Can Cats eat rice? The answer is yes. You can feed your cat with rice once in a while. This food helps with diarrhea and stomach issues, but you shouldn’t give too much as it’s not an essential part of their diet
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Rice is non-toxic to cats, so a little won’t hurt your furry friend; you can give her small amounts of rice.
Cats are carnivores, and they have to eat meat to have a balanced diet.
HOW MUCH RICE CAN CATS EAT SAFELY?
Rice should be a small addition for cats, too many carbohydrates in a cat’s diet can cause diarrhea, bloating, and gas. If your cat consumes a daily diet with a large number of carbohydrates, she will begin to suffer from gastrointestinal problems.
WHAT TYPES OF RICE CAN CATS EAT?
Cats can eat all varieties of rice, as long as you cook the rice without salt, oil, butter, or seasoning.
Here you can see some of the types of rice that your cat can eat.
BROWN RICE
Cats can eat brown rice. This type of rice provides many B vitamins, folic acid, iron, selenium, magnesium, potassium, and fiber.
But, is brown rice better for cats?
Brown rice is unprocessed white rice, so it takes a little longer for cats to digest it. Also, the digestive system will not absorb any of the nutrients present in brown rice, except for fiber.
WHITE RICE
In contrast, white rice is processed brown rice for this reason, is softer and easy to chew than brown rice
Experts say white rice is among the easiest grains for cats to digest because it is bland and has low fiber.
FRIED RICE
Avoid feeding your cat fried rice because onions are one of the main ingredients, and they are toxic to both cats and dogs and destroy red blood cells.
WHEN RICE IS BAD FOR CATS?
While cats can safely eat small amounts of rice, there are a few exceptions to be aware of:
1- Cats are carnivores
Cat’s metabolisms and gastrointestinal tracts have adapted to eating meat. Therefore, if cats are not used to consuming grains, they can suffer from digestion problems.
Also, rice is rich in fiber and causes bloating and stomachache.
If you feed your cat with significant amounts of rice, she can suffer diarrhea or constipation.
2- Do not feed your cat raw rice.
Uncooked rice is difficult to digest and can cause abdominal pain, bloating gas, and stomach upset.
If you notice swelling and any signs of pain more than 24 hours after eating raw rice, take your cat to the vet as soon as possible.
3- Avoid Spices.
Cats should not eat spicy rice. Instead, feed your cat with plain rice. Spices, salt, onion, garlic, and other additives commonly combined with rice can be toxic to cats.
In addition, onions and garlic contain a toxic compound that causes damage to the cat’s red blood cells.
Likewise, garlic causes gastroenteritis with symptoms such as diarrhea, vomiting, and mouth irritation.
4- Rice can cause obesity
Carbohydrates in rice cause obesity in cats. Over weight felines are more prone to develop health problems like diabetes.
Cats that consume too much rice tend to become malnourished. Feeding too much rice will make your cat feel full and lose their appetite for the meat that provides them with adequate nutrients.
SAFER ALTERNATIVE THAN RICE TO FEED YOUR CAT
The food you share with your feline friend should be simple and free from additives such as sugar, salt, spices, onions, garlic, and other ingredients that may be toxic to your cat.
Alternatives like chicken, beef, lamb, and liver are safe choices. You can also give him boiled eggs and fish like tuna and salmon.
OTHER HEALTHY FOODS FOR CATS
Vegetables such as pumpkin, broccoli, and carrots, in moderation, are safe for your feline friend.
Cats can also consume small quantities of fruit, such as watermelon and blueberries.
DOES RICE HELP CATS WITH DIARRHEA?
If you want to help your pet deal with a mild case of diarrhea, many vets will recommend feeding her high fiber foods.
Pumpkins, like rice, are also a great source of dietary fiber that will harden your pet’s stool.
Your veterinarian will also recommend that you make changes to your pet’s diet, such as increasing the water intake and adding probiotic supplements or medications such as kaolin and pectin.
Always consult your vet before feeding your cat any human food, including rice.