Why Tuna May Not Be Safe for Cats?

Even though tuna is a great source of proteins and omega-3 amino acids, it may not be safe for cats. One of the reasons for that is poly-unsaturated fatty acids found in tuna. These fatty acids disturb vitamin E production and can lead to vitamin E deficiency. Moreover, lack of vitamin E causes a so-called yellow cat disease that builds up fatty tissues and gives rise to inflammation processes in a cat’s body. One of the symptoms that a cat has this life threatening disease are fever and food rejection. Another reason to avoid tuna in cat’s regular diet is its mercury content. Namely, mercury from a small amount of fish can lead to some severe health problems even in big animals. Cats belong to small animals and do not need big quantities of fish to experience mercury poisoning. Feline experts warn us to look for these few symptoms: irritability, lack of coordination, a stiffness of hind legs, memory loss, blindness, etc. If we notice only one of the symptoms after a cat eats food, we should visit a vet immediately. However, if we want to be sure that a cat’s favorite meal of tuna will not provoke any health issue, we need to feed him sparingly. Experts suggest feeding a cat a teaspoon of tuna three or four times a week will not do any harm. To find out more about why tuna may not be safe for cats, the article “Can Cats Eat Tuna? Is Tuna Bad or Good for Cats? Everything You Need to Know About” gives us the following reasons.

– Tuna is a great source of protein. Protein plays a role in the structure, function, and regulation of the body’s tissues and organs.
– In fact, tuna contains amino acids and omega 3 fatty acids which prevent high blood pressure and other cardiac problems. But don’t get their paws into an
entire bowl of tuna yet, buddy.
– You must remember that tuna should be fed in moderation.
– It should be an occasional treat and should not be part of his regular main diet.

The incorporation of tuna to the cat’s diet simply needs to be strictly controlled. So if you’re the type of owner who likes to spoil their cats, you might want to take it down a notch, just on the tuna giving.

As cat owners, we should also maintain the habit of checking cat food labels especially those which are fish based. Read the list of ingredients and find out if it is pure tuna packed in water. As long as you keep this in mind, your cats will purr just fine.

It is also essential to think about ingredients which come with tuna. Namely, one of the reasons why tuna may not be safe for cats is oil content. Tuna that is packed with oil can also cause deficiency of vitamin E. And, this deficiency can appear as fatal. Furthermore, salted tuna can disturb the balance of electrolytes in a cat’s body. Thus, unsalted tuna packed in water is the best option to feed a cat. But, to really help a cat enjoy the benefits of tuna without side effects, we need to keep it in moderation. Occasional tuna is almost definitely safe for cats.