Can cats eat sour cream? You might have had this thought if your cat tried to steal some some sour cream from your baked potatoes or nachos. If humans can eat sour cream, can cats safely eat it too?
There is no short yes or no answer to whether cats can eat sour cream. Technically, sour cream isn’t toxic or poisonous to cats, but moderation is key because, in some cases, cats might actually be lactose intolerant.
As always, you must ask your regular vet before sharing any human food with your beloved feline, including sour cream. Here’s what you need to know about sour cream and cats.
When Is Sour Cream Okay For Cats To Eat?
Sour cream is not toxic for cats. It actually contains a small amount of protein in it, which could add some health benefits to your feline’s diet. In some cases, a small amount of sour cream can also help you administer pills and medication to your cat.
If you’re considering feeding sour cream to your cat, make sure to only serve a small amount as a treat, and only do so with your vet’s advice.
Also, check the ingredients on the tub of sour cream to make sure it doesn’t contain any preservatives or chemicals that might upset your feline.
Additionally, while we humans often use sour cream as a topping for other foods, make sure you only feed sour cream to your cat on its own. You don’t want to accidentally serve them other foods, spices, or ingredients that could harm them.
When Is Sour Cream Bad For Cats?
Cats are obligate carnivores, which means that the majority of their diet should come from meat. The small amount of protein contained in sour cream isn’t anywhere near enough to satisfy their full nutritional needs.
Also, sour cream is quite high in fat, which is something to avoid feeding your cat in high amounts because you could put your cat at risk for feline obesity.
If your cat is lactose intolerant, feeding them sour cream could also result in stomach and digestive issues.
While sour cream itself is not poisonous to cats, there really isn’t any reason to regularly feed it to your favorite feline unless your vet advises the use of sour cream in a very specific case.
Do you live with a cat who likes to snack on sour cream? Have you ever let your kitty have a small taste? Tell us all about it in the comments section below!
