Canned Tuna?

[Nature9000]

I don't believe in feeding human food to my pets, all sorts of health problems could happen; but I'm curious. Are some things acceptable in treat form? Like canned or packaged tuna, or do those still contain things bad for cats?

 

[Kieka]

If you get water packed, unsalted, no additive tuna there isn't a problem IMO. However, finding that is hard for tuna. Did you know that most canned tuna has soy added to it?

I prefer canned sardines or anchovies (packed in water and no salt) over tuna personally. Less chance of unwanted additives since they are minimally processed. The bones are not a worry because they are small and soft.

 

[Nature9000]

If you get water packed, unsalted, no additive tuna there isn't a problem IMO. However, finding that is hard for tuna. Did you know that most canned tuna has soy added to it

I prefer canned sardines or anchovies (packed in water and no salt) over tuna personally. Less chance of unwanted additives since they are minimally processed. The bones are not a worry because they are small and soft.

Like these?

 

[Nature9000]

Well that says with salt, most here say it. Still, those are okay in treat form? Petri treats are expensive, and Nikita seems to prefer the whole food treats they have as opposed to the hard/soft chew treats

 

[Nature9000]

Then there are these

But I'm not sure about the Olive oil

 

[LTS3]

Meat is good for cats Things like chicken, turkey, beef, etc. If you're cutting up meat for your own meal, offer your cat a small piece. Some cats will eat raw meat while others prefer cooked meat. If you cook meat, poaching in plain water is fine. Poached chicken breast is great. You can shred or cube it and offer it as treats. Extras can be frozen for future use. Just be sure that the meat, especially poultry, hasn't been enhanced with broths, flavorings, etc. There's usually a teeny tiny statement on the package if the meat has been enhanced.

Some cats will eat chicken liver, raw or cooked. A few might like raw chicken gizzards or hearts or even raw chicken wing bones which are great for dental health.

Raw egg yolks or a whole cooked egg are accepted by some cats.

Tuna / fish in water is best. Most contain salt which is not a big deal since you're only offering it to the cat as an occasional treat. My cats love canned salmon. I buy the Rubenstine brand.

 

[Kieka]

If you can't find one without salt just rinse before giving to get the loose salt off. Packed in water is better than oil.

 

[duckpond]

If you want to treat your cat with fish sometimes you can also buy a fish cat food. Tiki has quite a few, almo nature does, as well as weruva. My guys really like the sardines from Tiki, and the almo nature salmon and apple, Almo also has several supplemental foods, if you just want the fish, not any vitamins or additives.

 

[lalagimp]

Wellness Core Shreds
They used to have just a tuna one that Chewy had me try out, but now what they have is Tuna and Shrimp. It's supplementary and the old tuna packets were 30 calories in the pouch.

 

[duckpond]

I also found some nulo supplemental pouches this weekend. They are a bit larger than a lot of them are, so will work for a couple of cats. Haven't tried them yet, but they look good, several different flavors.

 

[jen]

What are the health problems you think that can happen if you give human food to pets? I mean ONLY human food can be a problem... But is meat not "human food"? Cats are meat eaters and raw or cooked food as a treat when you are cooking it is excellent for them. They are not even meant to eat dry carb filled kibble, which ironically can cause a few different health issues alone (diabetes for one) yet we feed them it with no regards. It is also recommended to give dogs veggies as a suppliment to their food to fill them up a bit if they seem always hungry and are putting on weight. Nothing wrong with human food if you do it right.

 

[Nature9000]

Yeah, but those are expensive, wet food and whatnot. As for human food, someone laid out the health issues once. Such as glandular problems, skin problems, and I have a friend of mine whose toy fox terrier is obese on table scraps.

 

[Kitty_Galore]

Canned tuna is problematic because of the high sodium and mercury content. You dont want to mess around with those.

You never know at what health stage are your cat's kidneys, liver and the heart. Its best if you feed the cat proper cat food because mercury and high salt content can contribute to your cat being sick in the future.

Here are some good sources to look into this:
With concerns about mercury poisoning, is it safe to give canned tuna to cats as a treat?
What You Need to Know About Mercury in Fish and Shellfish

 

[jen]

Yeah, but those are expensive, wet food and whatnot. As for human food, someone laid out the health issues once. Such as glandular problems, skin problems, and I have a friend of mine whose toy fox terrier is obese on table scraps.

With the dog that is overfeeding and 100% the owners fault.

 

[Nature9000]

With the dog that is overfeeding and 100% the owners fault.

Yep, I know. But an expert told me also that human food can cause all sorts of medical and health problems, and it's no coincidence her dog has seen a fair share of medical issues like patchy and lost fur, which I thought initially was mange...