Cheese puffs are a common snack for people, so it’s easy enough for curious cats to get into an open bag and start licking or nibbling on them! In this case, it’s likely curiosity more than anything else that drives behavior; after all, there’s nothing in cheese puffs that cats require for their health or would be particularly attracted to. If this sounds like something your cat would do, you may be wondering if you should be worried about your cat taking a lick. Can cats eat cheese puffs?
If your cat took a lick or a nibble of a puff, you probably don’t have anything to worry about since a lick shouldn’t be harmful. But it’s certainly not the behavior you want to encourage, and cheese puffs should not be a part of a cat’s diet.
In short, cats can eat cheese puffs, but they really, really shouldn’t, and eating too many will likely make a cat very sick and over the long term have a very detrimental impact on their health.
Table of Contents
Do Cats Like Cheese Puffs?
Cheese puffs are mostly salt, preservatives, and dehydrated cheese, so there really isn’t much there that cats are going to care about on their own. The reason why your cat is going after them is probably just out of curiosity since your cat has seen you eat them.
I’ve never had a cat go after cheese puffs or cheese chips (though I did have one go after salt and vinegar chips), but some owners have seen their cats sneak into their open bags or bowls to try a taste. And after that, it could well be that some cats like what they try, but since cheese puffs are not very healthy, it’s not something you want to let your cat have very often (or at all).
Cats who do like cheese puffs, fortunately, don’t seem to get addicted to them. They are mostly eating them out of curiosity and because they see you do it, not because it’s something they crave.
Do Cats Hate Cheese Puffs?
Cats will largely be indifferent to cheese puffs. If your cat doesn’t like them, thank your blessings since you don’t have to worry about sneaky feline faces in your snack bowl. Cats will lose absolutely nothing by avoiding cheese puffs, so just be glad you have one less thing to chase your cat away from.
Cats may also not care much for the texture of a puff, so they’ll lick off the cheese powder and ignore the rest of it. This is just as much a problem as eating a puff as the powder is what contains all the salt and seasonings that are terrible for your pet.
Can Cheese Puffs Kill My Cat?
It’s unlikely that a taste of a cheese puff will kill your cat or even if they take a small bite of it. However, cheese puffs are very high in sodium and calories and a very small amount of those things go a long way in small cats. Too much salt in a cat’s diet can quickly lead to diabetes, heart problems, and other health issues and that will greatly shorten the lifespan of your pet.
Cheese puffs may also have other seasonings that can also make your cat sick. For example, if your puffs also have things like garlic or onion powder in them, that can make your can quite ill very quickly.
The main issue with junk food and cats is obesity. Cats only need a couple of hundred calories a day to be healthy and cheese puffs ruin that very quickly. Obesity in cats is tied to:
- Arthritis
- Diabetes
- Heart Disease
All of which greatly reduce your cat’s quality of life and costs you a lot more in vet bills.
The extra salt in cheese puffs is tied to problems like:
- Kidney issues (particularly in older or health vulnerable cats)
- Urethra problems
- High blood pressure
- Heart attacks
There really is nothing beneficial for cats in cheese puffs and too many things that are problematic in the long run.
Even cheese puffs made with actual cheese will be problematic. Cats are generally lactose intolerant and having too much milk or cheese can cause issues like vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal discomfort. Artificial cheese of course will have nothing for cats in terms of nutritional benefits and may still make them sick!
All in all, cheese puffs are a pretty terrible treat for your cat to have, particularly since there are so many better treats out there that won’t cause stomach problems and increase obesity!
One thing you don’t have to worry about: unless your cat goes after very hard cheese puffs, they’re not really a choking hazard because of their texture. Still, if you notice your cat having trouble breathing or drooling excessively, you should contact your vet.
How Many Cheese Puffs are Safe for My Cat?
Cheese puffs are not something that you want your cat to eat regularly, but if your cat snuck a nibble or a lick, you probably don’t have to do much more than make sure to hide your snacks better next time. Cheese puffs are not something that should be part of your cat’s regular snack circulation; giving your cat actual cat treats is far healthier. If you want to give them some of what you’re eating, some fruits are safe as are veggies.
Conclusion
Cheese puffs are not very good for humans, let alone cats. Cats have a much smaller bodyweight and so they have a much harder time coping with the salt, seasonings, empty carbs, and the corn that is often found in this snack. Even eating a small amount regularly is enough to cause a cat’s weight to go up and their heart health to drop. While a lick or a nibble is unlikely to harm your cat in the long run, it’s better to keep these kinds of snacks out of their reach and replace them with more cat-friendly foods.
Does your cat eat cheese puffs or try to go after them?
Pam is a self-confessed cat lover and has experience of working with cats and owning cats for as long as she can remember. This website is where she gets to share her knowledge and interact with other cat lovers.