In many cultures, squid is a delicacy and is often a highlight in up-scale restaurants. Especially among seafood lovers, squid is a major hit. Cats are a sucker for seafood, and if you tend to have squid in your home, it’s only a matter of time before they get their teeth on them. You must be wondering, can cats eat raw squid?
We will answer all your doubts and questions about squids and cats through this article. For a healthy cat, you must feed them only what is needed in their diet. Keep on reading to find out more.
Cats And Squids: Here’s What You Need To Know About Them
Squids are very similar to another sea creature—The octopus! Squids can range vastly in size, from tiny to gigantic. Though very rare, some can even grow up to 40 feet long.
Due to their unique and squishy taste, it is a popular ingredient in many international cuisines ranging from Turkish to even Italian and Japanese dishes. In seafood restaurants, they are often a favorite item. However, only small squids are used for cooking and are caught in huge quantities.
Cats Cats are picky with food; their taste buds differ, just like humans. They have a natural penchant for seafood, and hence, if given a chance, they will at least try to taste it. However, some cats will love it, and others will simply walk away.
All squids aren’t safe for your feline pet. Especially with improper preparation, they can pose a hazard to your cart. Wondering if can cats eat raw squid? Find out in the next section.
Can Cats Eat Raw Squid? Why Or Why Not?
Can cats eat raw squid? In short, Cats should not consume raw squid. Raw squid has a lot of unhealthy consequences for cats. Bacteria is a major cause of food-borne diseases, which also applies to raw fish. That’s not all, raw squid can also lead to thiamine breakdown and they are necessary for your cat’s health. Thiamine breakdown can also lead to neurological problems in your cat.
Additionally, thiamine helps your cat break carbohydrates into energy. Thus, thiamine breakdown can be very costly for your cat. Even their balance and mobility can be compromised, and your cat may even convulse. You must make sure that your cat never consumes raw squid. Hopefully, this answers your question, “can cats eat raw squid?”.
Can Cats Eat Cooked Squid?
You can feed your cats cooked squid, but there’s an exception-it must only be plain and boiled squid. When cooked, squid has a rubbery texture which some cats will love while others will completely detest. If your pet sees you eating it, there’s a high chance they will get attracted to it and at least try to sample a slice of squid, either ending up loving it or never wanting to try again.
The ingredients used to prepare the squid and the cooking method can be harmful to your cats. Fried squid shouldn’t be given to cats because when fried, squid is frequently sauteed with garnishes and seasoning, which can affect your cat’s digestive tract. Calamari also has a similar preparation and seasoning; thus, it can be dangerous for cats.
If you want to treat squid to your cat, keep it simple and boil them thoroughly. To prevent your cat from choking or asphyxia, cut the squid into tiny pieces. Squid possesses no health benefits for your cat and instead can be harmful, so don’t feed it regularly. The only advantage squid has is that some cats may find it delicious.
Even if you feed your cat plain and boiled squid, it still has risks. As mentioned before, squid becomes rubbery in texture when cooked, and your cat might have a hard time chewing it. Sometimes, it might get lodged in their stomach, causing choking or suffocation. Further, your cat might get addicted to squid and lose interest in their routine diet. As such, make sure you feed squid only rarely.
You may also read – Can Cats Eat Corned Beef? Is It Dangerous For Them? All Your Questions Answered
What Are The Dangers Of Eating Squid?
When your cat eats a squid, you put them at risk of catching a foodborne illness, choking, and becoming addicted to the fish.
Vomiting and Diarrhea
Raw squid possesses the bacteria vibrio parahaemolyticus, which can lead to infection in your cat’s digestive system. As a result, your cat may suffer from diarrhea and vomiting. That’s not all; your cat can also experience weight loss and dehydration.
Choking
Even if you don’t season the squid and only boil it, it can still be a choking hazard due to its rubbery texture. To prevent this, cut the squid into tiny little pieces before feeding it.
Addiction
When you introduce something new to your cat’s diet, there’s a chance that they might become addicted to it and refuse to eat their regular diet. This can happen with any diet, but cats have a particular penchant for seafood so squid can be very appealing.
Healthier Alternatives to Squid
If your cat loves seafood, you might want to offer a similar treat that it will love. Squid is off the menu, but that doesn’t mean you can’t treat your cat with seafood. You can provide your feline with safe alternatives to seafood. You can offer your cat shrimp or salmon, both of which are similar to squid, without the health risks.
If you don’t want to cook these treats yourself, you can find many cat foods with similar seafood listed as the main ingredient, and your cat won’t notice the difference.
Final Verdict
Hopefully, we’ve answered your question, “can cats eat raw squid?”. Cats that eat raw squid can suffer from several health problems you don’t want them to experience, and they can even become paralyzed in severe cases.
In any case, you must avoid feeding your cat raw squid. If you’re going to treat squid, make sure it’s plain and boiled and served in tiny pieces to prevent choking. There are plenty of other seafood and cat treats that you can feed your cat instead.