Can Cats Eat Peanut Butter?

Peanut butter is undeniably delicious, mainly when you apply them to various recipes to give you a mouth-watering result. If you have a particular dish in mind to combine with peanut butter and are wondering if you can share it with your favorite feline, this article is for you. 

If you’re looking for the short answer to your question, ‘can cats eat peanut butter?’ Then yes, cats can eat peanut butter. However, they should only have small amounts. Still, peanut butter isn’t on the ASPCA’s list of human food that is poisonous to cats.

However, the question shouldn’t be can cats have peanut butter? Instead, you should consider whether it’s a healthy option for your cat. Read on for everything you need to know about cats and PB.

Tip: We recommend these cat treats for your furry baby.

What Is Peanut Butter?

You know what peanut butter is, but does it offer any nutritional value to your cat? Or does it contain ingredients that could be harmful?

As the name implies, peanut butter is made wholly out of peanuts that are crushed extensively until they become a paste. These nuts are part of the legume family — the same category where you find beans and soy.

Besides being a delicious substance, peanut butter is also an excellent source of macronutrients — at least, for humans. 100 grams of PB contains:

• 550 calories: 
• 6 grams of fiber
• 50 grams of fat
• 20 grams of carbs (13% of calories)
• 25 grams of protein (15% of calories)

Peanut butter does contain some healthy nutrients, as well as small amounts of vitamins. However, these aren’t vital nutrients for your kitty, and some of the ingredients could be harmful.

One reason is that most peanut butter brands include synthetic preservatives, sugar, and hydrogenated vegetable oil to the item. When consumed in high amounts, these additives will result in side effects like high sugar levels and weight gain. 

Do Cats Like Peanut Butter?

The short answer is no; most cats don’t enjoy peanut butter. It’s the equivalent of forcing most kids to eat their veggies. Cats are primarily carnivores — they share a direct link to lions, tigers, and other wild animals. They get all their necessary nutrients from a diet rich in animal-based protein — like meat and fish. 

Veterinarians will tell you that a cat’s stomach is sensitive, and they should be observed for any reactions or side effects when trying peanut butter for the first time. While your cat may be open to trying peanut butter, don’t be surprised if they don’t enjoy it (or have tummy upset after).

How Much Peanut Butter Can A Cat Handle?

While your cat’s stomach is evolutionarily fit to handle a diet containing peanut butter, it should be an occasional treat if they do develop a taste. One hundred grams of peanut butter contain a lot of sugar, fat, and carbohydrates, leading to obesity, diabetes, and other adverse health complications. 

On the other hand, if you feed your pet a meal containing a high amount of peanut butter, it could result in vomiting and excessive diarrhea. Additionally, due to its sticky texture, the peanut butter might cause your cat to choke or gag.

In other words, if you plan on feeding your furry friend some peanut butter, make sure it’s in small amounts and you supervise them carefully.

What About Allergies?

Although allergies related to peanut butter aren’t common amongst pets, they do happen, and you should pay close attention to your cat for signs of an allergic reaction post-snack. 

If your pet shows symptoms like swelling, itching, difficulty breathing, hives, or any other unnatural reaction, consider contacting the vet or taking them in immediately. Pet parents should be similarly cautious when introducing any new food.

While cats can handle eating peanut butter, too much can result in digestive issues like abdominal discomfort, vomiting, diarrhea, etc. Be prepared to call your vet and head to the clinic for help in such cases.

A Healthy Alternative

Your aim of reading this article was probably to be sure if your experimental meal will be any good for your beloved pet. If that’s your goal — to try something new — other healthier alternatives are guaranteed to make your feline purr in delight. 

These include:

• Peas
• Celery
• Banana
• Spinach 
• Zucchini
• Carrots 
• Broccoli
• Apples
• Green bell peppers
• Pumpkin

A cat’s diet primarily consists of animal-based foods like fish, mice, chicken, and other proteins. But fruits and vegetables are a welcome addition as they provide extra vitamins and minerals to round out your cat’s nutritional intake. 

However, these fruits and vegetables shouldn’t be the primary extinguisher of your cat’s carnivorous appetite. Only feed them these kinds of meals occasionally and not consistently. 

Other Meals That Aren’t 100% Suitable For Your Cat

You probably didn’t know the adverse health effects that peanut butter presents to your cat if they nibble on it too often. This fact might make you wonder what other foods might seem OK but could actually be detrimental to your pet’s health. 

Any meal that’s not mainly designed for a cat’s digestive system will inevitably result in vomiting, loss of appetite, or diarrhea. Some of the foods that cats can’t handle include:

• Chocolate
• Xylitol 
• Soft drinks: coffee, tea, and energy drinks
• Milk and Cheese 
• Fat trimmings
• Raw eggs, meat, and fish
• Grapes and raisins
• Garlic and Onions

Bonus: This additional fact might seem unnecessary, but several careless pet owners repeatedly feed their cats alcohol, usually when they’re not sober themselves. This habit is extremely dangerous to your pet as a single teaspoon of the substance can harm your cat’s liver, brain, and other vital organs.

Conclusion 

Though your favorite feline may want to nibble on everything you snack on — including peanut butter — it may not be the best idea. Of course, most cats tend to avoid peanut butter anyway, so it might be a nonissue. But if your kitten does enjoy a bit of PB now and then, just be sure to keep an eye on them for any allergic reactions or other problems. 

If you opt to keep your PB&J sandwich to yourself, that’s a solid alternative — and your cat may not mind, either.