Can Cats Eat Whipped Cream? You SHOULD NOT give whipped cream to your cat. However the answer may not be as simple as it seems, especially given the general lack of awareness with regards to cats and dairy products.
Cats are frequently found in or around the kitchen looking to find a tasty morsel to eat. This poses the question to may cat owners – can cats eat whipped cream?
For the most part as cream is a heavily processed by product of milk and cats and humans alike are lactose intolerant. This is why we say that whipped cream should not be given to cats.
However , the exact quantity and reason may be difficult for cat owners to understand.
In this article, we’ll try to shed some light on the issue itself, explain the causes and side effects of consuming dairy products for cats, and what you can give your cat instead.
Can Cats Eat Whipped Cream and Other Dairy Products?
Popular culture and cartoons like Tom and Jerry show cats enjoying a delicious serving of milk and happily eating cakes lathered with whipped cream, but the reality isn’t so rosy.
Adult cats are highly lactose intolerant. ‘Lactose’ is a compound found in dairy products and the body produces an enzyme called ‘Lactase’ to help digest it.
Lactase production is high in kittens as they need to digest their mother’s milk but after a certain age, the body stops producing this all-important enzyme.
This equates to your cat’s body not being able to digest Lactose properly.
If you have a kitten, then letting it eat a small amount of whipped cream isn’t going to be a big problem for the reasons we’ve outlined above.
Adult cats, on the other hand, should avoid dairy products of all kinds as it will almost certainly cause immense digestive problems which we will go into more detail with in the next section.
Side Effects of Dairy on Adult Cats
If people truly understood the side effects of eating dairy products on felines, the question of whether cats can eat whipped cream would be a definitive NO.
Common side effects of dairy consumption include:
. Violent Vomiting
. Painful stomach aches
. Uncontrollable diarrhea
. Flatulence
You’ll notice that most of these issues are common with what humans who are lactose intolerant experience as well.
Cats and humans have a digestive system that has a lot of similarities with each other.
(The science)
When Lactose appears in the blood, the body doesn’t know what to do with it as it can’t split it into a simpler sugar for absorption without the presence of Lactase.
The undigested Lactose goes straight down to the intestines pulling a lot of water along the way.
After a certain period of time, usually 4-10 hours, the bacteria start to ferment the sugars which causes bloating, stomach aches, and diarrhea.
It’s not a pleasant experience for your cat and yourself as you’ll have to clean up the mess and see your cat in distress and confusion about what is going on in its body.
Severe cases may even warrant a visit to the vet if your cat reacts particularly badly to a well-meaning snack of milk or whipped cream.
To recover from this, consider using anti-diarrhea medication (in severe cases), or simply rehydrate your cat as it will likely lose a lot of electrolytes and water during the process.
It goes without saying that dairy products should be strictly off the menu after such episodes to prevent future problems from occurring.
My Cat was Fine After Eating Whipped Cream. What Gives?
Like all things, cats aren’t binary and can have specific characteristics that their companions don’t have.
Most adult cats are lactose intolerant but some exceptions can enjoy dairy products without any side effects.
This is exceedingly rare and can only be determined through careful testing and evaluation.
The best way to test can your cat whipped cream or other dairy products is to simply give it a very small serving of yogurt, whipped cream, or even milk. Then wait a couple of hours with cleaning supplies at the ready.
If your cat shows no signs of distress, then chances are its body digested the lactose efficiently.
This still doesn’t give you the green light to start piling on the whipped cream though.
Even without the possible side effects of lactose intolerance, whipped cream is very high in fat and calories.
Obesity is another huge problem in domestic cats and if you don’t control your feline’s intake carefully, it might lead to problems much worse than involuntary vomiting.
What Should I Give My Cat Instead?
While you might be disappointed that your furry companion won’t be able to enjoy your fresh cream cakes, there are dozens of healthier, tastier, and safer snack options available for your cat to enjoy instead.
Here are some alternatives you can give your cat with a clean conscience and litter box:
. Vegetables like carrots, green beans, squash
. Eggs
. A small quantity of cooked meat like turkey, chicken, duck, tuna, etc.
. Cheese (occasionally and in moderation)
. Plain oatmeal
. Plain brown rice
. Cat food
. Safe cat-specific snacks and treats
. Catnip
Can Cats Eat Whipped Cream if its Dairy Free?
You can also experiment with lactose-free products like milk, yogurt, and even cream. You should check the package and ingredients to make sure that it truly is lactose-free.
These can be given as a substitute to full fat whipped cream but again, this is not recommended by vets because of its high caloric nature.
Conclusion
We hope this article helped solve the mystery behind the question can cats eat whipped cream or not? Following our advice will save your cat’s health, your sanity, and the new sofas you just ordered.
For more helpful tips and advice, be sure to check out the rest of our site and feel free to share this resource with other cat owners who might also be asking the question can cats eat whipped cream.
Ever wondered if your cat can eat cake? check out what a vet would say.
If you have other queries or thoughts don’t forget to leave them down in the comments.