Content
- Egg nutritional composition
- Cat can eat egg: is it good?
- Cats can eat eggs, but what are the precautions?
- Can cat eat boiled egg?
- Cat can eat egg but how much?
Chicken eggs are one of the most common foods in the diet of human beings, due to the benefits it offers for health and also for its versatility in the kitchen, which allows you to prepare a multitude of sweet and savory recipes. It is a very economical source of pure protein, which does not have considerable levels of carbohydrates and sugars, and is also a great ally for those who want to lose weight in a healthy way.
Even though science is debunking many myths about eggs and demonstrating their benefits, there are still many tutors who wonder if cat can eat egg or if the consumption of this food is dangerous to feline health. Therefore, at PeritoAnimal, we will tell you if eggs can be a beneficial food for cats and we will show you the precautions you should take if you decide to incorporate this food into your kittens' diet.
Egg nutritional composition
Before explaining to you whether a cat can eat an egg or not, it is important that you know the nutritional composition of a hen's egg so that you can understand the possible nutritional benefits for your kittens, as well as the precautions you should take when introducing it. it in the feline's diet. According to the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture) database, 100 grams of whole chicken eggs, raw and fresh, contains the following nutrients:
- Energy: 143 kcal;
- Water: 76.15 g;
- Protein: 12.56g;
- Total fats: 9.51 g;
- Carbohydrates: 0.72 g;
- Total sugars: 0.53 g;
- Total fiber: 0.0g;
- Calcium: 56mg;
- Iron: 1.75 mg;
- Magnesium: 12 mg;
- Phosphorus: 198 mg;
- Potassium: 138 mg;
- Sodium: 142 mg;
- Zinc: 1.29 mg;
- Vitamin A: 140 Μg;
- Vitamin C: 0.0mg;
- Vitamin B1 (thiamine): 0.04 mg;
- Vitamin B2 (riboflavin): 0.45 mg;
- Vitamin B3 (niacin or vitamin PP): 0.07 mg;
- Vitamin B6: 0.17mg;
- Vitamin B12: 0.89 µg;
- Folic acid: 47 µg;
- Vitamin D: 82 IU;
- Vitamin E: 1.05 mg;
- Vitamin K: 0.3 µg.
Cat can eat egg: is it good?
As we have already seen in the nutritional composition above, the egg represents an excellent source of lean and pure protein, as it contains almost zero amounts of total carbohydrates and sugars, with a moderate amount of fat. Almost all the egg protein is found in the white, while the lipid molecules are concentrated in the yolk. It is precisely these macronutrients that should be the energy pillars of your feline's nutrition, considering that they are strictly carnivorous animals (and not omnivores like us).
In this sense, it is important to highlight that egg proteins are formed mainly of essential amino acids, that is, amino acids that the cat does not naturally synthesize in its body, and needs to obtain from external sources through its food. Regarding the old bad reputation of eggs, related to the excessive amount of cholesterol, we must clarify that the moderate consumption This food is safe for your cat and will not raise your cholesterol levels or make you gain weight.
In addition, it should be noted that the egg also has interesting amounts of essential minerals, such as calcium, iron and potassium, as well as vitamins A, D, E and the B complex. This means that, in addition to contributing to the formation and strengthening of your feline's muscles and bones, the egg will also help you to maintain an immune systemhealthy, which is essential to prevent any kind of disease.
In addition to offering all these health benefits to your feline, eggs are also cheap and easy to find.
Cats can eat eggs, but what are the precautions?
One of the biggest concerns of pet owners when it comes to incorporating eggs into their cats' diet is whether they should offer it raw or cooked. Although many experts and scholars of the BARF diet for cats emphasize the benefits of offering raw food to felines, thus retaining all its enzymes and nutritional properties, you should be very sure about the origin of the eggs you acquired to incorporate them raw into the diet. of your kitten.
Raw eggs may contain bacteria very dangerous for the health of the pussies, the salmonella. If you get eggs of organic origin, from birds with a controlled diet and also organic, you considerably reduce the risk of being contaminated. However, you should still wash the eggs very well under running water before breaking their shell.
But beware! Only must wash the eggs when using them, right before breaking them. As eggshell is a porous surface, if you wash it well in advance and leave it to rest, it can encourage the entry of bacteria from the eggshell inside, thus contaminating the white and yolk.
Can cat eat boiled egg?
They can, in fact, if you can't get it eggs of organic origin or if you are unsure of the provenance of the eggs you have purchased, it is best to offer them cooked to the kittens. Cooking at high temperatures is able to eliminate most of the possible pathogens present in this food. This way you can ensure that egg consumption is safe for your feline friend.
On the other hand, it is also important to emphasize that raw eggs contain a protein called avidin. Although not a toxic substance to the cat, this protein acts as an antinutrient, preventing your body from properly absorbing biotin (also known as vitamin H).
Although to cause a biotin deficit in the cat's body it is necessary to consume high amounts of raw eggs (which is not recommended), we can simply eliminate this unnecessary risk by cooking the eggs before adding them to the cat's diet. Cooking denatures avidin, which inhibits its action as an antinutrient. In other words, the cat will be able to absorb all the nutrients from the boiled egg more easily and safely.
Cat can eat egg but how much?
Moderate consumption of eggs can be very beneficial for kittens, but you must respect a safe dose and frequency so that this food is not harmful to health. As the popular wisdom already states, everything is bad in excess...
In general, it is recommended to offer eggs to cats only once or twice a week, combining with other foods beneficial to the cat's health. However, there is no single, pre-determined dose for all cats, as the safe amount of eggs must be adequate to the size, weight, age and health status of each cat, also considering the purpose of consuming this food.
We should also emphasize that the egg, even if it offers lean and beneficial proteins, should not replace meat in the cat's diet. As already mentioned, cats are strictly carnivorous animals, so meat should be the main food and source of protein, fat and other nutrients.
Therefore, it is essential to consult a veterinarian to determine the most appropriate food according to your kitten's nutritional requirements. The professional will be able to guide you about the introduction of eggs and other foods in the cat's diet, always advising you on the best way and the most appropriate amounts to have a positive impact on your feline's health.