Can Cats Eat Cheesecake?

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Can Cats Eat Cheesecake?

The real question is, why would I want to share my cheesecake with the cat….?

Cheesecake is definitely an indulgent dessert. It’s smooth, sweet, pairs well with a lot of other things, and comes in a variety of flavors. It’s good frozen or simply served out of the fridge and can be homemade or bought in stores.

In short, for many people, it’s a great dessert or snack. But if you’ve been enjoying your slice and noticed your cat doing its ‘I’m starving to death’ act while staring at every bite, you may be feeling the push to share your food.

Can cats eat cheesecake?

Cats probably could eat a very small amount once in a while and be perfectly fine. However, like humans, cheesecake should definitely not become a habit and furthermore, cats should only have plain cheesecake because something like chocolate cheesecake will make them very sick and probably require a run to the vet.

Do Cats Like Cheesecake?

This is really going to depend on the cat. Cheesecake is sweet, which is something that cats cannot taste, but it also has other flavor profiles which they may enjoy.

Cats that enjoy eating cheese, milk, and cream and more likely to be attracted to cheesecake than cats who don’t care since cheesecake is predominately cream cheese, cream, and sugar.

You would definitely want to make sure it’s cooked cheesecake your cat is eating (so that they aren’t eating raw eggs), but whether your cat will like it or depends on your cat.

My cats have never shown much interest in cheesecake, but it’s not something we have around the house much either. (Too expensive where I live and only half the house likes it or can eat it). I also tend to make chocolate or pumpkin, which are things cats really shouldn’t eat, particularly chocolate.

Do Cats Hate Cheesecake?

It won’t be that your cat will hate cheesecake as much as not care about it. Cheesecake is predominately a sweet food that most cats won’t care about it since they can’t taste sweet food anyway.

Can Cheesecake Kill my Cat?

If your cat stole a bite of plain cheesecake, you probably don’t have to worry about it killing your pet. Cheesecake dangers are a lot longer term than that and cats would have to eat it more regularly to really feel any effect.

That being said, your cat may end up regretting eating that bite of cheesecake because of discomfort later. Cats are almost always lactose intolerant and cheesecake has a lot of lactose.

Within twenty-four hours of eating the dessert, you may notice that your cat has stomachache, diarrhea, and vomiting. As long as it’s not something that happens many times for several days, your cat is probably fine after a day or so.

Eating cheesecake too regularly though can have long-term effects, aside from gastrointestinal issues. Cheesecake is high in sugar and carbohydrates, both of which are things that cats aren’t equipped to digest very well (or much at all in the case of the sugar).

Sugar isn’t processed properly by cats, so it ends up causing spikes in blood sugar. Over a long period of time, too many carbs and junk food can easily lead to weight gain which in turn causes issues like joint problems, mobility issues, and diabetes. It can also lead to dental issues as the sugar rots the teeth.Can Cats Eat Cheesecake?

And this is just if a cat regularly eats plain cheesecake. The danger spikes with other types of cheesecake, particularly any with chocolate in it, or coffee, or any sort of liquor.

Chocolate contains theobromine and caffeine, both of which act as stimulants and are not things cats can process. The darker the chocolate, the higher the theobromine, and the more toxic it is. Symptoms of chocolate toxicity include:

  • Lethargy
  • Excessive thirst and urination
  • Seizures
  • Vomiting
  • Diarrhea
  • Nausea
  • Restlessness/Nervousness
  • Increased blood pressure
  • Tremors
  • Coma

And too much chocolate can be fatal. The amount of chocolate that causes problems will depend entirely on the weight of the cat, as well as its sensitivity, but it doesn’t take much dark chocolate in any cat to cause serious health problems.

Considering that most chocolate cheesecake is made from dark chocolate, the double whammy of cream and chocolate is enough to make most cats extremely ill. Toss in something like coffee in the mix or liquors and you up the chances of your cat getting even sicker since those are also not things a cat can handle.

Other flavors like strawberry might be safer than chocolate but still isn’t as safe as plain since they will have even more sugar. And the crust on a cheesecake is usually pure sugar, carbohydrates, and can be a bit of a choking hazard for cats, so it’s best avoided completely.

All in all, while plain cheesecake won’t kill your cat if your cat stole a small bite, there are so many ways that cheesecake can build into a problem (and so many flavors where it doesn’t take much to become a problem), that it’s something cats are better off not eating.

How Much Cheesecake Can My Cat Eat?

A small bite of plain cheesecake, no crust, once in a very great while, is probably not going to do your cat any harm. That being said, they may not be very comfortable for a while after eating it since cats are lactose intolerant and that’s not a very kind thing to inflict on your pet.

Keep in mind that most cats simply don’t think of things like cause and effect, and they probably won’t remember getting sick off the bite they stole prior, so it falls to you to keep them away from it.

Considering how many better treats there are on the market that won’t make your cat sick or gain weight, cheesecake is probably something that is better for humans to eat and cats to leave alone. But if your cat ate a nibble of a plain piece, you probably have nothing to worry about, aside from a messy litter box.

Conclusion

Cheesecake is a popular dessert for humans, but it’s not really something cats should be eating. It’s too high in dairy products and sugar, causing stomach upset in the short term, and in the long term, can contribute to dangerous weight gain, diabetes, and joint problems.

Flavored cheesecakes can be in a danger all their own, particularly chocolate ones. There are so many better treats that cats can eat and then you can enjoy your cheesecake on your own!

Does your cat try to eat your cheesecake?