Month: March 2024

Cats are natural carnivores and always prefer meat over plant-based meals!

But there are some plant-related food items like Bok Choy that can be or should be fed to cats. Is quinoa one of them? Can your cat have quinoa?

Yes, there’s no harm in feeding quinoa to your cat. One of the best things about quinoa is that it is gluten-free.

There’s still much more to know about quinoa being permissible for cats because quinoa is not like meat and can’t be fed straightforwardly to an obligatory carnivore. So, let’s continue the discussion:

Is Quinoa Good for Cats? (Can You Feed it to Your Cat?)

[su_note note_color=”#72E8E1″ text_color=”#000000″ radius=”18″]Quinoa is extremely nutritious and hence, beneficial for both humans and cats. But a cat’s body is completely different from a human’s body. The prominent difference between both creatures’ bodies is that cats don’t really need carbs (being carnivores) while humans’ bodies are fond of them (being omnivores). Still, quinoa is an awesome snack for cats.[/su_note]

What is Quinoa?

Before jumping towards its relation with a cat’s stomach and body, it’s important to know what exactly quinoa is.

Quinoa is a kind of seed grown on quinoa plants mostly in the northwestern part of South America. It is a whole grain filled with loads of nutrients. Health-conscious people consume it instead of wheat and rice to stay healthier than the rest of the world.

Nutrition You Can Find in Quinoa

Here’s a table that’ll help you understand why quinoa is a wonderful snack for cats:

Health Benefits of Quinoa for Cats

You must be tired of just hearing that quinoa is rich in nutrients for cats. Hence, let’s jump into the reasons why everyone keeps talking about qualities of quinoa:

1.       Rich in Fiber

Cats aren’t omnivores like us which is why they don’t really require fiber to be part of their everyday meal. But still, fiber is great for cats as it fulfills their hunger and keeps their tummy full for a good long time. Quinoa seeds are rich in fiber so you can go for them especially if your cat stays hungry for longer time than it should be.

2.       Gluten-free

Yeah, quinoa is gluten-free!

But what does that mean and why is it important?

Humans these days usually chase gluten-free stuff to eat and it’s also beneficial for cats. Can’t understand why?

Actually, gluten-free means that the food is much easier to digest than the food with gluten. Furthermore, cat’s stomach is MUCH MORE vulnerable than humans which implies that gluten-free food is more important for cats than us.

3.       Complete Protein

Having nine amino acids in a plant-based food is like a heaven for you as a cat parent. Moreover, all of these amino acids are those amino acids that our bodies can’t produce. That’s why quinoa seeds are famously called complete protein. Although, indeed, experts always suggest pet owners feed amino acids to their pets through animals, quinoa is still an exception (if fed properly and in lesser content).

4.       Great Source of Minerals and Vitamins

Other than protein and fiber, quinoa seeds are also a great source of minerals and vitamins for cats. Here are some minerals and vitamins your feline can richly get from quinoa:

• B6 (works with sugar imbalance to achieve equilibrium)
• Magnesium (works at cellular level to fight against conditions like constipation)
• Iron (raises the levels of hemoglobin)
• Manganese (improve brain development)
• Copper (helps with bone growth)

Not just these, but quinoa also contains antioxidants that are responsible for reducing the risk of severe diseases like cancer and heart conditions.

How to Feed Quinoa to Your Cat?

Cats and their body behaviors are way more complicated than humans. For example, a few breeds of cats are capable of eating different kinds of grains as their daily meals. On the other hand, most cats can’t even digest 2 seeds of different grains.

Nonetheless, quinoa seeds are special because, unlike many vegetarian options, almost all breeds of cats can even consume quinoa seeds daily if a few seeds are added to their normal meal.

But after all, cats are obligate carnivores and being OBLIGATE carnivores, cats shouldn’t be fed anything other than meat frequently. Hence, here are a few considerations you must take before feeding quinoa seeds to your cat:

• The recipe for quinoa seeds shouldn’t be same for your cat. Usually, you would stir-fry quinoa seeds with some spices and stuff. But that recipe wouldn’t be ideal for your feline. Hence, it would be right if you give just plain (boiled) quinoa to your friend. Yes, it’s boring but it’s compulsory.
• Although there are not many restrictions when working with quinoa, it’s still recommended to go with whole–grain quinoa seeds. Because it’s better to get all important fibers (including dietary fibers) and micronutrients.
• Due to presence of fiber, your cat shouldn’t be allowed to consume quinoa seeds too much. Experts usually suggest one teaspoon and the best way of feeding quinoa to your cat is by adding it to cat’s ordinary meal now and then.

FAQs

Can my cat have uncooked quinoa?

No!

It’s a big no because your cat might not be able to digest raw quinoa. Additionally, it can cause gastrointestinal upset so go for boiled quinoa seeds.

What other seeds are good for cats?

Pumpkin seeds and chia seeds are two prominent seeds that are allowed to be fed to a cat. While poppy seeds and apple seeds are strictly prohibited.

How much quinoa is suitable for my cat?

One teaspoon is fine!

Quinoa contains fiber and cat’s stomach isn’t strong enough to digest too much fiber which is why you should just go with one teaspoon. However, after some time, if you feel your cat can bear more quinoa seeds, there’s no harm in increasing the amount (slowly).

Conclusion

Need a nutritious boost in your cat’s lazy life? Quinoa could be the way to go!

The most important thing to remember is that quinoa is a plant-based food and contains fiber that should be a complete part of a cat’s diet. So, don’t try to feed quinoa seeds to your every time just because it’s healthy. As we all know:

Being carnivores and predators by nature, cats love meat and anything related to meat. Due to that reason, they also are attracted to eggs and milk (as they are associated with animals).

But what about quail eggs in particular?

Just like chicken eggs, you would love to feed a good amount of quail eggs to your cat. ‘

Have questions in mind related to quail eggs being a part of cat’s diet? Please keep reading the article as we’ll cover the topic thoroughly.

Can Cats Eat Quail Eggs?

[su_note note_color=”#72E8E1″ text_color=”#000000″ radius=”18″]Yes, cats can eat quail eggs. They’re rich in protein, and calcium, and low in carbs, making them a healthy snack. Always cook them first and consult your vet before feeding.[/su_note]

Can You Feed Quail Eggs to Your Cat without Vet’s Permission?

Just like other protein sources like canned chicken, you should never give quail eggs to cats without a vet’s permission. There’s no single doubt that quail eggs are a great food item that can be fed to cats. But you should always first ask your cat’s vet. It’s because felines are extremely sensitive and every cat shows different behavior for different things.

Hence, we can’t claim that your quail eggs will be all right for your cat. So, the best way out here is to visit or at least call your vet as he/she knows about your cat and its body’s behavior.

What are Quail Eggs? (Chicken Eggs vs. Quail Eggs)

Quail eggs are quite smaller in size when compared with chicken eggs but in many aspects, quail eggs are better or worse than chicken eggs. That’s why you must have a look at the table below:

From what we can see from the table, quail eggs are way smaller than chicken eggs in size but are great in nutrition. Although chicken eggs are also always suggested for cats, still, we can still claim that quail eggs are much better.

These are the factors that make quail eggs better than chicken eggs:

• More calories (energy).
• Less carbs.
• Slightly better protein.
• Extra calcium content

Benefits of Feeding Quail Eggs to Your Cat

You already have a good idea of how quail eggs are much better than many cat snacks. Right?

But there’s still a lot to uncover in the form of detailed health benefits of quail eggs for cats. Here, they are:

More Calcium

Calcium has to be a primary part of feline’s diet just like protein. Some cats get it through milk while others are lactose intolerant. Hence, those cat owner who want to feed extra calcium to their pets usually go for quail eggs as they are a great source of (extra) calcium.

The part of egg in this case is shell. So, if your cat loves munching it, go for it. Otherwise, you can also add a little bit of egg shell while cooking quail egg for your best friend.

Vital Amount of Protein

Due to it being not entirely suitable for cats, quail eggs should not be primary option for protein consumption of cats. But when talking about snacks that are tasty and healthy at the same time, quail eggs come in handy especially in case of protein content.

A Good Source of Choline

Not every food item contains choline, that’s why quail eggs are seen as quite important. Only a very slight amount of choline can help improve nervous system of not just humans but also cats.

Next to No Carbs

Carbohydrate is one of those common nutrients that shouldn’t be added to cat’s diet. That’s one of the reasons why many human snacks are forbidden for cats. Quail eggs end this problem as they have next to no amount of carbs which is great news for you as a cat parent.

Can Cats Have Raw Quail Eggs?

Never!

No vet in the world will recommend you to feed raw quail eggs to your feline. Not just quail eggs but every other kind of eggs (including chicken eggs) are difficult to digest even for the human stomach. As a cat parent, you might already know that cat’s stomach is way more vulnerable than human’s.

Moreover, raw quail eggs contain bacteria that are harmful to cats and can cause mild to severe issues for them.

FAQs

How much amount of quail egg is ok for my cat?

Once or twice a week should be all right!

Although there’s no specific amount for it, still, you must know that quail egg isn’t a kind of food that should be added to a carnivore’s daily diet.

Can You Feed Hard-boiled Quail Eggs to Your Cats?

Hardboiled eggs are not ideal but cats can ingest them!

Hard-boiled eggs are not as perfect for cats as properly cooked ones but still, there is no harm in going for them. A thing you should know here is that younger cats might get affected by hard-boiled eggs so you must be aware of that.

What’s the best way to feed quail eggs to my cat?

Properly cooked or boiled egg is arguably the perfect way for your cat to consume quail egg. The only trick here is that undercooked/raw and overcooked/hard-boiled are the terms you must be aware of.

To Wrap Things Up…..

Yes, you can feed quail eggs to your cat. Quail eggs are not just permissible for cats but also a great alternative to unsafe snacks (like croissants) that your cat might get attracted to. Protein is what quail eggs contain and that’s exactly what cat’s diet should comprise. This is one of the biggest reasons why vets always encourage pet owners to feed quail eggs to their beloved kitties.