Can cats eat cornbread? You might have had this thought while baking some cornbread to go with your next hearty chili. If humans can eat cornbread, can cats safely eat it too?
There is no short yes or no answer as to whether cats can eat cornbread. The corn that cornbread is made from is not, in itself, toxic for cats. If you’ve ever looked at the ingredients to your cat’s food, you might have noticed that corn is sometimes present.
But with cornbread being high in carbohydrates, there is little reason to regularly feed it to your cat if you want them to maintain a balanced and nutritionally-appropriate diet.
As always, you must ask your regular vet before sharing any human food with your beloved feline, including cornbread. Here’s what you need to know about cornbread and cats.
When Is Cornbread Okay For Cats To Eat?
Corn is not toxic to cats, so if you decide to feed your cat a little piece of cornbread, they should mostly be okay. Corn is often used in many commercial cat foods, after all.
If you do decide to feed your cat a bite of cornbread, make sure you feed them in moderation. Also, make sure that there are no potentially toxic or harmful ingredients in the cornbread, such as added jalapeños or extra spices.
Additionally, avoid feeding your cat any cornbread that has been slathered in butter, just in case your cat is lactose intolerant.
When Is Cornbread Bad For Cats?
As mentioned above, many commercial cat foods feature corn as an ingredient. Corn isn’t toxic to cats. So why isn’t cornbread an appropriate food to add to your cat’s diet?
Well, it’s mostly because the corn in commercial cat foods is used as a filler ingredient to bulk out the meal. As obligate carnivores, cats in their natural state have little use for corn. With cornbread also being a carbohydrate-based food, it’s really not of much use to a kitty as part of their daily meal times.
You might not need to worry too much if you notice your cat snacking on a small piece of cornbread. But unless your vet advises you otherwise, cornbread should not feature as a regular food in your kitty’s diet.
Has your cat ever tried to sneak a bite of your cornbread? What healthier human foods do you share with your cat? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!
