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Can Cats Eat Graham Crackers? Explanations Pet Owners Must Know
Cats are one of the most curious domesticated animals. Thus, they want to explore and try anything they come across.
However, as a cat owner, you must pay close attention to what your pets eat to ensure they consume the right things.
Some owners may want to provide snacks like Graham crackers for their pets due to their delicious taste.
Can cats eat Graham crackers? It's a never-ending debate among owners with no apparent winner.
For this reason, you must be aware of several essential details before giving your fur babies Graham crackers.
You can learn more about these snacks' ingredients, potential health hazards, and other aspects in this article.
Let's scroll down to get more details!
What Ingredients Do Graham Crackers Contain?
Before answering the question, "Can cats have Graham crackers?" It's best to learn a bit about these snacks. What are they?
Graham crackers are cookies in the shape of squares or rectangles with ridges on either side.
These crackers are made from whole wheat flour, Graham flour, salt, sugar, leavening (soybean oil and baking soda), and molasses.
Graham crackers come in several flavors to give the taste some diversity, including cinnamon, honey, and chocolate.
Graham flour was used to make the first versions of Graham Crackers. It has a nutty taste, is gritty when touched, and contains gluten.
14g Graham crackers have the following nutritional values:
- Calories: 59
- Protein: 1 g
- Sodium: 67 mg
- Fat: 1.4 g
- Potassium: 19 mg
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
- Carbohydrates: 11 g
Today, people commonly eat Graham crackers as snacks, but you can use them in several recipes for cheesecakes, pies, or other desserts.
Can Cats Eat Graham Crackers?
The short answer is Yes! You can occasionally feed your cats Graham crackers in moderation.
Although these snacks are not poisonous to felines, they do not provide much nutritional value and have harmful ingredients for their health.
Some pet owners offer Graham crackers for their cats because of the following benefits. Let's keep reading if you intend to give this food to your furry friends!
Graham Crackers Contain Whole Wheat Flour.
Can cats lick Graham crackers? As shared earlier, one of the main ingredients of these snacks is whole wheat flour. It’s entirely safe for your cats.
This flour makes it easier for your pets to digest than other categories. Also, it brings specific vital nutrients that benefit felines' health.
According to some researchers, whole wheat flour is advantageous for reducing inflammation in felines.
Graham Crackers May Be Good For Your Cat's Digestive System.
Whole wheat flour benefits your cat's digestive system as well. It may aid in maintaining normal feces and avoiding constipation.
Are you looking for a healthy snack to offer your pets when they are susceptible to digestive problems? Grahams can be a good idea.
Graham Crackers Contain No Chocolate.
As you can see from the ingredient list above, Graham crackers do not have chocolate, which makes them safe for your pets to consume.
This ingredient may be harmful to felines. Thus, it's advisable to avoid providing any food with chocolate for your fur babies.
Graham Crackers Have Few Calories.
The good news is that these snacks contain relatively few calories, which is essential if you try to maintain your cat's weight.
You don't need to panic if you offer your pets one cracker as a snack because it only contains approximately 25 calories.
Graham Crackers Have Some Minerals And Vitamins.
In addition, these cookies provide specific vital minerals (phosphorus, iron, magnesium) and vitamins.
These nutrients are not present in significant amounts, but they will still be good for your pet's health.
Do Graham Crackers Provide Any Nutritional Benefits For Your Cat?
The answer is yes! Diverse Graham cracker types will offer different nutritional values. Let's look at the following varieties and their nutritional content!
#1. Honey Maid Grahams
The ingredients that are present in these cookies include whole wheat flour, palm oil, sugar, molasses, and honey.
They provide specific minerals (magnesium and iron) and vitamins. One honey Graham cracker contains around 3g of fat and 130 calories.
#2. Keebler Grahams
The main ingredients in these snacks are whole wheat flour, corn syrup, honey, palm oil, and molasses.
Like the above variety, they also offer some vital minerals and vitamins. Two squares of these Grahams may contain .g of fat and 120 calories.
#3. Nabisco Grahams
These cookies include whole wheat flour, sugar, honey, molasses, and palm oil.
Their calories are higher than the above type. Four squares of these Grahams contain 4g of fat and 140 calories.
#4. Teddy Grahams
These Grahams' ingredients include whole wheat flour, corn syrup, molasses, sugar, palm oil, and honey.
Minerals like magnesium, iron, and vitamins are also present in these cookies. Twenty-eight crackers may have 2g of fat and 120 calories.
#5. Pepperidge Farm Grahams
These cookies include whole wheat flour, honey, sugar, palm oil, and molasses. They also have minerals (magnesium and iron) and vitamins like the above.
Two squares of these Grahams may have 3g of fat and 130 calories.
As you see, these types have similar ingredients (whole wheat flour). The fat content and calories vary, depending on the brand.
Generally, these cookies have low-fat content and few calories. Hence, they are safe for cats to consume occasionally in moderation.
So, can cats eat goldfish crackers? Yes! However, these cookies have little nutritional value to felines, like standard Grahams.
What about animal crackers? Can cats eat animal crackers? The answer is yes! If your pets eat 1 - 2 small pieces, they won't experience any health issues.
What Are Potential Hazards When Cats Eat Graham Crackers?
The ingredients of Grahams will vary, depending on the brand and the manufacturing technique.
Generally, your fur babies won't suffer from any health issues if you occasionally feed them in moderation.
However, some experts recommend pet owners not provide these snacks to felines due to potential risks, as shown below:
Sugar Content
The sugar level in Grahams is among the leading causes of worry. These cookies may have both artificial and natural sweeteners. If your cats consume these snacks too frequently, they may have diabetes.
Furthermore, some brands may add artificial sweeteners to their products, which is harmful to felines.
Grahams with honey are safe for most felines. However, if your pets experience digestive problems, don't allow them to consume these cookies.
Sodium Content
Most Grahams have a sodium variety called baking soda. According to experts, you shouldn't provide any food with high sodium content.
An excessively salty diet may result in hypertension or heart-related issues. For this reason, it's best to keep this intake at a minimum.
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Weight Gain
Like humans, pets may be susceptible to weight gain from an unreasonable diet.
Graham crackers contain a high-fat content and carb. Thus, they may cause your cats' weight to increase uncontrollably if eaten too often.
It is best to steer clear of giving your cat diets excessively heavy in fat and carbohydrates since obesity in felines can cause various long-term issues.
Allergic Reactions
As mentioned earlier, Graham crackers may be available in various flavors, depending on the brand and manufacturing technique.
Some flavors are not safe for felines to eat. Also, some ingredients with these flavors can cause your pets to suffer from allergic reactions.
Some popular flavors in these cookies include chocolate, cinnamon, and honey.
It would be best if you never gave chocolate-flavored Grahams to your cats, as they are poisonous for felines.
While cinnamon and honey are not lethal for your pets when consumed, some pets have a relatively sensitive system.
For this reason, you should monitor your cats after feeding them these cookies to ensure they do not suffer from adverse side effects.
Potential risks
Can Cats Eat Raw Graham Crackers?
If you are a first-time cat owner, you may wonder whether your pets can consume Grahams raw. The short answer is yes!
While you can feed these crackers raw, you should remember some things before providing these cookies.
First, you must ensure the type of raw Grahams you feed your cats are made of whole wheat flour.
As you may know, felines are among obligate carnivores, meaning they need diets with animal protein.
If the main ingredient of these cookies contains white flour, there is no vital nutritional content for your fur babies.
Furthermore, the Grahams must not have added salt or sugar. Felines don't crave sweets, so they don't need a diet with extra sugar.
You should also avoid adding salt to your pets' diet since it raises blood pressure or damages kidneys, besides other health issues.
In addition, you must ensure the Graham type you feed your cats doesn't have a chocolate coat and other sweets.
As shared above, chocolate is poisonous to felines. This ingredient may kill your pets. Plus, other sweets may cause stomach issues or diarrhea for your pets.
If you follow all the above guidelines, you won't have any trouble feeding your cats raw Grahams.
Additionally, you must monitor your pets while they consume these cookies to prevent choking.
How Many Graham Crackers Can You Feed Your Cats?
It's worth noting that a cat's stomach is comparable to a tennis ball in size.
If you only feed your pets Grahams in one diet, they may consume about 12 to 15 whole cookies.
Yet, you know that these animals belong to the obligate carnivore family. They mainly digest and require animal fats and proteins instead of plant-based diets.
Generally, although your fur babies may survive by consuming Grahams as their main diet, they don't get any essential nutrients for their bodies.
Besides, this plant-based diet may cause malnutrition in felines and many other health issues.
How To Feed Your Cats Graham Crackers?
Do you want to give your cats some pieces of Graham crackers? Follow the guides below!
#1. Divide The Whole Graham Into Smaller Pieces.
If it's your first time providing these cookies for your cats, feed them smaller pieces.
This way, your pets can get familiar with the texture and taste of these cookies without being overwhelmed.
#2. Add Some Graham Pieces To Your Cat's Food.
You can consider dividing the whole cookies into small pieces and adding them to your cats' food.
Your pets will have time to familiarize themselves with this new food and may like its taste.
#3. Give Your Cats Time
While some cats are eager to eat Grahams immediately, some will need time to familiarize themselves with the taste of these cookies.
Be patient! Allow your pets to take their time trying the cracker. They will eventually consume it if they love it.
#4. Monitor Your Cats While They Eat Grahams.
When introducing new food to your pets, watch them closely to check for adverse side effects.
If your pets have diarrhea or vomit, it's best to stop providing these cookies. In worse situations, visit your vet.
What Happens If Your Cats Eat Too Many Graham Crackers?
You don't need to worry if your pets eat 1 - 2 pieces of Graham crackers. However, you should watch them and check for symptoms after 12 to 24 hours after consumption.
The situations get worse when your fur babies eat too many cookies. If that's the case, they may show the following signs:
- Vomiting
- Diarrhea
- Lethargy
- Tremors
- Disorientation
- Loss of appetite
- Incoordination
- Seizures
What To Do If Your Cats Accidentally Eat Graham Crackers?
First, you must determine the number of cookies your pets ate. If they consume more than a whole, it's advisable to take them to a vet to avoid blockage in their intestines.
Besides, you can apply some tips to help your pets at home. For example, let them drink water as much as possible to clear cookies out of their system.
It's a good idea to give them some pieces of plain white bread, which will absorb the sugar in the crackers.
Moreover, feed your pets a mild Karo syrup to lubricate their intestines, facilitating stool passage.
What Are The Best Graham Cracker Alternatives For Cats?
While Graham crackers are safe for your cats to eat in moderation, it's advisable not to feed them this food. Instead, you should provide your pets with cookies made for cats.
These animals are obligate carnivores. Therefore, you can incorporate meat into their daily diet as much as possible.
Your fur babies can eat cooked beef, turkey, or chicken in the right amount. Too much may cause health issues.
Otherwise, give these pets fish like canned salmon or tuna, which is good for their vision and prevents kidney and heart diseases in felines.
You can watch this video to learn some healthy recipes for your cats:
In A Nutshell
Can cats eat Graham crackers? Yes! It's safe to feed your pets these cookies in moderation occasionally.
However, avoid providing your cats with too many of these cookies since their ingredients are toxic and cause health problems.
If your fur babies accidentally consume too many, it's best to take them to a vet for timely treatment. Hopefully, you will find this post helpful.
Thank you for reading!
See more:
Can Cats Eat Croissants? Potential Risks When Overeating
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