Wheat Thins

how bad are they for my cat? Sometimes I break him off a small piece .... that put together equals 1/4-2/3’s of one wheat thin max in a day. I know they are not good for him but he really likes them. Lately I have been either trying to brush off the salt or lick it off before I give him a small piece.

I know carbs and salt are not great for him but I am wondering if gets 1-2 wheat thins a week if it would harm him?

I don't really know, but 1 to 2 Wheat Thins a week does sort of sound like a lot. Maybe mention it to your vet next time you're there.

rubysmama said:

I don't really know, but 1 to 2 Wheat Thins a week does sort of sound like a lot. Maybe mention it to your vet next time you're there.

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It sounds like a bit much to me, too, particularly given that the original Wheat Thins have 5 grams of sugars per serving, which totals more than a teaspoon of sugars! The sugar (apparently 4 g, which is a teaspoon per serving) and wheat ingredients make for a lot of carbs, plus the salt is relatively high, too.

Does your cat like freeze-dried chicken treats, danteshuman ? Our cats love them.

[Edited a bit with more specifics on sugars/wheat.]

He gets treats, he just likes to eat what mom eats. Since I fostered them; I’m always going to be his mom. His brother goes nuts for fresh baked bread & his sister loves sweet potatoes!!! You are aware that a serving of wheat thins is probably like 15 crackers? (They are small human bite sized crackers.) I give him small amounts of cheese or chicken to if he is interested but he tends to shy away from people food...... but the wheat thins? He comes running when I grab a handful and starts begging, trying to stick his nose in my food.

I knew one cat that loved ham above all else and another that loved potato chips and one that loved tortilla chips....... reading that list I must conclude most cats like salt.

1 serving of wheat thins = 16 crackers. So since he usually gets half a wheat thin twice a month(I try to give him tiny lives) but for sake of argument let’s say he gets 1 wheat thin a week: he is getting .25 grams a sugar.

All of this making me think I need to give him less but will I crack for his cute little face and keep giving him some. I could try giving him treats instead of wheat thins & see if that works. He doesn’t get treats that often at my place.... he mainly gets them at my mom’s or when I’m training him to wear his Halloween costume.

I’m not able to estimate how really bad it is for a cat in the long run but it just... feels wrong like most of us know that cats don’t need carbs, wheat, sugar etc and this thins are all that. I’m guessing it’s also really processed food. I simply see no reason to give it to him. Maybe when you’re snacking it, have some cats’ snack ready for him as well?

My Lily loves regular saltine crackers, and I give her half of one when I have them. She never eats more than two halves. She also loves popcorn, especially with a nacho cheese sprinkle on them, but never eats more than five popped kernels. Both these things have carbs and salt, but they never seem to have hurt her, and I've been giving them to her for a long time.

I just tried giving him treats instead of some wheat thins and he ate choose tuna 2 in 1 fancy feast treat over the tiny wheat thin strips. Of course he got 7 of them so I will have to cut him off sooner at 3treats 5 max. As a teen he is still growing but I don’t want him to turn into a chunky middle age cat that needs a diet.

The cute little twerp is fed 4 wet food meals of half a fancy feast can or a Sheba perfect portion and he eats 1/4-1/2 cup of blue buffalo duck dry food depending on how much wet food he wastes. By the way my mom had a cat that helped herself to all sorts of people food and she lived 18 years.

danteshuman said:

By the way my mom had a cat that helped herself to all sorts of people food and she lived 18 years.

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My family once had a cat that ate all sorts of people food too, and she lived till almost 20. But cats are probably like people, and some can handle "junk" food with no ill effects, while others get diabetes, high blood pressure, etc.

That's surprising that he chose the cat treats over the Wheat Thins. But then again, who knows if the cat treats are really any better for him. It's hard, sometimes, being a cat parent.