nitrates are highly dangerous for your cat to consume in big amounts.